Fonseca preparing tactical tweak for Juventus clash: Former Chelsea man reintegrated | OneFootball

Milan manager Paulo Fonseca is looking to tinker once again ahead of Saturday’s big showdown against Juventus.

The Portuguese coach’s first few months at Milanello have been a true rollercoaster filled with ups and downs. Nevertheless, he had showcased an ability to prevail in the big encounters, as evidenced by his Derby della Madonnina triumph over Inter and the more recent victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League.

These feats have been partially achieved thanks to Fonseca’s tactical agility and creativity. For instance, he unleashed an ultra-attacking starting lineup against Inter while his back was against the wall. Alvaro Morata supported Tammy Abraham up front, while Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic operated on the wings. This formation seemingly took their crosstown rivals by surprise.

In recent weeks, the former Lille and Roma coach has been fielding Pulisic as an attacking midfielder, bringing Samuel Chukwueze to the fold as a right winger.

But according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Fonseca is ready to change again, this time resorting to the services of Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

This would be a somewhat surprising move given the Englishman’s struggles this season. The midfielder has yet to score or provide an assist in his 14 appearances across all competitions, rendering him a mere shadow of the player who established himself as a regular starter in Stefano Pioli’s lineup last term.

Nevertheless, the former Chelsea man is one of the few players who remained at Milanello during the international break, allowing him extra time to prepare for the upcoming San Siro clash against Thiago Motta’s band.

The pink newspaper thus expects Loftus Cheek to feature as an attacking midfielder behind Morata who would operate as a centre-forward, while Leao and Pulisic fill in the wings. Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders should preserve their spots in the double-pivot

This would give the Milan midfield a boost on the physical level in their battle against Juve’s dynamic midfield trio of Manuel Locatelli, Khephren Thuram and Teun Koopmeiners.