AC Milan Prepares for Lazio Challenge at Milanello

The rhythm of the season is starting to bite, and AC Milan felt it on Sunday night. Two wins to open the 2026-27 campaign, then a late punch in the gut against Juventus that turned three points into one. Now comes another away trip, a third in four games, and a visit to the capital that will test both legs and nerves.

On Thursday afternoon at Milanello, Ruben Amorim’s plans for Lazio began to take clear shape.

Amorim sticks to his blueprint

No surprises with the structure. Amorim is set to stay loyal to his 3-4-2-1, a system that has already given Milan a defined identity in these early weeks.

Mike Maignan will once again stand in goal with the captain’s armband, the constant presence behind a back three that is starting to settle. Koni De Winter is expected to keep his place in the centre of defence, with Mario Gila and Strahinja Pavlovic flanking him. The message is obvious: continuity at the back, even after the late setback against Juventus.

Out wide, the choices carry more intrigue. On the right, Samuel Chukwueze is in line to start, adding direct running and one‑v‑one threat. On the left, Pervis Estupinan currently has the edge over Davide Bartesaghi, a selection that would underline Amorim’s preference for experience and aggression in a hostile away fixture. That decision would also push Diego Moreira out of the XI after his start in Turin.

Midfield battles and a big-name dilemma

The heart of Amorim’s Milan remains the double pivot. Yunus Musah is expected to keep his place, his energy and ball-carrying vital in transition. Alongside him, Luka Modric is again tipped to start, the veteran playmaker still dictating tempo and angles in the middle of the pitch.

Ardon Jashari is chasing that spot but, for now, trails in the pecking order. There is, however, one major variable: Adrien Rabiot. The Frenchman could drop into the double pivot if Amorim opts to alter the balance, which would open the door for Ruben Loftus-Cheek to come in as the central playmaker behind the striker. It’s the one area of the pitch where the coach appears genuinely torn.

As things stand, though, the plan leans another way.

Rabiot advanced, Cisse rewarded, Ramos up top

At present, Rabiot is expected to continue as the right-sided attacking midfielder, operating higher up the pitch where his late runs and physical presence can unsettle defences. On the opposite side, Alphadjo Cisse is set to be rewarded for his impact against Juventus, with his goal in that game pushing him back into the starting lineup on the left.

Up front, there is no debate. Goncalo Ramos will lead the line again, the reference point in Amorim’s attack and the man tasked with turning territorial control into goals in Rome.

Behind him, the bench is starting to look deeper. Christian Pulisic is expected to make his first appearance of the season, likely introduced in the second half as he builds rhythm and sharpness. His presence among the substitutes gives Milan a genuine game-changer to call on if the match tightens.

The likely XI in Rome

Barring late surprises, Milan should line up like this in their 3-4-2-1:

Maignan; Gila, De Winter, Pavlovic; Chukwueze, Modric, Musah, Estupinan; Rabiot, Cisse; G. Ramos.

Options are not in short supply on the bench: P. Terracciano, Torriani, Tomori, F. Terracciano, Diawara, Bartesaghi, Jashari, Comotto, Saelemaekers, Moreira, Loftus-Cheek, Hutchinson, Pulisic, Camarda.

A late equaliser against Juventus stopped Milan’s early charge, but it did not derail the plan. Now comes Lazio, a hostile capital stage, and a chance to show whether Amorim’s new Milan can turn early promise into real authority away from home.