The last time Milan played Lazio in Rome, there were a total of 15 cards shown, including three red cards for Lazio alone. Milan took all three points in that one with a 1-0 win, but it was definitely ugly. This match does not look to be much better, though, as Fonseca already seems to have lost the plot, we already have at least six players out of this one with injuries, and he apparently plans to sit some starters, too. Add to that a strange transfer window, and this really could get ugly.
 |
| Last time we played Lazio in Rome, things definitely got ugly. |
Lazio come into this match ahead of us, having won one and lost one. That loss came last week to 10 man Udinese, a 2-1 loss to i Friuliani. This Lazio side will look very different to the one we met in March, however, as they said goodbye to a number of players this summer, including Immobile, Luis Alberto, and Felipe Anderson. They did invest in their own Tijjani, though, Tijjani Noslin from Verona, as well as a few other new players.
 |
| Baroni brought his own Tijjani from Verona. |
Last week, for their loss, manager Marco Baroni lined up: Provedel; Lazzari, Casale, Milan's former captain, Romagnoli, Marušić; Guendouzi, Vecino, Dele Bashiru; Noslin, Castellanos, and Zaccagni. Baroni has a couple of injuries of his own to deal with, as he will be missing both Gila and Luca Pellegrini to injury for this match.
Meanwhile, Fonseca has already turned into Jack from The Shining, probably on account of living at Milanello, and he has lost his freaking mind. Not only is he missing Sportiello and Florenzi due to their injuries, he's missing Morata due to a muscle injury, Thiaw due to an ankle injury sustained in training this week, and Jović is apparently having some kind of back pain, while Bennacer reportedly had gastroenteritis this week and did not train for three days. (Those last two injuries are also common ailments during the final days of the transfer window when your future at a club is uncertain.)
 |
| Milan's newest |
Fonseca will also be without Adli, who went on loan to Fiorentina this week, with an option to purchase, as well as Saelemaekers, who went on loan to Roma for the season on the final day of the transfer window. However, he did also gain a new player, Tammy Abraham, who joined Milan on loan from Roma for the season for a reported fee of €1.5 million, and he will wear the number 90. Abraham is famously best friends with Tomori, and knows Pulisic well and likely also Loftus-Cheek from their time at Chelsea. Abraham will be able to travel with the team, as his contract was deposited in time, however he has not trained with Milan at all yet, so it would be surprising to see him play.
Fonseca has already resorted to raiding the ranks of Milan Futuro, as well. He has called up Camarda, Zeroli, Bartesaghi, and Hugo Cuenca for this one, even though they have a match on Sunday, less than 24 hours later. But he insists on playing "his" football, he refuses to change his system... at least not yet.
 |
| Has Fonseca already lost his mind? |
I digress, though, as I was telling you about Fonseca's "Here's Johnny" moment. He is reportedly planning on benching Theo, Leão, and Calabria tomorrow like a parent punishing toddlers or something, in hopes that will change their attitude. So let me get this straight: He drew one, lost one. He is planning to bench two of the players who created the only goal last week, to "teach them a lesson." Meanwhile, his job is very much under scrutiny, despite the confirmation from Cardinale on Monday. We've seen Pioli bench one or two players like this before, and it never turned out well. Clearly, Fonseca did not pay any attention.
 |
| Two of these three players could start on the bench, while the newest signing starts. Bizarre. |
I will save the rant about the disjointed, poorly planned, late-moving transfer window for the international break. But if Fonseca goes full Shining and benches his best players like this, it is very difficult to see us coming away from the Olimpico with three points this time. Even if Pulisic pulls a disruptor again and gets three Lazio players sent off, I don't see how this goes well for us. I have so little hope for this one, that I am actually preparing to be disappointed. Third match in, and I'm hopeless. Well done, Cardinale and friends. You've cured me of all optimism. I mean, anything can happen in 90 minutes, but this could get ugly.
This post inspired by the music of Måneskin's "Gasoline"