AC Milan face injury crisis in defense ahead of Derby clash against Inter Milan – likely starting line-up revealed

AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli will be without a number of key defenders in tomorrow’s Serie A derby against Inter Milan.

Today’s print edition of Milanese newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reports via FCInterNews that Fiyako Tomori and Matteo Gabbia will start in the center of defense for the Rossoneri.

Injuries have been a theme for Milan this season. Particularly in their back line.

Rarely has Rossoneri coach Pioli been able to call on all his first-choice defenders.

And that will also be the case tomorrow in the derby against Inter, the Gazzetta confirms.

French international Pierre Kalulu has been out for over a month with a knee injury. And he probably won’t be back until around the end of the current month.

Meanwhile, experienced former Sevilla, Roma and Wolfsburg defender Simon Kjaer recently suffered a thigh problem.

The Dane will therefore also be out of action for tomorrow’s derby clash.

Finally, Pioli cannot call on the young German international Malick Thiaw. The former Schalke man is absent due to suspension.

With the injuries and suspensions, Pioli doesn’t really have a free hand when it comes to his selections at the back for tomorrow’s derby.

One player who is fit and available is former Chelsea defender Fiyako Tomori.

The 26-year-old will lead the Rossoneri’s defense.

Meanwhile, Milan youth academy graduate Matteo Gabbia will partner Tomori.

The 24-year-old spent the first half of the season on loan at La Liga club Villarreal.

However, the Rossoneri recalled Gabbia from that loan in January. This came amid the team’s continued problems with defensive injuries.

As for the full-backs, however, they will be the two first-choice starters, reports the Gazzetta.

Theo Hernandez starts on the left and Davide Calabria on the right.

Milan’s full predicted starting XI for the Gazzetta derby is as follows:

Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Gabbia, Theo Hernandez; Bennacer, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud.