When Pulisic and Leao Lead Milan’s Charge: A Bold Plan for Genoa

Lineups and setup

Massimiliano Allegri has named Milan’s starting XI for tonight’s Serie A clash with Genoa, the 19th round of the season. The Rossoneri will once again lean on a two-man strike force, with Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao spearheading the attack. A winter signing, Niclas Vollkrug, starts on the bench as depth up front, while Santiago Giménez and Christopher Nkunku miss out through injury.

An accompanying graphic by Getty Images captures Milan’s dynamic tandem in action, underscoring the double act that could decide the outcome of the evening.

The Milan starting XI centers on a solid spine, with Maignan in goal and Tomori and the rest of the defense providing a sturdy barrier, while the midfield engine room looks to feed the dangerous duo up front. The plan is simple: move the ball quickly, stretch Genoa, and let Pulisic and Leao improvise in the final third.

Genoa, meanwhile, line up with a blend of experience and energy, aiming to disrupt Milan’s rhythm and spring counter-attacks when possible. The visitors will hope their back line can hold firm as Milan’s front two press high and force errors higher up the pitch.

The match is slated to start at 20:00 local time, and the tactical game should be fascinating: Milan’s willingness to push numbers forward versus Genoa’s setup to absorb pressure and strike on transition.

In terms of personnel, the bench includes the aforementioned Vollkrug as a direct attacking option, while Giménez and Nkunku are unavailable due to injury. Allegri’s selection signals intent to balance creativity with a recognizable attacking edge against an opponent eager to upset the favorite.

Lineups snapshot: Milan: Maignan, Tomori, Gabia, Pavlovic, Salimaikeros, Fofana, Modrić, Rabiot, Bartisagy, Pulisic, Leao. Genoa: Liali, Marcandali, Ostigard, Vasquez, Norton Cofee, Malinovski, Frendrob, Torsby, Martin, Colombo, Vitinia.

Time to kickoff is 8 p.m. local time, and the stadium will be buzzing as Milan chase three points to press their advantage in the table.

Caption: Milan’s attacking duo of Pulisic and Leao take center stage against Genoa in a key Serie A clash.

Getty Images

Two punchlines to keep you smiling: If Milan keep this up, Genoa might need to hire a referee who can run as fast as Leao. And if Pulisic keeps threading those passes, the ball will need a passport to cross the line — it’s traveling faster than your internet at peak hour.