Chivu backs Thuram‑Lautaro and Malen as Milan reels from Europa loss

Milan’s Europa League debut at the San Siro ended in a 2‑0 defeat to Benfica, prompting former defender Cristian Chivu to urge the return of Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martínez and Donyell Malen, while Juventus prepare to field Weston McKennie against NEC in Turin tonight.

Milan’s Europa setback

The Rossoneri were outplayed by Benfica, who secured a 2‑0 win and left Milan with a glaring shortage of goals and overall play. Alexis Saelemaekers told Sky Sport that the side had “no excuses” after the poor first‑half display and that the team must avoid repeating the mistakes.

Juventus seek redemption

Juventus travel to the Allianz Stadium to host NEC, needing a result to restore confidence after the loss to Sassuolo in Reggio Emilia, Emilia. Luciano Spalletti is expected to keep rotation low, fielding eight of the eleven players who featured in the previous match.

Goalkeeper Mattia Vicario will start, with Gatti and Lucumì forming the centre‑back partnership alongside Çelik and Kalulu. Weston McKennie returns to the midfield, partnering Douglas Luiz, while Nick Woltemade will act as the primary offensive outlet.

In attack, Kolo Muani rests, and Spalletti is likely to confirm Chico Conceição, Nico González and Alajbegović in the attacking‑midfield roles, the Bosnian close to earning a second start after a minor issue in the Sassuolo game.

Roma keep January hopes alive for Dutch defender Oosterwolde despite injury

Transfer buzz around Malen

Roma forward Donyell Malen continues to attract Premier League interest, with reports linking him to Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. Arsenal are said to have made informal contacts to stay ahead of rivals, yet Roma have signalled they will not part with the Dutch striker easily.

Inter, meanwhile, have Cristian Chivu eyeing a line‑up that features the Thuram‑Lautaro partnership against Roma, with Curtis Jones a possible debutant and Federico Dimarco returning to the back line. Luis Henrique is expected on the right, while Piotr Zielinski remains in the play‑making role.

Ruben Amorim, Milan’s coach, lamented the lack of creativity near the penalty area and the team’s tendency to lose the ball in dangerous moments, calling the performance “the second consecutive first‑half where we are not in the game.” Alessandro Florenzi added that Benfica’s frequent changes at half‑time highlighted Milan’s need for a clear base, naming Pulisic as the team’s driver.

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Fans can follow all Serie BKT action live on the LaB Channel via OneFootball for €9.99 a month, ensuring no further Europa nights go unnoticed.