AC Milan are expected to change shape heavily for their Europa League trip to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, with a youthful starting line-up set to carry the burden of a result that matters immediately. Francesco Camarda, who has had just a handful of minutes this season, is in line for a start that would end a wait of 100 weeks since his last one.
That is why Rb Salzburg Vs Milan is being searched now: Milan are trying to steady a European campaign that began with a loss to Benfica and continued with a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo at the weekend. Adrien Rabiot, who is joint-top scorer for Milan and opened the scoring against Sassuolo, gives the side one established attacking reference point in a team otherwise expected to lean on younger legs.
The matchup also carries a sharp edge because Salzburg arrive unbeaten in 15 matches under Danny Röhl. Abubakr Barry has started all but one of their games this season, while Haris Tabakovic, 32 years old and already on four goals, is expected to lead the line ahead of Karim Konato. On the other side, Kevin Boma, 23 years old, is expected to oppose Camarda, turning the teenager’s return into more than a ceremonial selection.
Milan’s selection is being shaped by necessity as much as planning. Koni De Winter is expected to anchor the defence, and Matteo Gabbia’s serious injury has increased the responsibility on him. Tim Drexler, who has played as a centre-back this season but is expected to start at full-back, has started all five of his appearances so far, and Alphadjo Cisse, 19 years old, has already scored against Torino and Juventus this season. That youth is coming into a game that is only the second in a run of seven matches inside 21 days, so the margin for a flat performance is thin.
The question now is not whether Milan trust their young players; it is whether they can carry that trust in Austria against a side in form. If Camarda gets the start, it will be his first chance in a long time to turn minutes into a reason to stay on the pitch when the pressure rises.
