AC Milan has made the decision to bench Theo Hernandez for the second consecutive match, while dealing with an injury crisis that has forced Tijjani Reijnders and Filippo Terracciano into new roles for their away game against Hellas Verona.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 19:45 GMT at the Stadio Bentegodi in Verona.

Milan manager Paulo Fonseca is facing increasing pressure after a run of poor results, with just one win in their last five Serie A matches. However, much of the fans’ frustration seems directed at the players and club ownership rather than the coach.

Fonseca’s decision to bench Theo Hernandez for a second straight game, following the player’s poor attitude in a recent Champions League match, has garnered some support. Young left-back Alex Jimenez impressed as Hernandez’s replacement in the previous match.

Milan’s injury list continues to grow, with several key players unavailable including Alvaro Morata, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Yunus Musah, Noah Okafor, Luka Jovic, Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi.

To cope with the absences, Fonseca has made some tactical adjustments. After experimenting with 17-year-old Mattia Liberali in midfield against Genoa, he has now moved fullback Terracciano into a midfield role. This allows Reijnders to be pushed forward into an advanced playmaker position behind strikers Tammy Abraham and Rafael Leao.

Hellas Verona ended a four-match losing streak last week with a 3-2 away victory over Parma, easing some pressure on manager Paolo Zanetti. The club is also in the process of being sold to American investors, with the deal expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

Confirmed Starting Lineups:

Verona: Montipò; Dawidowicz, Coppola, Ghilardi; Tchatchoua, Belahyane, Duda, Kastanos, Lazovic; Suslov; Sarr

Milan: Maignan; Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Thiaw, Jimenez; Terracciano, Fofana; Chukwueze, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham