Having returned to Stefano Pioli’s match-day squad to face Bologna midweek, Marcelo Brozović could be set to start this weekend in Palermo.

There are no certainties however, as La Gazzetta dello Sport explained. Over the course of 180 minutes (Chievo in Serie A and Bologna in the Coppa Italia), Gagliardini-Kondogbia has proved to be a convincing partnership in front of the defence.

The Croatian could therefore be handed the opportunity to impress in place of João Mário who played all 120 minutes against Bologna.

Brozović is one of Pioli’s most trusted lieutenants, having featured in all but one of the Nerazzurri’s run of five successive league victories.

He was never substituted in any of those four appearances, whilst he also contributed two vital goals against Genoa.

So far, he has always been fielded in front of the defence. One of those times was alongside João Mário in an anti-Genoa 3-4-3 formation. He also played with Felipe Melo (once) and Geoffrey Kondogbia (twice) in Pioli’s more conventional set-up.

It would make little sense to split the Gagliardini-Kondogbia partnership at this time and so the former Dinamo Zagreb man could be deployed as a trequartista in behind Mauro Icardi on Sunday afternoon.

For now, this is just one of numerous ideas under consideration. However, with Pioli set to continue with his highly effective 4-2-3-1, it could quite easily come to fruition in Sicily.

Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport

 

After featuring

 

midweek against Bologna in the Coppa Italia, Marcelo Brozović