Lyon vs. AC Milan: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream and TV Info

AC Milan have only played a couple of friendlies against provincial sides early in their pre-season training. Facing Lyon on Saturday is the first real test of a season that promises lots of change.

Of course, Milan’s biggest signing Carlos Bacca has not yet joined the group. But this is a time for the youngsters to show their worth—and perhaps break into the team.

Date: Saturday, July 18

Venue: Stade Gerland, Lyon, France

Time: 7:45 p.m. UK / 2:45 p.m. ET

TV info: Not available

Predicted Lineups

For Milan, the pre-season is a bit of a change of pace. Coach Sinisa Mihajlovic has put his new squad through double training sessions, and the players have suffered.

“The lads are working hard and are not accustomed to this level of intensity,” Mihajlovic told Mediaset (h/t Football Italia).

He is a disciplinarian, but he also rewarded Milan with a team dinner on Wednesday. Mihajlovic picked up the bill for everyone, including team staff, according to Football Italia. It’s clear he is trying to establish a better atmosphere at Milanello.

He is also giving a chance to some of the fringe players. Suso, M’Baye Niang and Hachim Mastour all got playing time in a recent friendly against Swiss club Lugano, and they will likely see some of the pitch against Lyon.

All three are fighting for their spots on the team. Mastour in particular has not yet made an official competitive appearance for Milan, and this pre-season is the perfect chance for the club and the player to develop some level of trust.

Mastour has already made headlines this week with his 25-yard screamer.

The 17-year-old has been the subject of transfer rumours for the past year—most recently with Paris Saint-Germain, according to Sky Sport (h/t Football Italia)—but for now Mastour seems to be a part of Milan’s plans.

It's also a chance for a player like Mattia De Sciglio to regain his bearings after a season of ups and downs. De Sciglio spent half of the 2014-15 season out of the lineup, and he earned suspensions through two red cards.

And then there is new signing Andrea Bertolacci, who is coming off his unofficial debut with the club. The €20 million man has to find his spot in midfield, and Mihajlovic must learn to use his attacking instincts properly.

Lyon are around the same point of their pre-season programme, having spent 10 days in a Swiss mountain resort, per the club website. They are slowly coming back to life, and French stars like Alexandre Lacazette and Nabil Fekir—both of whom are likely to have drawn interest this summer—are set to join the Ligue 1 squad.

Lyon lost their first two friendlies, including a 2-0 defeat to PSV on Wednesday, with the team struggling for fitness. Nineteen players saw the pitch in that match, and they will likely continue to rotate despite the arrival of their big guns.

Milan Predicted XI: Lopez; De Sciglio, Ely, Alex, Abate; Bonaventura, De Jong, Bertolacci; Suso; Niang, Mastour 

Lyon Predicted XI: Lopes; Zeffane, Rose, Umtiti, Jallet; Tolisso, Gonalons, Ferri; Fekir, Lacazette, Beauvue  

Marco Vasini/Associated Press

Player to watch

Mihajlovic prefers a 4-3-1-2 formation, and it's still uncertain who will take the trequartista position behind the two strikers. Keisuke Honda, the truest No. 10 in the Milan squad, is the easiest pick, but there is also Suso. The 21-year-old Spaniard joined Milan in January, and he told Milan Channel (h/t Football Italia) that he believes he can be a regular in the starting XI.

Suso has only made two competitive starts. He sat on the bench for 14 of Milan's games this season. This pre-season is probably more important to him and his continued development than any other player on this squad.

The match against Lyon is a start, but the pre-season should not be the only time we see him in action.

Predicted Score: Lyon 2-2 Milan