Key keywords: Milan-Udinese official lineups, Serie A 2024/25 Match Week 12, AC Milan starting XI, Udinese confirmed squad, Stefano Pioli tactical selections, San Siro home fixture, Olivier Giroud starting, Lazar Samardzic availability The highly anticipated Serie A 2024/25 Match Week 12 fixture between AC Milan and Udinese has released its official starting lineups 2 hours ahead of kickoff at the San Siro Stadium, drawing widespread attention from fans and football analysts across Europe. First, for home side AC Milan, manager Stefano Pioli has opted for a full-strength 4-3-3 formation, dismissing earlier rumors of large-scale rotations after the team’s grueling midweek UEFA Champions League group stage match against Paris Saint-Germain. French goalkeeper Mike Maignan retains his spot between the posts, with a back four consisting of Davide Calabria on the right, Pierre Kalulu and Fikayo Tomori as center-backs, and Theo Hernandez on the left, who has recovered from the minor ankle injury he sustained in the PSG clash to start today. In the midfield, Rade Krunic, Ismael Bennacer and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will take charge of both defensive support and creative output, with Bennacer tasked with distributing passes to the front line. The attacking trio is made up of Rafael Leao on the left wing, Olivier Giroud as the central striker, and Christian Pulisic on the right wing, all three of whom have combined for 18 goals across all competitions so far this season. Pioli stated in the pre-match press conference that the team is targeting all three points from this fixture to keep pace with league leaders Inter Milan, who are currently only 2 points ahead of the Rossoneri in the Serie A standings. For away side Udinese, manager Andrea Sottil has lined up in a defensive 3-5-2 formation designed to counter Milan’s attacking threats on the wings. Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye starts in goal, with a three-man backline of Rodrigo Becao, Nehuen Perez and Jean-Victor Makengo. The wing-back positions are occupied by Kingsley Ehizibue on the right and Hassane Kamara on the left, who will be tasked with marking Leao and Pulisic respectively. In the midfield, Wallace Souza, Lazar Samardzic and Sandi Lovric will operate as a compact unit, with Samardzic given the freedom to push forward during counterattacks. Up front, Florian Thauvin and Beto will lead the line, with the latter looking to add to his 5 league goals this season. Sottil confirmed that key winger Gerard Deulofeu is still sidelined with a long-term knee injury, and the team will prioritize defensive stability before looking for scoring opportunities on the break. This fixture marks the 78th top-flight meeting between the two sides, with AC Milan winning 45 of the previous encounters, while Udinese have only picked up 12 wins.