Torino vs AC Milan Predicted Lineups: Team News for Serie A

Torino open their 2026 Serie A campaign at Stadio Olimpico di Torino against AC Milan in a fixture that has quietly become one of the league’s more intriguing tactical battles. With both sides starting on 0 points and no games played yet, this is a clean slate, but recent head-to-head meetings suggest a tight, often high-intensity encounter rather than a routine opener.

Standings are effectively reset – Torino are listed 18th and AC Milan 12th only by alphabetical and administrative order, not by performance – so bettors and fans looking for predicted lineups must lean heavily on squad profiles, absences and historical matchups. The last five league clashes have produced a balanced picture: Torino have beaten Milan several times at home, while Milan have edged a series of high-scoring games at San Siro. With win probabilities from the prediction model split evenly at 33% for Torino, 33% for the draw and 33% for AC Milan, this looks like a genuinely open contest where accurate expected lineups could be decisive for any pre-match angle.

The odds market, however, leans towards AC Milan as clear favourites, implying a strong away bias despite the model’s even percentages. That contrast between market view and statistical parity, combined with some notable injuries and questionable players on both sides, makes the construction of the predicted starting lineup especially important for assessing value.

Torino Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Torino come into the new season with a relatively stable core but do have one confirmed absence and one key defensive doubt. Goalkeeper F. Israel is ruled out with a shoulder injury and will miss this fixture, while defender E. Cömert is listed as questionable with an unspecified injury. With no league form yet (no games played, no goals for or against), the focus shifts to continuity, home advantage and how Torino can again trouble a big side in Turin.

Given the available squad, Torino are expected to set up with a compact, hard-working shape that protects the back line and looks to transition quickly through versatile midfielders and mobile forwards like N. Vlašić, Z. Aboukhlal and D. Zapata. With Israel sidelined, the goalkeeping choice becomes a key call in the expected lineup, while Cömert’s status could force adjustments in the defensive rotation.

Torino Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: A. Paleari
DF: C. Biraghi; Saúl Coco; A. Ismajli; C. Bianay Balcot
MF: I. Ilić; M. Pedersen; G. Gineitis; G. Oristanio
FW: N. Vlašić; D. Zapata

With F. Israel unavailable, experienced keeper A. Paleari is the logical choice to start in goal from the remaining options. At the back, Torino can lean on the left-footed quality and delivery of C. Biraghi, with Saúl Coco and A. Ismajli providing aerial presence and defensive aggression in central areas. C. Bianay Balcot adds youthful energy on the opposite flank, giving Torino some thrust in wide zones.

In midfield, I. Ilić is expected to act as the primary organiser, supported by the work rate of M. Pedersen and the balance of G. Gineitis. G. Oristanio offers a more advanced, creative presence between the lines, linking midfield to attack. Up front, D. Zapata gives Torino a strong focal point who can pin AC Milan’s centre-backs, while N. Vlašić is likely to drift into pockets, combining with Oristanio and attacking the half-spaces. Without any top scorers or top assists data available for this new season, these selections rely on positional depth and the need for a blend of experience and dynamism in the predicted lineups.

AC Milan Team News & Expected Lineups Today

AC Milan travel to Turin with a deeper squad but more complex availability issues. Three players are confirmed out as “Inactive”: midfielder Y. Fofana, defender F. Tomori and attacker C. Nkunku will not feature. In addition, S. Giménez (ankle injury), R. Leão (muscle injury) and C. Pulišić (broken leg) are all listed as questionable. That combination removes one key defender and at least one major attacking option, and could significantly alter the lineups today compared with Milan’s ideal XI.

Despite those concerns, Milan still possess a strong spine, with M. Maignan in goal, a solid defensive rotation and a midfield packed with technical quality and experience, including L. Modrić, A. Rabiot and R. Loftus-Cheek. The expected approach is an attacking-minded shape that looks to control possession, use width through players like S. Chukwueze and rely on the movement of Gonçalo Ramos in the penalty area. Question marks over Leão, Pulišić and Giménez mean the predicted lineup leans more heavily on fit attacking options.

AC Milan Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: M. Maignan
DF: P. Estupiñán; M. Gabbia; Mario Gila; S. Pavlović
MF: L. Modrić; A. Rabiot; R. Loftus-Cheek
FW: S. Chukwueze; Gonçalo Ramos; A. Saelemaekers

M. Maignan is the clear first choice in goal from the available keepers and should anchor Milan’s defensive structure. In defence, P. Estupiñán offers attacking thrust and crossing from the left, while M. Gabbia and Mario Gila form a physically strong central pairing in the absence of F. Tomori. S. Pavlović provides balance on the right, capable of stepping into midfield or tucking in to form a compact back line.

Midfield is where Milan’s quality stands out. L. Modrić brings elite game management, tempo control and passing range, A. Rabiot adds ball-winning and vertical running, and R. Loftus-Cheek offers power and late box arrivals. Ahead of them, S. Chukwueze is expected to stretch Torino’s defence with his pace and direct dribbling, while A. Saelemaekers can operate as a hard-working wide option or tucked-in playmaker. Through the middle, Gonçalo Ramos is the natural focal point in attack from the fit forwards, combining penalty-box instincts with link-up play. With no top scorers or assists data yet this season, this predicted starting lineup is built around seniority, balance and positional fit.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

Absences on both sides are likely to influence how this match unfolds, particularly in goal for Torino and in defence and attack for AC Milan. The lack of suspensions keeps disciplinary issues out of the equation, but the injury list still shapes the tactical options available to both coaches.

Torino Absences:

• F. Israel — Shoulder Injury (Missing Fixture)
• E. Cömert — Injury (Questionable)
• F. Israel — Shoulder Injury (Missing Fixture)
• E. Cömert — Injury (Questionable)

AC Milan Absences:

• Y. Fofana — Inactive (Missing Fixture)
• C. Nkunku — Inactive (Missing Fixture)
• F. Tomori — Inactive (Missing Fixture)
• S. Giménez — Ankle Injury (Questionable)
• R. Leão — Muscle Injury (Questionable)
• C. Pulišić — Broken Leg (Questionable)
• Y. Fofana — Inactive (Missing Fixture)
• C. Nkunku — Inactive (Missing Fixture)
• F. Tomori — Inactive (Missing Fixture)
• S. Giménez — Ankle Injury (Questionable)
• R. Leão — Muscle Injury (Questionable)
• C. Pulišić — Broken Leg (Questionable)

For Torino, losing Israel forces a change in goal, which can affect communication and build-up patterns from the back. Cömert’s questionable status limits depth in central defence and may reduce the coach’s willingness to rotate or switch systems mid-game. For AC Milan, the confirmed absences of Fofana, Nkunku and Tomori remove a dynamic midfielder, a versatile attacker and a key centre-back from contention. The questionable status of Giménez, Leão and Pulišić further complicates the attacking plan, potentially reducing Milan’s ability to rotate high-impact forwards or change the game from the bench.

Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up

The predicted lineups suggest a clash between Torino’s compact, counter-oriented approach and AC Milan’s possession-heavy, technically driven style. Torino’s back four of Biraghi, Coco, Ismajli and Bianay Balcot will likely sit relatively deep, trying to compress space between the lines and deny Modrić and Loftus-Cheek time on the ball. Ilić and Pedersen in midfield are crucial in screening passes into Gonçalo Ramos and tracking the late runs of Rabiot and Loftus-Cheek.

Out wide, the duel between Chukwueze and Biraghi on one flank, and Saelemaekers versus Bianay Balcot on the other, will be key. If Milan’s wingers can isolate Torino’s full-backs and force them into one‑v‑one defending, Milan’s crossing and cut-back game will become dangerous for Paleari. Conversely, Torino will look to exploit any advanced positioning from Estupiñán and Pavlović by releasing Vlašić and Zapata quickly into the channels. With both teams entering the season with no recent league form to lean on, these positional battles and how quickly each side settles into rhythm will likely determine whether this becomes a controlled Milan performance or another chaotic, end-to-end Torino home game.

Match Prediction and Verdict

With both teams yet to play in Serie A 2026, the prediction model splits win probabilities evenly at 33% for Torino, 33% for a draw and 33% for AC Milan, underlining the inherent uncertainty of an opening-round fixture. However, the betting market prices AC Milan as clear favourites, with away odds ranging from 1.72 to 1.85, implying an approximate win probability band of around 54–58%. Home odds between 3.96 and 4.76 translate to roughly 21–25% implied probability, while draw odds in the 3.30–3.90 range suggest around 26–30%.

Balancing the model’s parity with Milan’s superior squad depth and Torino’s home advantage, a tight game feels more plausible than a one-sided away win, particularly with Milan missing or potentially missing several key attacking pieces. With no goals prediction provided and no designated winner from the model, a conservative outcome that reflects both Torino’s resilience at home and Milan’s quality edge is warranted.

Predicted Outcome: Torino 1–1 AC Milan

How to Watch Torino vs AC Milan Worldwide

Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:

• Spain: Local pay-TV sports channel or major streaming platform (check regional listings)
• UK: Leading sports broadcaster or official Serie A streaming partner
• USA / North America: National sports network or dedicated Serie A streaming service
• South America: Regional cable sports network or official Serie A digital platform
• MENA: Major regional sports network with Serie A rights or affiliated streaming app