Team News: Mario Balotelli to start for AC Milan, Cyril Thereau returns for Udinese

Mario Balotelli has been named to start for AC Milan in their Serie A fixture at Udinese this evening, with the Italian striker replacing Luiz Adriano in the starting XI from the side that defeated Palermo 3-2 on Saturday.

Head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic also names Riccardo Montolivo to start in midfield in place of Juraj Kucka, while 18-year-old Davide Calabria is preferred to Ignazio Abate at right-back.

Cyril Thereau is named to start up front for the hosts alongside Antonio Di Natale, while Duvan Zapata has been dropped to the bench despite scoring his side's only goal in their 2-1 defeat by Empoli at the weekend.

Maurizio Domizzi replaces Danilo at centre-back for Udinese, while Bruno Fernandes is named in place of Panagiotis Kone.

Udinese: Karnezis; Wague, Domizzi, Piris; Edenilson, Badu, Iturra, Fernandes, Ali Adnan; Thereau, Di Natale Subs: Meret, Romo, Camiigliano, Felipe, Danilo, Heurtaux, Insua, Pasquale, Widmer, Marquinho, Aguirre, D. Zapata, Perica

AC Milan: Lopez; Calabria, C. Zapata, Romagnoli, De Sciglio; De Jong, Montolivo, Bonaventura; Honda; Balotelli, Bacca Subs: Abbiati, Donnarumma, Alex, Ely, Llamas, Mauri, Locatelli, Nocerino, Poli, Suso, Cerci, Adriano