Milan open their preseason on Saturday afternoon against Celtic at Celtic Park, the first chance to see anything of Ruben Amorim's ideas on a pitch.
That's the reason to watch a friendly in July, even a heavily depleted one. Amorim arrives with a system, the 3-4-2-1 he built at Sporting and carried into Manchester United, and the entire summer is about bending this squad to fit it. Every early friendly is a rehearsal, and with so many senior names absent, it's also an audition for the academy players hoping to stick around.
The absentee list is long. Milan's World Cup contingent is still on post-tournament holiday, with staggered return dates: Santiago Giménez and Christian Pulisic due back at Milanello on July 29, Gonçalo Ramos and Rafael Leão returning to the Perth leg of the tour the same day, Koni De Winter, Ardon Jashari and Alexis Saelemaekers on August 2, and Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot not back until August 12. On top of that, Christopher Nkunku has a muscle strain that needs further checks, Pervis Estupiñán didn't travel as he negotiates a move to Aston Villa, and Pietro Terracciano stayed behind too.
What's left is a young side. The predicted XI leans on Torriani in goal behind a back three of Gila, Gabbia and Pavlović, with Comotto and Musah in midfield, Chukwueze and Bartesaghi as the wing-backs, and Kostić up top behind Ossola and Guernier. For Milan fans the interesting names aren't the veterans holding the fort but the kids: this is where you find out whether someone like Comotto is ready to be trusted at senior level.
Celtic are further along in their work and come in as reigning Scottish champions, though they only edged Hearts on the final day last season with a late winner. Martin O'Neill's side have their own World Cup absences but can call on returning names like Kieran Tierney, Alistair Johnston and Auston Trusty. New signing Camilo Durán, a €5.5m arrival from Qarabağ, has two goals in his last two friendlies, and Cameron Carter-Vickers is back after a long ligament layoff. There's also unrest in the stands over how the board is running the club, so expect an edge to the atmosphere.
The history favours Milan heavily: 8 wins, 3 draws and a single defeat across their meetings. The two first crossed paths in the 1968-69 European Cup, when Pierino Prati's goal in Glasgow settled a 1-0 aggregate win on the way to Milan's second European title. More recently, Stefano Pioli's Milan swept the 2020-21 Europa League group ties 3-1 away and 4-2 at home, Brahim Díaz and Jens Petter Hauge sharing four goals across the two.
Kickoff is at 14:45 BST. Viewers in the UK, Ireland and overseas can stream it on CelticPlayer with no UK TV broadcast, while fans in Italy can watch on Sky and DAZN.
Don't read too much into the result. The point of Saturday isn't the scoreline against a team weeks ahead in fitness, it's the first evidence of what Amorim wants this Milan to look like, and which academy players force their way into the conversation before the real signings return.