Sports activities Mole previews Sunday’s Serie A conflict between AC Milan and Napoli, together with predictions, workforce information and doable lineups.
The final two Serie A champions lock horns on Sunday night, as AC Milan welcome struggling Scudetto-holders Napoli to San Siro.
Whereas Milan’s fightback in opposition to Frosinone tightened their grip on third place within the standings, their guests scraped previous Hellas Verona because of a late second of magic.
Match preview
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Conserving themselves on the coat-tails of metropolis rivals Inter Milan, who lead Serie A by 4 factors following final week’s Derby d’Italia, Milan turned issues round within the remaining 20 minutes of their most up-to-date outing, in opposition to mid-table Frosinone.
Down 2-1 with time working out, Matteo Gabbia was the unlikely scorer of the Rossoneri’s second objective – Olivier Giroud had earlier taken his tally of objective involvements to 19 in 20 league appearances, which is already the French striker’s most in a single Serie A season.
Then, Giroud’s deputy Luka Jovic left the bench to provide a late winner, making Milan the workforce with most objectives by way of substitutes (10) in Italy’s high flight; and for the reason that begin of December, Jovic has one of the best scoring ratio throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues – one each 41 minutes.
Having beforehand crushed Udinese 3-2 and drawn 2-2 with Bologna, Stefano Pioli‘s facet have definitely began 2024 with renewed confidence within the remaining third, although they’ve additionally conceded a minimum of twice in every of their final three matches.
Over the past eight rounds, they boast a 2.5 points-per-game common in Serie A – fewer solely than Inter over that interval – and can’t be totally dominated out of this yr’s Scudetto race.
Sitting 10 factors away from fourth place heading in to the weekend, Milan are comfortably on track for a Champions League return, whereas they kick off their Europa League marketing campaign in opposition to Rennes subsequent Thursday.
First, although, the second-city membership host a facet they drew 2-2 with in October’s reverse fixture, when Giroud was on the double in opposition to one in all his favorite opponents.
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Along with their loss in final season’s Champions League quarter-finals, Napoli have been additionally crushed 4-0 by Milan in an in any other case profitable 2022-23 marketing campaign that noticed them substitute the Rossoneri as Italian champions.
In fact, the Partenopei’s title defence has hardly gone to plan, with former boss Walter Mazzarri now again on the bench as successor to the unpopular Rudi Garcia – however to little impact.
After a colorless goalless draw that noticed them fail to file a single shot on track in opposition to Lazio at Stadio Olimpico, Napoli have been in some hazard of slipping all the way down to tenth place forward of final week’s house recreation versus Verona.
Regardless of dominating the ball in opposition to relegation-threatened opposition, it took an amazing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia strike to spare the Scudetto-holders’ blushes in an unconvincing 2-1 win that also left them 4 factors shy of the highest 4.
Whereas they’ve persistently struggled to match expectations in entrance of their very own followers, Mazzarri’s males have additionally began to falter on the street: they’re goalless in 4 away matches stretching again to November, equalling the membership’s worst such run since 1979.
Quickly to check themselves in opposition to one other fallen large, as Barcelona await within the Champions League’s final 16, Napoli should first strive their luck at San Siro, the place they’re on a three-match successful streak in opposition to Milan.
AC Milan Serie A kind:
AC Milan kind (all competitions):
Napoli Serie A kind:
Napoli kind (all competitions):
Group Information
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Though Malick Thiaw has returned to full coaching after being sidelined by a hamstring harm for 2 months, Milan’s defensive division continues to be understaffed, as Pierre Kalulu and Fikayo Tomori are nonetheless unavailable.
With Thiaw nicely wanting match health, Matteo Gabbia and Simon Kjaer ought to stay on the coronary heart of the Rossoneri’s again 4 on Sunday, however Stefano Pioli should make one enforced change following 4 video games with the identical beginning XI; Tijjani Reijnders is suspended, so Ismael Bennacer is available in to midfield.
Whereas Luka Jovic is having fun with a purple patch, Olivier Giroud once more leads the road, having beforehand scored 5 objectives in opposition to Napoli in all competitions – he wants yet another (or an help) this week to file 20 objective involvements for the primary season since 2015-16.
Milan’s facet has been settled, but it surely stays to be seen whether or not Napoli will once more ditch their famend 4-3-3 formation for a three-man defence and wing-backs; Walter Mazzarri has wavered between the 2 choices of late.
The guests might welcome Alex Meret and Mathias Olivera again to the bench following harm layoffs, whereas Piotr Zielinski – who is predicted to depart on a free switch this summer season – returns from a muscle pressure. Nonetheless, Mario Rui is absent on account of suspension, so January signing Pasquale Mazzocchi might characteristic on the left flank.
With Victor Osimhen representing Nigeria within the Africa Cup of Nations remaining – alongside Milan’s Samu Chukwueze – Giovanni Simeone is favorite to begin up entrance, supported by final week’s matchwinner Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Matteo Politano. The latter has scored 5 objectives in opposition to Milan in Serie A, and 4 have come at San Siro.
AC Milan doable beginning lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Gabbia, Hernandez; Bennacer, Adli; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud
Napoli doable beginning lineup:
Gollini; Ostigard, Rrahmani, Jesus; Di Lorenzo, Anguissa, Lobotka, Mazzocchi; Politano, Simeone, Kvaratskhelia
We are saying: AC Milan 1-0 Napoli
Although the groups are equal throughout their final 10 league conferences, with three wins apiece and 4 attracts, Milan have held the higher hand over the previous yr and might count on to punish Napoli once more. The reigning champions are nonetheless missing cohesion, whereas their predecessors have lately clicked into gear.
For information evaluation of the almost definitely outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click on right here.