Over the past 14 seasons, only once did either Milan or Juventus end up in the Top 2 of Serie A – in 2022/23. Now, of course, the end of the season is very far away, but the giants’ current 6-7 places must urgently improve. Turinsky is capable, because he is only two points behind first place. But in case of defeat today, Milan will even become an outsider in the fight for the league championship places.
Series A. 13th round
November 23. 19:00. Milan. “Giuseppe Meazza”
“Milan” – “Juventus”
Referee: Daniele Chiffi
Telecast – Megogo Football 1
Command status
Milan have one win in their last three league matches, two in five, without a winning streak there since September. And the two victories won in the tournament since then were with a score of 1:0, that is, they were scratched out in a completely unimpressive game. Including visiting the outsider Monza. In the previous round, they played with another outsider away, Cagliari, in a clear draw 3:3, losing the victory in the 89th minute.
Moreover, this loss of points took place after a brilliant victory in the Champions League over Real Madrid away. Paulo Fonseca warned that it is more difficult to play against Monza and Cagliari than against Real Madrid, that he is more worried about Cagliari than he was worried about Real Madrid, that the match in Cagliari is very dangerous, and without a victory in then the victory over Real will lose its meaning. It turns out I lost it.
Fonseca says his players were not aggressive enough at Cagliari. Moreover, repeating the word “aggressive” several times. And pointing out that they lost 69 percent of air combats. They say they can’t allow them to play defense like that. He generally admits that his team is not aggressive defensively and says he is working on that and the defense in general.
Will aggression appear in the Top Match? They just have achievements. First victory in the Milan derby after six defeats in them, victory at the Bernabeu. Although the defeats from Fiorentina and Napoli are present and took place in October. From the second – just in the last home match in all tournaments (0:2). Then the Rossoneri missed an early goal and then looked helpless.
Juventus has won only once in the top matches in the league this season. At home, “Lazio”, playing in the numerical majority from the 24th minute, but scoring the only goal in the 84th. He also recorded 0-0 home draws against Napoli and Roma and a brilliant comeback from 2-4 to 4-4 away against Inter in a match that seemed lost.
This result, achieved just under a month ago, inspired the Bianconeri and led to a run of two league victories, their first since August. Moreover, over strong middle peasants – Udinese and Torino, and with a score of 2:0. The defense of Thiago Motta’s team is very good (the best in the league), as is their combativeness, because they haven’t lost in the league in 12 rounds yet. But the attack is lame, and the overall balance is not always maintained.
Overall there are too many draws – six in 12 rounds.
Motta was pleased with the result in the last match – the Turin derby against Torino, and with the game. First of all – balance, solidity, concentration and efficiency in a tight game, which Toro always suits. He considers the victory completely deserved, and he is right about that. You could even say that it was a victory in class, and Juve doesn’t have enough of those.
Both coaches want to play active football, dominate, possess the ball (Juve is first in the league in terms of possession), and create. At the same time, it is not always possible to create, and often their teams’ possession of the ball looks sterile. Juventus is only 12th in shots on goal in the league. And his defense faltered in the October matches, conceding six goals in two. Milan’s defense is simply weak.
Latest team matches
Personnel
Juventus attack leader Dusan Vlahovic is out due to injury. Another forward Arkadiusz Milik has been gone for a long time. So Motta was left without real forwards. Timothy Weah is set to play the False Nine. Weah’s name in the center of the attack in the match with Milan evokes nostalgia for the 90s. Only now it’s not father George who plays, but his son, and not for Milan, but against him.
Over the past month, Timothy has scored three goals in the league – more than Vlahovic. Including Inter and Torino.
Wingers Nico Gonzalez and Adzic, defensive midfielder Douglas Louis, and defenders Bremer and Cabal were also injured. In addition, they are talking about Motta’s quarrel with prop Nicolo Fagioli. So there are few options for the starting lineup. In addition to Fagioli, winger Mbangula, defensive midfielder McKennie, and defenders Danilo and Ruhi can support from the bench. In total, there are only 15 field players in the squad for the match.
Milan have been missing defender Florenzi, midfielder Bennacer and forward Jovic for a long time. More serious may be the injury to Christian Pulisic, who has scored seven goals and four assists for the club in all competitions since the start of the season. His participation in the match is questionable.
Pulisic sometimes plays on the right flank, sometimes as a number ten. Loftus-Cheek is ready to come out last, while winger Chukwueze or defensive midfielder Musa are ready to play first. Musa played there from the first minutes against Real Madrid and did a very good job defensively.
In addition, defender Gabbia and forward Morata have recovered, and Tiaw, Pavlovich and Tomori also play in the center of defense. Forward Abraham is also feeling better.
Rafael Leão returned from exile to the reserves and scored his first goal in Cagliari since August this year and his first double since June 2023. But he hasn’t scored a goal at the San Siro since May.
AC Milan: Manjan, Royal, Gabbia, Tomori, Hernandez, Fofana, Reinders, Moussa, Loftus-Cheek, Leau, Morata
Juventus: Di Gregorio, Savona, Gatti, Kalulu, Cambiaso, Locatelli, K. Thuram, Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz, Vea
Figures and facts
- In the previous season in the league, Juventus defeated Milan away with a score of 1:0, playing 0:0 at home, the year before, Milan won both matches – 2:0 at home and 1:0 away, in the season before that the teams exchanged draws, and in two seasons before that – victories
- In Milan in the league, the results of the last five head-to-head matches are two wins and a draw.
- The goal difference in the last six head-to-head matches on all fields in the league is 4:2 in favor of Milan. Moreover, both teams scored in only one of them, in none of them more than two goals were scored, in four of them more than one was scored. The goal difference in the last seven matches is 7:2 in favor of Milan
- Juventus have not lost to anyone in the league on all pitches in their last 20 matches – eight wins, 12 draws. Milan lost five times during this time
- Milan lost their last home match in the league, but had not lost seven before that – four wins, three draws. Juventus are unbeaten in their last nine away games – three wins, six draws
- Juventus have scored in their last seven league games on all pitches and in seven of their last eight away games. Milan have scored in 14 of their last 15 league matches across all pitches and in 18 of their 19 at home
- Milan are the worst in Serie A in terms of goals conceded in the first five minutes since the start of the 2022/23 season – ten goals. One of them took place in the previous tour in Cagliari
- Milan have played the fewest minutes in the league this season with a draw score – 345, Juventus leads the league in draws
- Juventus have kept clean sheets in four of their first five away league matches three times – in the 1967/68, 2004/05, 2023/24 seasons. This could happen again today. Across all pitches, he kept a clean sheet in nine of his first 12 matches, the best in the entire league since his nine in 2014/15. Roma did not concede in ten out of 13 last time in the 2013/14 season
Bets and odds
Prediction: Milan – Juventus 1:1
Milan is behind in the table, so it needs a victory much more. He plays at home, his squad is fuller, he suffers less from injuries, he has already achieved big victories this season. On the other hand, Juventus have not lost in the league yet, play well defensively and away, and generally look more collected, more balanced.
A modest draw looks like a logical result. Even the score 0:0 is possible.
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