JUVENTUS v AC MILAN: MATCH PREVIEW
Serie A
Juventus v AC Milan, no words are needed. It’s the big match of matchday four, and it’s a classic of Italian football, the eternal fixture. Two great teams that are experiencing different runs of form, almost opposite, but both retain the same desire to fight and try to overcome their opponent. The three points up for grabs at the Allianz Stadium in Turin will be highly important, even if we are still at the beginning of the season. As we draw ever closer to kick-off at 20:45, we take an in-depth look at the game:
MILANELLO LATEST
The Diavolo return from a tough trip to Liverpool. It was a fairly traumatic return to the Champions League for the Rossoneri, who lost 3-2 after an uphill start followed by a sacrificial performance: The goals from Rebić and Díaz weren’t enough, as the Reds won thanks to goals by Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Henderson. There were negative and positive notes to take from an evening that had been missing for a long time, with important experience gained which will help the team grow in Europe. Back in Italy, the situation is very encouraging: nine points, the maximum available. The team get going again after the 2-0 win against Lazio last weekend at San Siro, in which they had to grit their teeth while playing with confidence and conviction.
Pioli already has an injury crisis on his hands, with the list of those unavailable extending just before the away match in Turin. Ibrahimović hasn’t managed to recover from the inflammation of his Achilles tendon which he suffered after Lazio. To add insult to the injury of Zlatan, Giroud is also unavailable due to pain in his lower back felt after the Anfield match. Once again, attacking trust will be placed in the hands of Rebić who will likely lead the line, with Pellegri also called up. In defence, the absence of Calabria will weigh heavy, as he remains at home after picking up a muscle problem in training at Milanello. Florenzi looks set to take his place, and Romagnoli back in the starting XI. In midfield, it will likely be Kessie & Tonali providing a defensive anchor for the attacking trio of Saelemakers, Díaz and Leão. Bakayoko, Krunić and Messias are all still unavailable.
“I don't think we will be favourites despite the difference in the table. Juventus have great players and great traditions - said Pioli in his press conference yesterday - I expect a balanced game. I think they will try to come at us to prove their strength, we will have to be ready. Our level has certainly risen, but competition in Italy is very high and the top seven, on paper, are very close in terms of value. But it’s on the pitch that everything is determined. Tomorrow we will have to try to play better than our rivals”.
JUVENTUS LATEST
So far, Allegri’s encore has encountered more obstacles than expected in the league. Only one point from the first three days, the draw with Udinese in the opener (2-2), then two losses to Empoli (1-2) and Napoli (1-2). The result in Naples is the most recent slip-up in Serie A, with goals from Politano and Koulibaly overturning Morata's opening strike, although more recently - on Tuesday evening - the Bianconeri picked themselves up by emphatically winning 3-0 at Malmö in their Champions League opener thanks to goals from Alex Sandro, Dybala from the penalty spot, and Morata.
No player is banned nor booked amongst the Bianconeri, who are bolstered by the return of key man Chiesa. The Azzurri European champion can expect the bench waiting for him, at least at the beginning of the match, with the same going for Bernardeschi. Arthur and Kaio Jorge are also unavailable. Their tactics will need to be deciphered, as they have already changed things around since the start of the season: It will likely be a 4-4-2 formation with Danilo and Alex Sandro as full-backs, Cuadrado and Rabiot on the wings; Bonucci and Chiellini will line up in defence with De Ligt lurking, Bentancur and Locatelli will likely be the midfielders, and Dybala should join Morata in the attacking duo.
“Juventus v AC Milan is always one of the most important matches in the league if not the most important. AC Milan have been playing very well for a year now and they have important certainties”, Allegri revealed in his press conference yesterday. “We are growing. Tomorrow's game is much more important for them than for us. In my opinion, there is no team that can dominate the league. We must continue to work to try to make up the ground we lost in the beginning”.
PRE-MATCH
There have been 172 previous matches between Juventus and AC Milan in Serie A: The Bianconeri boast 67 wins to the Rossoneri’s 51, with there being 54 draws. There have been 86 previous Serie A matches between Juventus and AC Milan in Turin: The records show 43 Juventus wins against 22 for the Rossoneri (21 draws). This will be the first time that AC Milan face Juve in Serie A having at least an eight-point advantage before the 16th matchday of the season. The Rossoneri are both the team against whom the Bianconeri have lost the most matches in Serie A (51) and drawn the most matches (54).
Five months have passed since the last meeting, but only a few matchdays. It was 9 May 2021, when the two teams were side by side in the table and both were fighting for qualification to the Champions League: Magnificent tension, and a great performance by the Rossoneri who dominated proceedings at the Stadium, winning 3-0. Marvellous goals from Díaz and Rebić added to Tomori's header to give AC Milan a crucial win that knocked back their rivals and allowed the Rossoneri to finish in second place.
There are plenty of ex’s involved: Allegri coached AC Milan from 2010 to 2014 for a total of 133 matches (74W, 34L, 25D). Bonucci wore the Rossoneri shirt for 35 appearances in the 2017/18 season. Both De Sciglio (110 appearances between 2012 and 2017) and Locatelli (48 appearances and two goals between 2016 and 2018) made their Serie A debuts with AC Milan. Not to mention Ibrahimović, who will miss the encounter, however.
SERIE A LATEST
Daniele Doveri will take charge of Juventus v AC Milan as he referees his 180th match in Serie A. Assisting him will be Carbone and Vivenzi as linesmen, Rapuano as fourth official and Di Paolo (assisted by Peretti) on VAR. Juve have won 60% of their matches (nine of fifteen) with Doveri as referee, drawing three and losing three. Two of those three defeats have come in 2021: against Inter in January and Napoli in February. AC Milan have won thirteen of their 21 Serie A matches with Doveri as referee (W4, L4), only Napoli have won more games refereed by the Volterra native.
Juventus v AC Milan will round out matchday 4 in Serie A. Sassuolo v Torino took place on Friday (0-1), while on Saturday it was Genoa 1-2 Fiorentina, Inter 6-1 Bologna and Salernitana 0-1 Atalanta. As well as the Rossoneri, on Sunday we have Empoli 0-3 Sampdoria, Venezia v Spezia (15:00 CEST), Lazio v Cagliari (18:00 CEST) and Hellas Verona v Roma (18:00 CEST). Finally, on Monday, it's Udinese v Napoli (20:45 CEST).
Questa la classifica attuale di Serie A Here are the current Serie A standings: Inter 10; Roma, Milan, Napoli, Fiorentina* 9; Atalanta*, Bologna, Udinese 7; Lazio, Torino* 6; Sampdoria* 5; Sassuolo* 4; Empoli*, Venezia, Genoa* 3; Juventus, Cagliari, Spezia 1; Hellas Verona, Salernitana* 0. (* game in hand)
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