CREMONESE v AC MILAN: MATCH PREVIEW

An unforgettable year is drawing to a close, with the calendar offering a fixture not to be underestimated in order to continue on our journey to the top. Cremonese v AC Milan, on matchday 14 of Serie A, is both the last midweek fixture and the penultimate match of 2022. The Grigiorossi and Rossoneri are 23 points apart in the standings, but they will come to the Zini with a duty to pick up points in pursuit of their respective seasonal objectives. We approach the 20:45 CET kick-off with our Match Preview.

LATEST FROM MILANELLO
The last away match of 2022 will see the Rossoneri in action on a pitch they have not played on since 14 January 1996. Sure to be absent from the Cremona match will be Olivier Giroud and Theo Hernández, who will serve a suspension following the win against Spezia. Divock Origi and Fodé Ballo-Touré should be used in their place, with Coach Pioli likely to rotate a few players in defence (compared to the last match) - a possible Kjær-Gabbia rotation - as well as in midfield and the attacking department. Important points will be at stake at the Zini, to consolidate our position as second in the table and keep in pursuit of leaders Napoli, who will be up against Empoli a few hours earlier at the Maradona.

"We want to reach the break at our best: we need points and victories, it's a crucial moment," said Stefano Pioli in his press conference. "We have to stay as close as possible to Napoli. We are playing a lot, the energy exertion is high both mentally and physically. In Cremona we will have to play well and with continuity against an opponent that will be motivated and determined."

LATEST FROM CREMONESE
The only team in the top flight to have never won in their first 13 matches, Cremonese have nevertheless turned in some significant performances in their return to Serie A after 26 years, having forced draws against Atalanta and Udinese. With three points in their last four matches - in addition to the 0-0 draw with the Friulian outfit, there were also draws against Spezia and Salernitana and a home defeat against Sampdoria - they now sit third from bottom in the league table, just 3 points from safety. The absences for Coach Alvini are all of a physical nature: the injured Ascacíbar, Chiricheș, Dessers and Radu will not be playing at the Zini. Lochoshvili is another doubt, having come off badly from the away match in Salerno, which saw Cremonese field the usual 3-4-1-2, which saw former Rossoneri Meïté in midfield and Tsadjout in attack, forming the forward pairing with ex Venezia player Okereke.

"We face a great team, and personally it is a pleasure to play against a great coach like Pioli," Massimiliano Alvini said on the eve of the match. "We will need to do something different, technically and tactically. On a technical level we can't make mistakes in the duels, we won't be able to give it away in certain situations. On a tactical level we'll see: AC Milan come out strongly to catch you, so we'll try to do something to limit their strength."

LATEST FROM SERIE A
For a match-up that returns after more than a quarter of a century, there will be a debut of sorts - on the Rossoneri's side - in terms of refereeing: 37-year-old Antonio Rapuano, from the Rimini area, will referee AC Milan for the first time in his career, whilst his only previous fixtures with Cremonese have been in Serie B (last time in February 2021). Assisting the referee will be linesmen Cipressa and Valeriani as well as fourth official Massimi; Di Paolo will be on VAR with Di Martino as Assistant VAR.

Cremonese v AC Milan will be preceded by two matches that will kick-off matchday 14 of Serie A at 18.30 CET: Napoli v Empoli and Spezia v Udinese. Five matches are scheduled for Wednesday 9, when Sassuolo v Roma and Lecce v Atalanta will play at 18.30 CET; at 20.45 CET, Torino v Sampdoria, Fiorentina v Salernitana and Inter v Bologna. Two games are scheduled for Thursday 10: Hellas Verona v Juventus (18.30 CET) and Lazio-Monza (20.45 CET).

This is the current Serie A standings: Napoli 35 pts; AC Milan 29; Lazio and Atalanta 27; Juventus and Roma 25; Inter 24; Udinese 23; Salernitana and Torino 17; Fiorentina and Bologna 16; Sassuolo 15; Empoli 14; Monza 13; Lecce and Spezia 9; Cremonese and Sampdoria 6; Hellas Verona 5.

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