AC MILAN v EMPOLI: DUELS

The Napoli win was a big boost, but the game against Udinese before that serves as a reminder of the need to stay focused. AC Milan are preparing for a must-win fixture on matchday 29 in Serie A, when Empoli will be the visitors to San Siro. As we wait for the game, here are the most interesting duels that we think are coming up:

OLIVIER GIROUD v ANDREA PINAMONTI
The main men up front. After bagging his first goal away from San Siro in Naples, Giroud is ready to return to the stadium where he’s enjoyed great goalscoring success: ten of his eleven goals in all competitions this season have come on home turf, including seven in Serie A (out of a total of eight). The Frenchman has found the net on more occasions than his upcoming opponent, who has nine goals to his name in 2021/22, and provided more assists (three compared to one), but Pinamonti is enjoying an excellent campaign and is one of the top talents in Empoli’s squad. While he hasn’t bagged in a month (he hasn’t netted since the end of October on the road), he’s still the Tuscan side’s top goalscorer this season, while he’s also leading the way in terms of shots on (21) and off (28) target. Both players are looking to reach double figures in the league: Giroud could become the third Frenchman in AC Milan’s history to achieve this feat in a single campaign, following on from Papin (in 1992/93) and Ménez (in 2014/15). Pinamonti is hoping to accomplish this objective for the first time in his Serie A career. If successful, he’d become the ninth and, at the same time, youngest player to do so in an Empoli shirt. Watch out, a lot will depend on them.

FRANCK KESSIE v NEDIM BAJRAMI
Two midfielders who aren’t afraid to get forward, Kessie when required and Bajrami as part of his natural role. Franck actually played in a more advanced position against Empoli earlier on in the season, a ploy that was recently repeated against Inter and in Naples. In the reverse fixture against the Tuscans, the Ivorian bagged a first-half brace; sandwiched in between was an equaliser from the Albanian. Bajrami, who is most comfortable as an attacking playmaker, is the Empoli player who has provided the most assists (three, the same as Bandinelli and Henderson) and produced the most crosses (138) this campaign. He’s also bagged six goals; since the start of the three-points-per-win era, Saponara (seven) is the only Azzurri midfielder to have scored more in a single Serie A season. Kessie hasn’t found the net since Empoli v AC Milan in December. He’s still to really hit top form in 2022, but he’s tended to do very well against the Azzurri in the past. Indeed, Empoli are the side he has the best minutes-per-goal ratio against in Serie A: he’s netted four times in five encounters with them, averaging a goal every 94 minutes.

MIKE MAIGNAN v GUGLIELMO VICARIO
Important shot-stoppers. Vicario is the goalkeeper who has made the most saves during the current Serie A season (106); meanwhile, out of all those with at least ten appearances, Maignan has the third-best save percentage rate (76%). In terms of goals against, there’s a clear difference: the Rossoneri have shipped 29 in 28 fixtures, the fourth fewest in the league; Empoli, meanwhile, have conceded 53, the second worst. Both kept clean sheets in the last round of fixtures: Mike in Naples (a 1-0 AC Milan victory) and Vicario away to Genoa (0-0). The Frenchman and the Diavolo are looking really solid and haven’t allowed the opposition to score in four of their last six matches: Napoli and Sampdoria in Serie A, Lazio and Inter in the Coppa Italia.

DAVIDE CALABRIA v PETAR STOJANOVIĆ
Keep an eye on the right-backs. With Hernández suspended, Calabria will have to shoulder more responsibility and be given more licence to push forward. The Italian played a major part in the winning goal in Naples, with his attempt being diverted into the net by Giroud. Stojanović has been somewhat of a surprise for Empoli: he’s the Azzurri man who has made the most passes, both in general (1086) and in the opposition half of the pitch (629), and got involved in the most tackles (81). The two players have the full trust of their respective coaches, even if the Slovenian, who has avoided a long injury layoff, has been able to play on a more consistent basis: he's made 25 league appearances compared to Calabria’s 17. Both will need to do a lot of running and work attentively on the wing. There will be spaces to exploit, from which dangerous situations could arise.

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