AC MILAN v FIORENTINA: OPPONENT REVIEW

AC Milan close out 2022 at San Siro as they host Fiorentina on Sunday at 18:00 CET in the 15th matchday of Serie A, the last before the long World Cup break in Qatar. The Rossoneri, after a 0-0 draw at Cremonese, are aiming for their tenth win of the current season, as well as their 23rd of the year that saw them lift Scudetto number 19. At San Siro, however, comes an opponent who have rediscovered form in recent weeks, and who in these last ninety minutes before the break will be aiming for their fourth win in a row in Serie A, which they haven't achieved since April 2018, when a certain Stefano Pioli was in charge (six in that case).

The Tuscan team will try to equal that win streak, Vincenzo Italiano to do it for the first time in the top league as a coach. The away match in Milan has two other objectives at stake for the Viola. The first concerns the number of goals scored: Biraghi and his team-mates come off four matches with at least two goals scored, and Fiorentina have not even reached five in a row since February 2017 - at the time Paulo Sousa was in charge of the club. The second instead refers to the unbeaten streak away from the Franchi: the Tuscans have not lost for three Serie A away matches, and with Italiano at the wheel, they have never managed a streak of four consecutive away matches without defeat (in general, they have not managed since May 2021 - one win and three draws with Lachini). Ambitions will not be lacking, and they will be driven by the momentum of recent results.

THE VIOLA CONCEDE FEW SHOTS AND PRESS ON THE WINGS, MANY GOALS COME FROM THE BENCH
Defensively alert and dangerous out wide. Among the characteristics that have distinguished Vincenzo Italiano's team in the first 14 matches of this Serie A, these are undoubtedly the most prevalent. Fiorentina is the team that has conceded the fewest total shots in the current championship: 124, a good 34 fewer than AC Milan (158). On the other hand, the gap between the two teams in terms of shots on target conceded is less wide, with the Viola just ahead of the Rossoneri (46 against 50). On the contrary, there is a wide gap between the Tuscan team and everyone else in terms of efficiency on the wings in attack, not only in relation to AC Milan. There have been 60 successful crosses from set-pieces for Italiano's eleven, 17 of which were made by Cristiano Biraghi (first among his teammates for successful crosses).

The fixture at San Siro will also be particularly interesting in terms of duels won, considering that AC Milan lead with 720 in the current Serie A, just one ahead of tomorrow's opponents (719). Finally, pay attention to the resources on the bench: the Viola count six goals scored by substitute players in this championship, signed by five different players: Luka Jović (two), Rolando Mandragora, Arthur Cabral, Jonathan Ikoné and Nicolás González.

BONAVENTURA AIMS TO BREAK FROM BEING A FORMER PLAYER, JOVIĆ IN SEARCH OF AWAY GOALS
In the clash between AC Milan and Fiorentina on Sunday, one of the most eagerly awaited protagonists is undoubtedly Giacomo Bonaventura, the famed former AC Milan player. The Viola midfielder played 155 games and scored 30 goals in Serie A with the Rossoneri between 2014 and 2020. A resume already well known, which must be updated with 10 goals in three seasons with his current team in the tournament, and to which must be added two gaols in his last two appearances in the top flight against Salernitana and Sampdoria - only once in his career has the 33-year-old hit the target in three matches in a row in Serie A (in November 2012 with Atalanta). Undoubtedly one of the most dangerous players for the Rossoneri defense, but it must also be said that the goal-scorer from the Marche has never scored against the Diavolo. And among the teams against which he has not contributed a goal in Serie A, the Rossoneri are the team against which he has played the most minutes (618).

While there is the Azzurri talent for Pioli's defence to watch out for, moving even further ahead in the Viola set-up, Luka Jović's name stands out without too much surprise. The Serbian is Fiorentina's top scorer this season in all competitions, with his seven goals so far. Even in his case, however, there is a rather significant but: six of these he has signed at the Franchi. His only away goal came against Heart of Midlothian in the Conference League.

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