AC MILAN v TORINO: OPPONENT REVIEW

Saturday evening, at San Siro, AC Milan will meet its fans again. Following the successful opening game away to Bologna, Pioli’s Rossoneri take on Torino, fresh from their 0-0 draw against Cagliari in their first 90’ of the league. The Diavolo, in front of its fans, will aim to maintain the decade-long precedent of earning all three points in the first home game of the season, something they have managed without fail for the last 10 years. You’d have to go back to August 2012 for the last time the hosts didn’t win their first game when they were defeated 1-0 by Sampdoria. 

One aim that has evaded the Rossoneri for a while, however, is that of goals conceded in the opening match: AC Milan kept a clean sheet in the opener against Bologna, but in the previous 20 Serie A seasons only once have they managed to not concede a goal in both of their first two matches: in 2020/21. Beware, however, as our opponents have a golden opportunity themselves: Torino, who ended the last season with four consecutive away victories without conceding a goal (the last time the Granata achieved this was 1935), will be aiming for five for the first time ever. Juric’s teams always have character and tenacity. 

FEW SHOTS IN THEIR OPENER, BUT THE TIRO HAS AN IRON DEFENCE
Looking at shots on goal in the first ninety of the season, Jurić’s Torino are at the bottom of the table, with two; only Frosinone (one) have fewer. On the other hand, looking at shots conceded, Torino shoot to the top of the table, fewer than only Napoli (one). Related to this is the second point of the analysis: a careful and organised defensive phase, particular to all the Croatian coach's line-ups. The Granata only conceded 41 goals in last season’s Serie A, making them the fifth-best defence, behind only Napoli, Lazio, Juventus and Roma. 

The data is very important, but it also reveals one of the biggest flaws in the Piedmontese defence, which happens to be the same for the Rossoneri: of the 41 goals conceded, no less than 10 were headers: 24%, the only team worse than that in last season’s Serie A, AC Milan. The last, potentially decisive aspect concerns set-pieces: in the last championship, Torino, AC Milan and Lecce were the three teams with the highest percentage of goals conceded from set-pieces (37%); the Granata and Rossoneri were also those who scored the fewest from set-pieces (19% the Diavolo, 21% the Toro). On the other hand, the two teams lead the way in open-play goals scored: the Rossoneri with 81% (52/64), taking first place in this statistic, followed by the Granata with 79% (33/42). 

VLAŠIĆ PRODUCTIVE, SANABRIA ON THE PROWL, PELLEGRI EX-ROSSONERO
Amongst Torino’s most fearsome players, the first name on everyone’s lips is Nikola Vlašic. The 25-year-old Croatian not only provided the most assists (6)  and chances created (63) for Torino, but was also second for goals scored. He scored five, behind only Antonio Sanabria (12). The Paraguayan, although top-scorer for the Granata last season, has never hit the target against AC Milan in the league. Of teams in the league that he hasn’t scored against, he has played more matches against only Cagliari (7) and Udinese (6). 

The final unavoidable name that Rossoneri defenders will need to be aware of is former Rossonero, Pietro Pellegri, who collected six appearances in Serie A between September and December 2021 with AC Milan. Only two goals for the 22-year-old in the Granata shirt last season, but his Serie A record suggests that he enjoys playing away from home: four of his six total goals have come away, including his last three goals. 

The AC Milan PUMA Third Kit for 2023/24 is available: buy it now!