AC MILAN v JUVENTUS: OPPONENT REVIEW

We return from the break with an Italian football classic. Matchday 13 of Serie A 2024/25 features AC Milan v Juventus, on the pitch at 18:00 CET at San Siro. The Rossoneri come to this match from the draw in Cagliari (3-3), which was followed by a two-week international break. The Bianconeri, on the other hand, started the month of November with two wins, both 2-0: away to Udine and, more recently, in the Derby della Mole against Torino. Two wins and two clean sheets, after two draws in a row against Inter (4-4) and Parma (2-2).

Juventus changed a lot in the summer, starting with the technical leadership, now in the hands of Thiago Motta after three seasons with Allegri. Many excellent signings in the summer market window: Koopmeiners, Di Gregorio, Conceição, Kalulu, Douglas Luiz, Nico González and Cabal arrived in Turin. The last three will be absent for the San Siro match, as will Bremer, Vlahović and Milik. A situation that is not ideal for Juventus, who will therefore have to find new solutions especially in two departments: defence and attack.

COMPOSURE AND BEST DEFENCE IN THE LEAGUE
Defensive performance has been one of the Bianconeri's great strengths so far in this first third of the season. Juventus have kept their goal unbeaten in nine of the twelve league games played and, above all, in four of the five away matches, the only exception being the 4-4 draw at San Siro against Inter. The two philosophies will face off at the San Siro, because AC Milan are the team that has generated the most Expected Goals on average over 90 minutes (1.9), while Juventus are the team that has conceded the fewest (0.6, again on average over 90 minutes). A team that creates a lot, Fonseca's, against one that concedes little, Thiago Motta's.

Juventus, however, prevented dangers by relying more on ball possession than on the classic defensive attitude and closing spaces. It is no coincidence that the Bianconeri have so far recorded the highest average ball possession figure (61.6%) in the entire Serie A. The approach given by Thiago Motta is strong and allows the team to maintain shape even when the players change, proof of this is the fact that, even after the serious injury of a mainstay like Bremer, Juve have managed to remain solid, after an initial small slip (the six goals conceded between Inter and Parma).

ATTACK AND DEFENCE: NEW SOLUTIONS TO BE FOUND
As we anticipated in the first paragraphs of this analysis, Juventus will have many absences to cope with and above all new balances to find in two key departments, defence and attack. Without Bremer and Cabal, the rearguard should be composed by the Savona-Kalulu-Gatti-Cambiaso line. Many youngsters but also licence to attack and look for offensive opportunities, especially as far as Savona and Cambiaso are concerned, who have already found the path to goal this season: 2 goals for the former and 1 for the latter so far in 2024/25. Watch out, because the danger can also come from here.

Almost obligatory choices in attack for Motta who, barring any surprises, will field these four men: Conceição, Koopmeiners, Yıldız and Weah. The main doubt concerns who between Yıldız and Weah will occupy the centre-forward box, but with such a "light" and fast unit, one can expect a continuous search and attack on spaces, with few focal points for the Rossoneri defence. Juventus, still unbeaten in Serie A and strong in their unity, will try to defend with order and then activate their offensive weapons, capable of doing a lot of harm, especially in one-on-one situations.

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