AC MILAN v JUVENTUS: OPPONENT REVIEW

The race for a Champions League spot is on. At San Siro, AC Milan will face a Juventus side in excellent form, who have truly found their momentum in the final stretch of the season. The Bianconeri are fourth in the table on 63 points, just three behind second place, currently shared by Napoli and AC Milan. Their rise up the table makes the classic Calcio fixture even more important, with Allegri's Rossoneri set to clash with a confident and in-form opponent. Their first encounter of the season ended goalless at the Allianz Stadium, featuring a miracle save from Mike Maignan and a missed penalty from Pulisic. 

WIDTH AND IDENTITY: SPALLETTI'S JUVENTUS TAKES SHAPE
Juventus come into the clash on the back of seven unbeaten games, recording five wins and two draws. Their elimination from the Champions League still haunts them, partly because of how it came about, but their recent form seems very promising, evident from their three consecutive victories against Genoa, Bologna, and Atalanta. The Bianconeri's growth both on the pitch and in the standings, aided by points dropped by AC Milan and Napoli, demonstrates their ability to deliver even against direct opponents in the race for the top spots. 

Luciano Spalletti's squad have found a system that works well for them, the 3-4-3, allowing balance between attacking play and defensive cover. There are also some variations with a 4-3-3, used depending on their opponent, such as against Genoa, which brought a positive result, but less so in the 1-1 draw with Sassuolo. Since Bremer's return, a crucial figure at the back, the former Italy coach has rediscovered the right solidity in a three-man defence, allowing the team to fully use the width provided by Cambiaso and Conceição.

THE YILDIZ-THURAM DUO LEADS THE ATTACK, WITH EX-ROSSONERI LOCATELLI AND KALULU IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The main reference point of this Juventus side is undoubtedly Kenan Yıldız: the Turkish forward has the ability to bring creativity to Juventus' attack and create overloads in the final third, opening up chances for both himself and his teammates, including Jonathan David, who got back on the scoresheet in the recent Serie A win over Bologna. In midfield, Khephren Thuram brings energy and physicality, complementing captain Locatelli's technique well. Locatelli has also previously played for the Rossoneri. 

Another former Rossoneri to keep an eye on is Pierre Kalulu, who now plays a vital role in Juventus' setup. The French defender has started in 32 out of their 33 matches this season, finishing 31 of these games, with the only minutes missed resulting from a red card against Inter and the suspension that followed. Those numbers highlight how crucial he is to Spalletti, bringing defensive awareness and balance on the right, which in turn allows Conceição and McKennie to push higher up the pitch. Playing as a right-sided centre-back, he handles defensive transitions in both directions with real maturity.

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