AC Milan are on the hunt for his or her first trophy of the season, and the brand new head coach Sergio Conceicao will make his debut within the Supercoppa Italiana in opposition to Juventus.
It has been a chaotic previous couple of days for Milan, who made the choice to sack Paulo Fonseca after simply 24 video games in cost following a 1-1 defeat to Roma. Only a few hours later, Conceicao was named as his substitute, signing a deal till 2026.
Thus, he’ll take cost of his first sport not at San Siro and even in Italy, however in Saudi Arabia within the semi-final of the Supercoppa in opposition to Juve. In he definitely appeared up for the problem, albeit battling a fever himself.
Recreation date: Friday, January 3Kick-off time: 20:00 (CET)Venue: Al-Awwal ParkReferee: Andrea Colombo (VAR: Paterna)
Group information
As talked about, it has been all change at Milan previously few days and which means they’re heading into the brand new yr with a brand new coach, giving each participant within the squad a clear slate, in idea.
The problem is that there are a selection of harm worries for Conceicao to cope with, primarily within the attacking division. Rafael Leao just isn’t anticipated to be match sufficient to start out the semi-final and there are doubts about if he’ll even be on the bench.
Samuel Chukwueze and Noah Okafor have each not made the journey with the remainder of the squad as they recuperate from fairly critical muscle points. On Wednesday, Filippo Terracciano labored individually and it’s attainable that there may very well be modifications in midfield consequently.
The most important query mark issues Christian Pulisic, who returned to full coaching with the remainder of the squad but it surely stays to be seen whether or not he will likely be risked from minute one. If he weren’t out there, it might result in a change in formation, with two strikers getting used.
The most recent studies are suggesting that the brand new boss will identify a again 4 of Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Malick Thiaw and Theo Hernandez in entrance of the goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
One huge growth may very well be in midfield as a result of at current it appears as if Ismael Bennacer might come into a 3, with Youssouf Fofana in an anchoring position and Tijjani Reijnders the opposite mezzala.
Finishing the 4-3-3 will likely be a entrance three of Pulisic, Alvaro Morata and Alex Jimenez. Given the quantity of accidents within the facet, there is not going to be a lot in the way in which of attacking firepower on the bench, with Futuro gamers drafted in to attempt fill the numbers a bit.
Predicted Milan XI (4-3-3): Maignan; Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Thiaw, Theo; Bennacer, Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Morata, Jimenez.
The opponents
Like Milan, Juventus additionally started a brand new period below a brand new coach over the summer time, hiring Thiago Motta from Bologna after his contract expired. He had executed an excellent job with the Rossoblu, guiding them into the Champions League earlier than departing for pastures new.
As per Transfermarkt, Juve determined to again their new coach with a summer time spending spree to the tune of €168m. They spent over €50m on every of Teun Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz, although the latter did come on an change deal.
Khephren Thuram joined from OGC Good for €20.6m to finish the midfield overhaul, whereas Juan Cabal joined from Verona, Nico Gonzalez got here from Fiorentina on an preliminary mortgage and Pierre Kalulu joined from Milan on a mortgage with choice.
One of many sub-plots to this sport is Francisco Conceicao being with the Bianconeri, who’s after all the son of the brand new Milan supervisor. He arrived on a mortgage deal from Porto.
Juventus had been additionally in a position to elevate round €100m in participant gross sales, with Matias Soule going to Roma, Dean Huijsen to Bournemouth plus Samuel Ising-Junior and Enzo Barrenchea to Aston Villa.
Moose Kean headed to Fiorentina, Federico Chiesa made the somewhat stunning change to Liverpool and Kaio Jorge returned to Brazil to hitch Cruzeiro.
When it comes to league outcomes thus far, it has been a fairly merely weird season for Motta’s males. They’re unbeaten however have drawn 11 and received solely seven video games, with only one victory of their final six.
The stand-out result’s the 4-4 draw in opposition to Inter at San Siro again on the finish of October, and so they most up-to-date outcome was a 2-2 house draw with Fiorentina.
Within the Champions League, the Previous Woman discover themselves in 14th after six video games with three wins, two attracts and one defeat. They beat Manchester Metropolis 2-0 at house within the final spherical, and so they sit instantly beneath Atalanta and Milan within the desk.
Juventus are with out two gamers who is perhaps their beginning centre-back pairing however for his or her accidents. Each Gleison Bremer and the summer time signing Cabal sustained cruciate ligament points, which means they may very well be executed for the season.
The most recent studies are suggesting that Motta will subject a 4-2-3-1 with Di Gregorio in objective, a again 4 of Savona, Gatti, Kalulu and Cambiaso, then a midfield double pivot of Locatelli and Thuram.
The assault will then be composed of Conceicao Jr., Koopmeiners within the attacking midfielder position, Yildiz on the left and Vlahovic main the road.
Predicted Juventus XI (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Gatti, Kalulu, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic.
Face to face
Milan have performed Juventus 226 instances of their nearly 125-year historical past, making them the group that they’ve confronted essentially the most. The document reads as follows: 65 wins, 73 attracts and 88 defeats.
Final season the Bianconeri took 4 factors from the Rossoneri, with a 0-0 draw on the Allianz Stadium preceded by a 0-1 scoreline at San Siro, which got here through a deflected Manuel Locatelli shot after Malick Thiaw’s crimson card.
That was their first victory over Milan since January 2021, and the Diavolo did the double over them (a 2-0 win at house and a 1-0 win away) within the 2022-23 marketing campaign.
Earlier this season, an injury-hit Juve facet had been in a position to escape with a draw as the 2 groups performed out on the Meazza.
Key information and stats
➤ Juventus have received simply two of their final 12 video games in opposition to Milan in all competitions (D6 L4), after having received all 9 of their earlier matches.
➤ Simply 4 targets have been scored within the final sixmatches between Juventus and Milan in all competitions and particularly the 2 most up-to-date ones ended 0-0; of their historical past since 1929/30 these two groups have by no means extra consecutive goalless attracts.
➤ There have been three earlier conferences between Juventus and Milan within the Italian Tremendous Cup: theBianconeri received the latest one (1-0 in 2019), after the primary two matches ended on penalties (one win every).
➤ Juventus are the group which have received the Italian Tremendous Cup essentially the most instances: 9, in 17 participations; alternatively, Milan has lifted the trophy on seven of the 12 events through which they has performed within the last of the competitors.
➤ Milan have misplaced with out scoring of their final two Italian Tremendous Cup matches (0-1 in opposition to Juventus in 2019 and 0-3 in opposition to Inter in 2023), after having scored at the very least one objective in all 10 earlier matches, gathering 5 wins, three attracts and two defeats within the course of.
➤ Juventus have misplaced solely one among their final 31 video games in all competitions (W13 D17), in October in opposition to Stuttgart within the Champions League; particularly, this season, no group in ‘high 5’ European Leagues have misplaced fewer instances than the Bianconeri (additionally one for Liverpool).
Extra Tales / The Match
➤ Milan are unbeaten in 11 of their final 12 video games in all competitions (W7 D4), after shedding three of their earlier 5 (W2).
➤ Teun Koopmeiners has been concerned in 4 targets in his final 4 video games in opposition to Milan (three targets and one help); in opposition to no Italian opponent has he scored extra targets in all competitions (three additionally in opposition to Hellas Verona, Mona and Torino).
➤ Dusan Vlahovic (15) and Rafael Leão (17) are two of the 4 Serie A plavers who’ve scored essentially the most targets from open play within the 2024 calendar yr throughout all competitions – together with Ademola Lookman (18) and Marcus Thuram (17).
➤ Tammy Abraham has scored in every of his final two begins in opposition to Juventus; with 5 targets and threeassists this season, he’s Milan’s second-best participant by way of minutes performed/objective involvement ratio: one each 112 minutes, solely Christian Pulisic (one each 110) has executed higher for the Rossoneri in 2024/25.
Ones to observe
For Milan, having Pulisic again within the beginning line-up will likely be essential. His eight targets and 5 assists throughout all competitions makes him the chief by way of contributions, with Reijnders (9 targets, two assists) intently behind.
Morata would like to get a objective in opposition to his former membership, however it’s maybe Theo Hernandez who will likely be most fascinating to observe, to see how he reacts to the brand new coach after a rut of type.
Juve’s hazard man stays Vlahovic, who has 12 targets and two assists this season. Nevertheless, the person to his left – Kenan Yildiz – can be having an excellent marketing campaign thus far with eight objective contributions.
There’s a household storyline with Francisco Conceicao going through his father’s new group, then after all Kalulu will come up in opposition to his dad or mum membership, who he left in the summertime for a rival and has since executed effectively.
Prediction
It has been almost a decade since that night time in 2016, and we’re extra hoping for a repeat somewhat than anticipating it. What we do count on although is a whole lot of grit and struggle in Conceicao’s debut, and there may be nonetheless a trophy on the road (or the prospect to get one) even when this outcome will removed from outline his tenure.
Juventus 1-1 AC Milan (Milan win on penalties)