AC Milan might be up towards Como within the twenty ninth spherical of Serie A motion on Saturday night. After the essential win in Lecce, the Rossoneri might be seeking to proceed down a constructive path.
Sergio Conceicao has had yet one more week to work with out interruptions at Milanello and , he’s very proud of the staff for the time being. Equally, the gamers appear much more content material together with his strategies.
Tomorrow’s conflict is a vital one within the race for a Europa League spot, the truth is it’s not simply essential however essential, and the supervisor admitted that it will likely be a troublesome conflict. Como have high quality, even when they’re inexperienced in Serie A.
Sport date: Saturday, March 15Kick-off time: 18:00 (CET)Venue: San SiroReferee: Matteo Marchetti (VAR: Doveri)
Workforce information
Milan have been handed an damage enhance final week as Alessandro Florenzi returned to coaching and this week, issues received even higher as Ruben Loftus-Cheek . The Englishman nonetheless wants time to regain match health, just like the Italian, however he ought to be referred to as up.
That leaves simply Emerson Royal on the damage checklist and it will likely be a number of weeks earlier than he’s again in motion. Nonetheless, we’d have seen his final look with the Milan shirt as a departure is nailed on for the summer time, whereas he received’t precisely begin over Kyle Walker and even Alex Jimenez.
Mike Maignan and Strahinja Pavlovic have served their respective suspensions, yet one more enhance for Conceicao, and not less than the goalkeeper ought to each play from begin. The Serbian’s pink card was very questionable and it got here throughout a very good interval for him, so hopefully it hasn’t affected him an excessive amount of.
In midfield, the most recent reviews recommend that Conceicao will subject Yunus Musah and Warren Bondo collectively. The latter impressed in his debut towards Lecce and this will even enable Tijjani Reijnders to play within the extra superior No.10 function, having executed higher there this season.
Rafael Leao made a distinction off the bench towards Lecce and after scoring within the reverse fixture towards Come, the hope is that he could be decisive from begin tomorrow. He might be on the left flank, with Christian Pulisic reverting to the right-hand facet.
Up entrance, Santiago Gimenez has been struggling a bit recently nevertheless it appears he’ll win the battle towards Tammy Abraham. Conceicao was requested about enjoying two strikers throughout his presser and though he didn’t rule it out as an in-game answer, he was skeptical about doing it from begin.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Walker, Gabbia, Thiaw, Hernandez; Musah, Bondo; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Gimenez.
The opponents
It has been a energetic, albeit not at all times sensible, return to Serie A for Como after over 20 years within the chilly. The Lariani are at the moment in thirteenth place with 29 factors and whereas they’ve much more cash than the opposite smaller groups in Italy, this have to be seen as a hit nonetheless.
The relegation risk continues to be looming for Cesc Fabregas’ facet however after only one defeat within the final 5 league video games, issues are wanting lots higher. To not point out that the January signings Maxence Caqueret and Assane Diao have actually helped the state of affairs.
Diao, aged simply 19, has 5 objectives in ten video games and a type of got here within the reverse fixture towards Milan. Briefly, the Rossoneri should be careful for him once more – particularly Theo Hernandez – and the identical goes for lots of the opposite gamers (corresponding to Nico Paz).
There aren’t any accidents or suspensions to notice, which is one thing that Fabregas additionally earlier right this moment: “For the primary time, everybody is offered. There are 26 gamers coaching as a bunch. I’m happy, everyone seems to be concerned. Sergi Roberto has additionally recovered. Clearly, not everybody is able to take to the sphere for 90 minutes,” he started.
The supervisor additionally made it clear that whereas Milan are an excellent staff, Como can’t be afraid of enjoying their soccer: “We at all times play with braveness, we at all times want character, in any other case we can not put our kind of soccer into observe,” he acknowledged.
Having a look on the predicted eleven for the away facet, the aforementioned Diao appears set to begin up entrance and which means there might be no Patrick Cutrone from the primary minute. The striker spent many seasons at Milan, together with the academy, and scored 27 objectives for the Rossoneri’s first staff.
Predicted Como XI (4-3-2-1): Butez; Smolcic, Goldaniga, Kempf, Valle; Perrone, Caqueret, Da Cunha; Strefezza, Paz; Diao.
Face to face
The fixture between Milan and Como has been performed 33 instances in all competitions, with the Rossoneri successful simply over half of those (18). The Lariani have solely received 5 video games thus far and 10 have resulted in attracts. In different phrases, Milan have a historic benefit.
With only one defeat within the final 4 video games, nevertheless, Como are in higher kind than the Rossoneri so you may undoubtedly say that there’s a present benefit. Maybe the comeback towards Lecce on the weekend has modified issues for Conceicao’s males, although.
Having a look on the reverse fixture this season, Milan conceded the primary aim of the sport within the second half. Nevertheless, as seen so many instances, the Rossoneri fought again and scored two objectives in six minutes to show every part round (Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao).
For the final assembly at San Siro, nevertheless, we have now to return to the 2002-03 season when the Rossoneri prevailed 2-0. The objectives have been scored by Pippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Nesta (oh how instances have modified!).
Key info and stats
➤ Milan are unbeaten of their final 12 Serie A video games towards Como (W7 D5), successful all three towards them within the 2000s; the one time the Rossoneri have recorded 4 consecutive wins towards Como within the competitors was between 1951 and 1952.
➤ Como have received simply one among their 12 away video games towards Milan in Serie A (D4 L7): 2-0 in January 1985, with objectives from Gianfranco Matteoli and Pasquale Bruno. They’ve additionally failed to attain of their final 5 such matches (most not too long ago in 2003).
➤ Milan have received 5 of their final six video games towards groups beginning the matchday within the backside half of the desk (L1), as many wins as of their earlier 13 matches towards these groups (D6 L2).
➤ Como are unbeaten in three of their final 4 Serie A video games (W2 D1), as many instances as of their earlier eight league video games (W2 D1) – nevertheless, they’ve only one win of their most up-to-date 10 away video games within the competitors (D3 L6).
➤ Milan have conceded precisely two objectives in every of their final 4 league video games; they’ve conceded multiple aim in 5 consecutive matches in a single Serie A season on simply three events of their historical past: twice within the Nineteen Forties and most not too long ago in April 1974.
➤ Como have received 17 of their 29 factors in Serie A this time period towards groups at the moment within the high half of the desk: solely Napoli (30), Atalanta (22), Inter (20) and Juventus (19) have received extra factors towards these groups within the present match.
➤ Milan have tried probably the most pictures from exterior the field in Serie A this time period (148); however, solely Bologna (79) have conceded fewer such pictures than Como (95).
➤ Como are the second staff within the final 50 years to have two gamers who’ve scored not less than 5 objectives in a Serie A season earlier than turning 21 (5 objectives for Assane Diao and 6 objectives for Nico Paz), after Reggina 1999/2000 (Andrea Pirlo and Mohammed Kallon).
➤ Rafael Leão is near 250 appearances in all competitions with Milan (at the moment 249, with 68 objectives and 50 assists): since his debut with the Rossoneri in 2019-20, he’s the one Serie A participant who has scored not less than 50 objectives and offered not less than 50 assists in all competitions.
➤ Assane Diao, who scored his first Serie A aim within the reverse fixture towards Milan, with one aim would turn into the Como participant to have scored probably the most objectives within the competitors earlier than turning 20 (at the moment 5, stage with Giovanni Migliorini and Bruno Susmel).
Ones to look at
Warren Bondo impressed in his debut, as mentioned, and if he does certainly begin tomorrow then it will likely be very fascinating to see him within the tandem. He clearly has a number of high quality, as we noticed throughout his time at Monza, and he might cement his spot within the XI with a very good efficiency.
Christian Pulisic was gorgeous towards Lecce and hopefully, he can proceed like that tomorrow as effectively. Milan simply must put him in the correct positions, which has been removed from the case in too many video games this season.
For Como, Edoardo Goldaniga is an skilled chief on the again and he’ll probably be tasked with Santiago Gimenez. The defender will certainly be capable of match him in dimension so it ought to be an fascinating in-game battle.
It’s unattainable to not point out Diao given his cracking begin to life at Como. The very fact he scored within the reverse fixture ought to give him some additional confidence as effectively. Then again, he’s nonetheless younger and the Milan defenders should depend on their expertise to cease him.
Prediction
It received’t be a stroll within the park for Milan, except they’ve executed extraordinary work at Milanello, so we ought to be a recreation with no clear sheets. Como have proved that they will damage large groups earlier than and Milan, whereas not sensible defensively, not less than know the best way to rating. A repeat of the primary fixture is thus very potential.
AC Milan 2-1 Como