Competition: Italian Serie A 2016-17
Date: Friday, 10th March, 19:45 GMT
Stadium: Juventus Stadium.
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Juventus vs AC Milan Preview and Prediction
Juventus played their first Serie A draw of the season and now host Vincenzo Montella’s Milan, who already beat them twice this term.
It has been a strange campaign for the two clubs, repeatedly crossing paths over the past few months. Juve won the Coppa Italia Final in extra time, 18-year-old Manuel Locatelli scored a screamer to take revenge at San Siro in Serie A, then the Rossoneri beat the favourites on penalties in Doha for the Italian Super Cup in December. They met once again in January, the Bianconeri going through in the Coppa Italia quarter-final with a 2-1 result in Turin.
This will be the sixth time these sides have met over the last 11 months, as there was also a 2-1 Juve victory away to Milan in April 2016. Familiarity breeds contempt, though there’s no shortage of that thanks to decades of rivalry for the Scudetto and even a Champions League Final in 2003.
The clubs have taken very different paths in recent years. While Juventus look on track to notch up a record sixth consecutive Scudetto, Vincenzo Montella has to revitalise a Milan side with no transfer budget and in the middle of a Chinese takeover that has gone into full-blown soap opera mode.
Max Allegri has to balance out this test with preparing for the Champions League Round of 16 with Porto, having won the first leg 2-0 at the Estadio do Dragao. Juan Cuadrado is suspended with Giorgio Chiellini and Stefano Sturaro injured, so Marko Pjaca and Andrea Barzagli are expected to step in. It’ll be a good opportunity for the Croatian winger to show what he can do after so many fleeting substitute appearances.
Allegri seems reticent to rotate the squad too much, giving Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and Miralem Pjanic very little rest. That started to take its toll in last week’s surprise 1-1 draw with Udinese, their first stalemate of the Serie A season.
Montella has no real choice in the matter, as his Milan squad provides few quality alternatives. Ignazio Abate and Suso are in doubt to feature with injury concerns, while Jack Bonaventura and Riccardo Montolivo are long-term absentees. Carlos Bacca got back to scoring ways with a brace against Chievo, and a controversial penalty past Sassuolo, so leads the attack with Gerard Deulofeu and probably Lucas Ocampos.
Leonel Vangioni and Jose Ernesto Sosa were dubbed flops when arriving, but have seemingly found some confidence over the last few games. The return of Alessio Romagnoli and Mattia De Sciglio – who has been heavily linked with Juventus – are important boosts. Milan have won an impressive four of their last five games, drawing the other away to high-flying Lazio, since a 1-0 home defeat to Sampdoria over a month ago.
Keep an eye on: Gerard Deulofeu (Milan) – The winger on loan from Everton has been a sensation in Serie A, so seeing him up against Alex Sandro and Mario Mandzukic is going to be an enticing prospect. Juve’s 4-2-3-1 formation has the potential to leave them vulnerable down the flanks and Milan can take full advantage.
Form Guide: Juventus (D W W W W) Milan (W W W D W)
Last season: Juventus 1-0 Milan
Stat fact: Milan have lost their last five Serie A trips to Turin, finding the net in only two of them, since a 1-0 victory in March 2011. That was decided by a rare Gennaro Gattuso goal. This fixture hasn’t ended in a stalemate since March 2006, followed by two Rossoneri successes and seven losses.
Top tip: Both teams to score.
Juventus (probable): Buffon; Dani Alves, Bonucci, Barzagli, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic; Pjaca, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain
Suspended: Cuadrado
Milan (probable): Donnarumma; De Sciglio, Romagnoli, Paletta, Vangioni; Sosa, Locatelli, Kucka; Ocampos, Bacca, Deulofeu
Suspended: None
