Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 11/5
Bookmaker: ZetBet
AC Milan and Juventus are set to face off in a high-stakes Serie A clash at San Siro on Saturday evening. Milan, reeling from a dramatic six-goal draw with Cagliari before the international break, trail their Turin rivals by six points in the league standings.
Juventus, on the other hand, bolstered their title credentials with a hard-fought victory in the Turin derby, maintaining their position in a tightly contested race involving six teams vying for the summit.
AC Milan
Highlighting their defensive struggles this season, Milan conceded both early and late in their final match before the international break, a thrilling 3-3 draw against Cagliari.
Buoyed by his standout performance in the Rossoneri’s surprise Champions League win over Real Madrid days earlier, Rafael Leao netted twice. Tammy Abraham added a second-half goal that seemed to secure the win, but Gabriele Zappa’s stunning 90th-minute equalizer ensured the points were shared.
As a result, Milan sit seventh in the standings with 18 points, trailing Serie A leaders Napoli by eight, though they have a game in hand.
Even if Milan overcome Juventus this weekend, their 12-game points total would be their lowest in five years, drawing criticism toward head coach Paulo Fonseca.
With upcoming European fixtures against Slovan Bratislava, Red Star Belgrade, Girona, and Dinamo Zagreb, securing a Champions League playoff spot remains feasible, but a loss on Saturday would push them further behind the top six in Italy.
Although Milan have conceded just two goals in their last seven league meetings with Juventus, relying on Serie A’s eighth-ranked defence to hold firm this time could be a tall order.
Team News
Milan have several attacking options available, with former Juventus striker Alvaro Morata back in action after featuring for Spain in the UEFA Nations League. Meanwhile, his 16-year-old understudy Francesco Camarda, who started against Cagliari, recently netted twice for Italy’s Under-19s.
Tammy Abraham is also fit, though Luka Jovic remains sidelined with a groin problem, joining Alessandro Florenzi and Ismael Bennacer on the Milanello injury list.
After being briefly dropped earlier this month, Rafael Leao has rediscovered his form. The Portuguese star, who leads Serie A in dribbles completed in 2024, is just one goal away from achieving double figures for a third straight calendar year.
Juventus
Just before the international break, Juventus extended their dominance over Torino in the Derby della Mole, stretching their unbeaten streak in the rivalry to 19 matches.
Goals from Timothy Weah and Kenan Yildiz secured a derby win for the Bianconeri, keeping them just two points behind the Serie A summit after 12 games.
Despite flaws and injury setbacks, Juve remain unbeaten this season, with six wins and six draws, firmly entrenched in a tight title race where six teams are separated by just two points.
Thiago Motta’s side, sitting just above Milan in the Champions League race, have kept four clean sheets in their first five away league matches but recently conceded four goals in a chaotic Derby d’Italia against Inter.
Returning to San Siro this week, Juventus will aim to avoid a similar lapse, as a win would not only strengthen their Scudetto ambitions but also deal a significant blow to Milan’s hopes.
Team News
Juventus will be without their main attacking threat, as top scorer Dusan Vlahovic is sidelined with a thigh injury, while back-up striker Arkadiusz Milik will not return until next year.
This leaves Timothy Weah, son of Milan legend George Weah, or Kenan Yildiz as potential options to play as a false nine, supported by Francisco Conceicao and Teun Koopmeiners. If Yildiz scores on Saturday, he will become the seventh-youngest player to reach six Serie A goals for Juventus, surpassing club legend by the name of Alessandro Del Piero, at just 19 years and 203 days old.
Manuel Locatelli, recalled to the Italy squad due to his strong form this season, is expected to start in midfield. Notably, he is among 10 players to have scored for both clubs in this fixture. Meanwhile, Douglas Luiz may remain unavailable for Juventus.
Conclusion
Milan may struggle to end Juve’s unbeaten streak, as their shaky defence is unlikely to hold firm for the full 90 minutes.
Despite missing several key players, Juventus have shown resilience under Thiago Motta’s leadership, whereas Paulo Fonseca’s talented Milan side remains susceptible to critical mistakes. But Milan arguably have what it takes to make it up at the other end of the pitch.
Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 11/5
Bookmaker: ZetBet
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