Serie A preview: AC Milan keen to finish year on high

AC Milan will look to increase their lead at the top of Serie A when they host Roma at the San Siro on Saturday in their last game for the year.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side have made an impressive start to the season, having secured a berth in the last 16 of the Champions League as well as opening up a six-point buffer over Juventus, Napoli and Lazio on the league table.

Their rise has been in no small part to the contribution of new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose nine goals have been instrumental in their march up the standings.

Allegri does have his injury concerns ahead of Roma’s visit, however, with captain Gennaro Gattuso joining defender Gianluca Zambrotta, Thiago Silva, Filippo Inzaghi, Alexandre Pato and Mathieu Flamini on the sidelines, meaning he will welcome the 18-day winter break.

Roma boss Claudio Ranieri has worries on the fitness front as well, with third-choice goalkeeper Doni is likely to start as injury clouds hang over Julio Sergio and Bogdan Lobont. Striker Mirko Vucinic is also doubtful.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Cesena will hope to move out of the relegation zone when they welcome 11th-placed Cagliari at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi.

On Sunday, Juventus will look to close the gap on Milan and extend their unbeaten run to 12 league games when they travel to play 12th-placed Chievo Verona, while Lazio welcome Udinese to Rome’s Olympic Stadium hoping to rebound from Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Juventus.

Napoli welcome Lecce and will be riding high after securing a spot in the last 32 of the Europa league with a last-gasp 1-0 win over Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday, thanks to an injury-time Edinson Cavani strike.

Bottom side Bari will be desperate for points when they host fifth-placed Palermo, and Brescia visit Catania.

Bologna travel to the Stadio Ennio Tardini to take on Parma, while eighth-placed Sampdoria play host to Genoa in Sunday’s later game.