Serie A returns to action after a two-week break to accommodate the final round of Euro 2024 qualifiers as Milan and Fiorentina go head-to-head in a handsomely-looking fixture at the San Siro. Saturday’s high-stakes contest in Lombardy could prove a ‘make or break’ fixture for Rossoneri boss Stefano Pioli.
November’s international break couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment for Milan, handing Pioli a fortnight to rally his troops following a dreadful four-game league stretch. Despite going 2-0 up at halftime in their last Serie A outing ahead of the pause, Rossoneri were lucky to get away with a 2-2 draw against bottom-half Lecce.
VAR came to Pioli’s rescue, disallowing what would’ve been Lecce’s stoppage-time winner. However, that stalemate hurt like a loss as Milan failed to get into the win column for a fourth league match on the trot (D2, L2). Stemming the bleeding is imperative this weekend as the 19-time Serie A winners lag eight points behind pacesetters Inter.
Fiorentina could pile more misery on Milan after arresting a woeful patch of their own with a 2-1 home triumph over Bologna on the stroke of the international break. Knocking Thiago Motta’s side down from an emphatic ten-game unbeaten league streak helped La Viola put three consecutive league defeats to bed and move within a single-point distance of fourth-placed Napoli.
It’s been eight years since Fiorentina last secured a top-four finish. Vincenzo Italiano’s men look poised to end that drought, and beating Milan in their backyard would be a statement of intent. Yet, it’s easier said than done.
Match Preview
Milan
Instead of providing a safe shelter, the San Siro has been a place of Milan’s demise lately. Pioli’s men have lost their last two home league matches without scoring and are staring down the barrel of three consecutive home defeats for the first time since 2006. Should the same disaster strike again, it would be only the second time in Rossoneri’s top-flight history that they’ve lost three straight home games ‘to nil.’
Determined to avoid that fate, Milan can seek inspiration from their recent dominance in this fixture. They’ve won their last three home league matches against Fiorentina by an aggregate score of 6-1. Since two of those three wins have yielded clean sheets, it stands to reason Pioli will rely on his defensive set-up to lay the groundwork for his team’s return to winning ways.
Player to Watch: Christian Pulisic
With a severe injury crisis reducing Milan to bare bones, it’ll be up to Pulisic to deliver the goods. The USMNT winger has been a talismanic figure this season, with Rossoneri going unbeaten in all six matches to have seen him score or assist.
Fiorentina
You’d need to go back to 2014/15 for the last time Fiorentina finished in the top four. Interestingly, the last time they defeated Milan in back-to-back Serie A showdowns was in 2015. History beckons for Italiano’s side following a 2-1 home triumph in March, but their indifferent away form paints a bleak picture.
La Viola have alternated between winning and not across their six Serie A travels this season (W3, D1, L2). Should that trend continue on Saturday, Fiorentina could return to Tuscany with three points, considering they slumped to a last-gasp 1-0 loss to Lazio in their last away league game. But with two of their three top-flight defeats on the road coming against last season’s top-four sides, they can’t take anything for granted.
Player to Watch: Nicolas Gonzalez
Not only is Gonzalez Fiorentina’s most prolific player in Serie A with six goals and one assist but he’s also proved crucial in their recent successes against Milan. La Viola’s last two H2H victories have seen him either score or assist.
Team News
Pioli’s ever-growing injury list features Ismael Bennacer, Mattia Caldara, Pierre Kalulu, Marco Pellegrino, Rafael Leao, Noah Okafor, and Simon Kjaer. On top of that, Milan will be without top-scorer Olivier Giroud, who picked up an injury-time red card against Lecce.
As for the visitors, Gaetano Castrovilli, Michael Kayode, and Dodo are on the sidelines injured, while Luca Ranieri isn’t available for selection after accumulating five yellows.
Milan vs Fiorentina Potential Lineups
Milan (4-3-3): Mike Maignan; Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, Theo Hernandez; Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Rade Krunic, Tijjani Reijnders; Samuel Chukwueze, Luka Jovic, Christian Pulisic.
Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): Pietro Terracciano; Fabiano Parisi, Nikola Milenkovic, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Cristiano Biraghi; Arthur Melo, Alfred Duncan; Nicolas Gonzalez, Giacomo Bonaventura, Josip Brekalo; M’Bala Nzola.
Milan vs Fiorentina Prediction
Despite lacking a sizeable first-team contingent, this is a must-win fixture for Milan in its strictest sense. Rossoneri can ill-afford a slip-up here, especially in front of a raucous home support. It won’t be easy, but we back the hosts to take an all-important three points.
Prediction: Milan Win
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