Out-of-form Milan and an improving Torino side are set to trade tackles at the Stadio San Siro in a high-stakes Serie A contest on Friday. These are tumultuous times for the reigning Italian champions, with Stefano Pioli’s future at the club potentially at risk.
Not even Pioli’s tactical alterations helped Milan find a way out of a severe crisis. They lost last weekend’s Derby della Madonnina to Inter 1-0 without attempting a shot on target. Having lost four competitive matches in a row for the first time since 2017, the Rossoneri will seek amends against Torino.
However, since a 2-1 win at Salernitana at the turn of the new calendar year, Milan have gone winless in five straight league outings (D2, L3), including three defeats on the spin in the lead-up to this game. With that in mind, it’s no surprise the defending Serie A champions have fallen outside the top four for the first time this season.
By contrast, Torino’s mood is much better after Ivan Juric’s men recorded a pair of 1-0 wins in their last three league fixtures (D1), most recently dispatching Udinese at home. The visitors’ uplift in form has moved them to within eight points of sixth-placed Milan, reigniting the club’s hopes of securing European placings for the first time since 2018/19.
Indeed, Torino’s haul of 30 points after 21 matchdays stands as their second-best tally at this stage of a top-flight campaign in a three-points-per-win era. All that will mean next to nothing unless they lock down a European finish at the end of the season.
Preview
Milan
Milan have gone winless in all three competitive matches since the calendar year flipped to 2023 (D1, L3), including a 1-0 extra-time loss to Torino in the Coppa Italia in January. Looking at Serie A alone, Pioli’s men could only manage a 2-2 draw against in their 2023 home opener before succumbing to an embarrassing 5-2 defeat to Sassuolo last time out.
On a more positive note, Milan are unbeaten in their last 26 home meetings with Torino in Serie A (W18, D8), winning the three most recent without conceding. That effectively rules out the possibility of losing five times in a row during a single season for the first time since 1929/30. But they cannot take anything for granted.
Player to Watch: Theo Hernandez
Like the whole Milan squad, Theo Hernandez has failed to impress in 2023. However, the French left-back knows in-depth about beating Torino, having won more personal H2Hs against the Granata than any other side (six).
Torino
Following a hard-earned home triumph over Udinese last time out, Torino could register back-to-back clean sheets in Serie A for the first time since April 2022. Yet, given that they’ve managed just one shutout across their 11 league travels this season, that could prove easier said than done.
Despite their defensive woes on the road, Juric’s charges haven’t lost any of their last four Serie A games away from home (W1, D3). Scoring first would aid the visitors’ bid to maintain that run, considering they’ve failed to win any of their five away league games after conceding the opening goal this term (D1, L4).
Player to Watch: Antonio Sanabria
Antonio Sanabria has been Torino’s goalscoring specialists on the road this season, with each of his four league goals scored thus far coming on hostile turf.
Team News
Milan cannot catch a break with injuries this season. With Mike Maignan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the verge of regaining full fitness, Fikayo Tomori and Ismael Bennacer have recently joined long-term absentee Alessandro Florenzi on the sidelines.
As for Torino, Koffi Djidji, Pietro Pellegri, Valentino Lazaro, Nemanja Radonjic, and David Zima are all out due to injuries. There’s still a veil of mystery surrounding the fitness status of Ivan Ilic and Samuele Ricci.
Milan vs Torino Potential Lineups
Milan (3-5-2): Ciprian Tatarusanu; Pierre Kalulu, Simon Kjaer, Malick Thiaw; Davide Calabria, Tomasso Pobega, Sandro Tonali, Rade Krunic, Theo Hernandez; Rafael Leao, Olivier Giroud.
Torino (3-4-2-1): Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Perr Schuurs, Alessandro Buongiorno, Ricardo Rodriguez; Ola Aina, Karol Linetty, Ronaldo Vieira, Mergim Vojvoda; Aleksei Miranchuk, Nicola Vlasic; Antonio Sanabria.
Milan vs Torino Prediction
Things are not looking good from Milan’s perspective, as another failed attempt to claim three points could throw their top-four hopes into complete disarray.
However, Torino’s recent form cannot inspire much confidence in the home camp, so we expect a share of the spoils in what promises to be a tight, keenly-contested midfield battle.
Prediction: Draw
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