Back from continental duties, Serie A heavyweights Milan head to Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi to take on relegation-battling Hellas Verona. Sunday’s showdown in Veneto is a textbook definition of a ‘David vs Goliath’ affair, with two sides with contrasting objectives seeking much-needed points.
For Verona, every game between now and the end of the season is a ‘make or break.’ After six winless league outings (D3, L3), they’ve clawed their way out of the bottom three with back-to-back 1-0 wins against fellow underachievers Sassuolo and Lecce.
However, a two-point lead on 18th-placed Frosinone doesn’t guarantee them survival. Head coach Marco Baroni knows it and will expect his side to punch above their weight this weekend as they bid to post three consecutive top-flight victories without conceding for the first time since 2000.
The only problem is they’re up against a resurgent Milan side they’ve failed to beat in their last ten meetings (D2, L8). The visitors can draw further inspiration from winning six consecutive duels against Verona in the build-up to this encounter. On top of that, they’ve pieced together four straight triumphs in all competitions.
Stefano Pioli’s team traveled to Prague on Thursday to take on Slavia Praha in the return leg of their Europa League tie. But despite running out 4-2 victors in the first leg, Milan refused to sit back and protect the lead as they thrashed the Czech Republic outfit 3-1 on their own home patch to set up a blockbuster quarter-final tie against Roma.
Match Preview
Hellas Verona
Milan’s visit couldn’t have come at a worse moment for Verona. Just when it seemed they were building up a head of steam, they are facing an adversary that’s been landing them punches for almost a decade. Moreover, Rossoneri have proved an unsolvable puzzle for Baroni.
The Gialloblu boss has only managed two points from five previous clashes against Milan as a manager. As if that’s not concerning enough, his sides only scored in one of those matches. That’s an ominous sign for a team that has netted more than one goal in just one of their last eight league outings.
On a slightly brighter note, Marc’Anotnio Bentegodi has recently stood firm, with Verona suffering just one defeat across their last five Serie A fixtures on their home ground (W2, D2).
Milan
Verona’s decent home form shouldn’t faze Milan, knowing they’ve won their last four league games in Veneto, including two without conceding. An ongoing four-game winning streak in all competitions puts Rossoneri in position to win five successive matches for the first time since lifting the Scudetto in May 2022.
Seizing that opportunity would see them solidify their place as the ‘best of the rest’ behind runaway leaders Inter after leapfrogging Juventus into second with a narrow 1-0 home victory against Empoli last weekend. Pioli’s troops will be eager to draw first blood as it’s been their winning signature this season.
Milan have taken the lead in 23 Serie A games this term without losing once (W18, D5). Problems tend to appear when it’s the other way around, with the 19-time Serie A champions losing four out of five away league contests after falling behind (W1).
Team News
Losing 11 first-team stars during the January transfer window due to financial turmoil was a massive blow to Verona’s survival hopes. Left with bare bones, Baroni can’t afford to have injured players, and luckily for him, his squad is injury-free ahead of this clash.
The only concern is Thomas Henry’s ban after receiving a red card against Lecce. But Pawel Dawidowicz is back from suspension and will be ready to regain his place at the back.
As for Milan, Thursday’s success in Prague didn’t come free of charge. Rossoneri lost first-choice goalkeeper Mike Maignan to a knee injury, with the Frenchman joining long-term absentee Tommaso Pobega in the treatment room.
However, other than the two, Pioli will have the rest of his squad fit for this trip, including Alessandro Florenzi, who served a one-game ban against Empoli last time out.
Hellas Verona vs Milan Potential Lineups
Hellas Verona (4-2-3-1): Lorenzo Montipo; Jackson Tchatchoua, Giangiacomo Magnani, Pawel Dawidowicz, Juan Cabal; Ondrej Duda, Suat Serdar; Tomas Suslov, Michael Folorunsho, Darko Lazovic; Tijjani Noslin.
Milan (4-2-3-1): Marco Sportiello; Alessandro Florenzi, Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, Theo Hernandez; Ismael Bennacer, Tijjani Reijnders; Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Rafael Leao; Olivier Giroud.
Hellas Verona vs Milan Prediction
Though Milan’s recent league wins lacked conviction, they’re still favorites to extend their sterling run at Bentegodi. Pioli’s men might have had little time to freshen up after a midweek trip to the Czech Republic, but they should still get a job done.
Prediction: Milan Win
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