Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Serie A clash between AC Milan and Genoa, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Winless in their last five matches, AC Milan will aim to get back on track when they welcome Genoa to San Siro on Sunday evening.
Yet to confirm runners-up spot in Serie A, the Rossoneri are in danger of ending their season on a down note, while their visitors have not given up on claiming a top-half finish.
Match preview
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Less than a week after suffering their sixth straight loss in the Derby della Madonnina – with a painful defeat to Inter Milan also seeing the Nerazzurri crowned champions – Milan managed to come away from Turin with a point last time out, as they held third-placed Juventus goalless.
Though that result kept the Rossoneri five points above their main rivals to finish second behind Inter, it also extended their wait for a win to almost a month.
Head coach Stefano Pioli has only endured one longer winless streak since taking the reins, and reports suggest his time in charge is soon coming to an end.
Having exited the Champions League in its group phase and then been knocked out of the Europa League by Roma – in addition to a quarter-final elimination from the Coppa Italia – Milan have little left to play for.
As speculation persists about the identity of their incoming manager, they will try to avoid suffering three straight home defeats for the first time since 2014, as a capable Genoa side arrive at San Siro seeking to cause an upset.
When Christian Pulisic scored the Rossoneri’s winner in October’s reverse fixture, Pioli’s dreams of claiming a second Scudetto were still very much alive; now, though, he is surely on borrowed time.
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While Genoa may sense victory could be possible, given their hosts’ recent woes, they have lost their last four Serie A matches against Milan ahead of this week’s trip to the second city.
Nonetheless, Monday’s 3-0 defeat of Cagliari boosted confidence in the camp after a previous run of just six points from as many games dented hopes of a top-half finish.
Applying the finishing touch to a comprehensive success, star man Albert Gudmundsson scored the Grifone’s third goal last time out, and he has netted more times than any other player representing a promoted team across Europe’s top five leagues this term.
In addition to racking up 14 goals so far – including five from his last seven appearances – Gudmundsson has created the most chances from set plays in the Italian top flight (47) and is sure to attract several substantial bids in the summer.
First, though, the Iceland international will try to help his team win back-to-back league matches for only the second time this season, while Genoa are also seeking successive clean sheets for the first time since returning to Serie A.
Overseen by up-and-coming coach Alberto Gilardino – a former Milan striker – the Ligurian club have lost only one of their last nine away matches, so they may fancy their chances of achieving both feats this weekend.
AC Milan Serie A form:
AC Milan form (all competitions):
Genoa Serie A form:
Team News
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After Theo Hernandez, Fikayo Tomori and captain Davide Calabria all served suspensions against Juventus, as part of the fall-out from Milan’s tempestuous derby defeat, only the latter is still sidelined this week.
However, Yunus Musah will now be ruled out by a one-match ban, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek (hamstring) and goalkeeper Mike Maignan (thigh) unavailable due to injury. Pierre Kalulu has returned to full training but is not yet ready to play; Tommaso Pobega and Luka Jovic are major doubts.
Soon to depart for a new adventure in MLS, top scorer Olivier Giroud should start up front, and Loftus-Cheek’s injury opens up space for either Samu Chukwueze or Noah Okafor to join the veteran striker’s supporting cast.
Meanwhile, Mattia Bani, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Milan loanee Junior Messias are all set to miss Sunday’s game for Genoa, alongside long-term absentee Alan Matturro.
Although both Vitinha and Caleb Ekuban are pushing for a place in the starting XI, main marksman Albert Gudmundsson and Italy striker Mateo Retegui are set to spearhead the Grifone’s attack once again, providing Gudmundsson can overcome an illness.
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Sportiello; Florenzi, Tomori, Gabbia, Hernandez; Bennacer, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao; Giroud
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Vogliacco, De Winter, Vasquez; Sabelli, Frendrup, Badelj, Thorsby, Martin; Gudmundsson, Retegui
We say: AC Milan 1-1 Genoa
As Milan’s momentum has been lost – and several players will be absent – plucky Genoa can capitalise by extending their hosts’ winless streak and taking a point back home to Liguria.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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