Having won seven of their eight Serie A matches this season, AC Milan go head-to-head with old foes Juventus on Sunday evening, as two giants of Calcio convene at San Siro.
While Milan entered the international break after a dramatic defeat of Genoa, Juve came out on top in the Derby della Mole and remain within four points of the Rossoneri.
Match preview
© Reuters
With their sole loss a shocking 5-1 derby defeat to Inter, Milan have already accrued 21 points this season, and they return from a two-week hiatus aiming to win eight of their opening nine Serie A matches for only a third time in club history.
Most recently, the Rossoneri managed such a feat in the Scudetto-winning campaign of 2021-22, and Stefano Pioli's squad are eyeing the Italian title again this term, having put up a meek defence last year.
Napoli and both Rome clubs have struggled to keep pace with their ability to grind out results, and it certainly took every sinew to bring three points home from Genoa just before the break.
Having been held goalless for 87 minutes, Milan finally took the lead through Christian Pulisic, but the drama was only just beginning: both goalkeepers were sent off during stoppage-time - Mike Maignan for an awful foul - and veteran striker Olivier Giroud ended an extraordinary game between the posts, clad in Maignan's jersey.
Giroud gained plaudits for bravely making an important save at the death, and Pioli's men marched away from Marassi with the type of victory champions reflect on fondly when later polishing their hard-won silverware.
Two goalless draws in the Champions League, though, leave the Rossoneri playing catch-up in Europe's top club competition, to which they will return next week, with a seismic clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital.
First, they must tackle a more traditional rival in Serie A, where shifting sands have seen Juventus lose their iron grip in recent years - indeed, Milan are undefeated in five league meetings with the Old Lady. They have not gone six unbeaten since a golden period at the end of the 1980s, but that could now happen on Sunday.
© Reuters
Juve may no longer reign supreme over Milan, but they continued their decade-long dominance of the Derby della Mole last time out, seeing off Torino 2-0 - the Bianconeri last lost to their city rivals 19 Turin derbies ago, while winning on no fewer than 15 occasions.
After another shutout at the Allianz Stadium, where Federico Gatti and Arkadiusz Milik were on the scoresheet, Max Allegri's men have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three games, taking their tally to no less than eight in 13 league matches stretching back to last season.
With an emphasis on defensive rigidity, Allegri's side are also yet to concede a single set-piece goal this term, and the Tuscan tactician has set his stall out in regard to how his team will approach the months ahead.
Restoring Juve to former glories - many of which he was a major part of - remains a mammoth task, and getting back into Scudetto contention after two dismal years on and off the field could ultimately prove too much to ask.
Nonetheless, as he plots a course to victory over his former club this weekend, much-maligned Allegri can point to a record bettered only by the two Milan clubs in 2023-24 and retains the backing of the board.
Juventus have already beaten Lazio and held Atalanta to a goalless draw, but their toughest test yet awaits in the second city, where they have failed to score against Milan in either of the teams' last two San Siro meetings.
Team News
© Reuters
Set to make his first competitive start for Milan this weekend, 40-year-old goalkeeper Antonio Mirante will be called upon by Stefano Pioli, as Mike Maignan must serve a suspension following his dismissal in Genoa and summer signing Marco Sportiello is injured.
Pioli - a former Juventus defender - will also be without French full-back Theo Hernandez, who is also suspended, while Samu Chukwueze has picked up a hamstring injury and Ruben Loftus-Cheek's participation is in doubt due to an adductor problem.
More positively, both Pierre Kalulu and Rade Krunic have used the international period to complete their recoveries, although it would be a surprise if either was fit enough to start such a big game.
Featuring as part of the hosts' front three, Christian Pulisic has scored four times in his first eight Serie A matches since joining from Chelsea; only four Milan players have reached five goals before their 10th league appearance since the mid-1990s: Andriy Shevchenko, Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato and Carlos Bacca.
Juventus, meanwhile, have welcomed back first-choice forwards Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic following the break - both may start on the bench - but Brazilian defensive duo Danilo and Alex Sandro will be unavailable.
Chiesa has been directly involved in more Serie A away goals against Milan than any other team, with three of his own and as many assists. Indeed, in all five of his league games versus the Rossoneri at San Siro, the Italy striker has played a part in at least one goal.
In addition to Danilo's absence, Juve coach Max Allegri must make at least one more change to the XI that started against Torino, as young midfielder Nicolo Fagioli has been embroiled in Italian football's betting scandal and is embarking on a seven-month ban.
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Mirante; Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Florenzi; Musah, Adli, Reijnders; Pulisic, Giroud, Leao
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Rugani; Weah, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Kean, Milik
We say: AC Milan 1-0 Juventus
Without a couple of key players due to suspension, Milan may be considered vulnerable going into Sunday's late kickoff. Nevertheless, the Rossoneri still possess an attacking trident that can pierce Juve's watertight defence.
One goal could decide a tight contest: in eight of the last 11 Serie A meetings between these teams at San Siro, at least one has failed to score.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
