AC Milan finds themselves unexpectedly trailing behind Udinese in the Serie A standings, and they’ll be looking to turn that around with a win at San Siro this Saturday.
After suffering a loss to Fiorentina just before the international break, Milan is currently two points behind Udinese, who are enjoying a strong season with four wins out of seven matches.
Milan's recent form has been disappointing. They faced Fiorentina in Tuscany shortly after their second Champions League defeat, continuing their struggles away from home. Despite an equalizer from Christian Pulisic after Yacine Adli scored for Fiorentina against his parent club,
Milan ended up losing 2-1, putting an end to their four-match unbeaten run in Serie A. However, they remain undefeated in three home league matches this season.
Paulo Fonseca's side has won their last two games without conceding, so Milan could keep a clean sheet in three consecutive home matches for the first time since mid-2022. This would help quiet any criticism aimed at their new coach.
With discussions around the team’s defensive issues still prevalent, Fonseca cannot afford another setback this weekend. A loss would mean five defeats in their first ten matches across all competitions something that hasn’t happened to Milan in the last 80 years. Winning this match would also relieve some pressure on Fonseca, especially after last season's dramatic 3-2 win in Udine.
On the other hand, Udinese is in great form and looking to replicate their surprising 1-0 victory over Milan at San Siro last November. Winning back-to-back away games against Milan would be a significant achievement for them, especially considering their struggles last season.
Since narrowly escaping relegation, Udinese has won six of their last ten league matches equaling their total wins from the previous 46. Kosta Runjaic has led the team for four of those games, and he’s off to a strong start, including a couple of Coppa Italia victories.
Their latest win against Lecce, thanks to a late free kick from Jordan Zemura, has them sitting in fifth place with 13 points, just three behind league leaders Napoli and ahead of Milan before their matchup this weekend.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
With star full-back Theo Hernandez suspended after being sent off against Fiorentina, Milan coach Paulo Fonseca will need to make at least one change to his largely settled lineup.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is back to full fitness after dealing with a flexor issue, but Marco Sportiello (hand), Ismael Bennacer (ankle), Alessandro Florenzi (ACL), and Davide Calabria (calf) remain out injured.
Tammy Abraham and Alvaro Morata will likely compete for a spot in the attack, or possibly team up together, with Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic expected to play key roles up front.
Pulisic is in impressive form, having scored in four straight league matches. If he continues this streak, he’ll join a select group of just five Milan players who have scored in five consecutive Serie A games during the three-points-for-a-win era, including legends like Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
For Udinese, Italian striker Lorenzo Lucca and French forward Florian Thauvin have been their top scorers, each netting three goals this season. Thauvin’s contributions have been particularly impactful, earning the team six points through three goals and an assist. Only Leao has completed more dribbles in Serie A than Thauvin.
Both Martin Payero and Sandi Lovric are back in action after brief absences, but Alexis Sanchez will have to wait to make his second debut for Udinese due to a calf injury.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Tomori, Terracciano; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Morata, Leao; Abraham
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Okoye; Kabasele, Bijol, Giannetti; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp, Zemura; Thauvin, Lucca
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
AC Milan 2-1 Udinese
Defensive issues have often been a concern for Paulo Fonseca’s teams, but they tend to outscore less formidable opponents, especially at home.
Although Udinese can put up a good fight against most Serie A teams when they're on form, Milan is likely to secure the win and leapfrog them in the standings.
