AC Milan are eager to get into the mix of those teams now directly in the title race, as they will be targetting a win over Empoli.
Some of the European heavyweights will certainly want the form AC Milan have on the European stage, with Empoli the next to hope for that. The Rossoneri secured their third straight victory in the UEFA Champions League that moved them into 16th spot, but only a point off some of their top-eight rivals.
They were far from convincing compared to some difficult games they have endured in the campaign, as Milan edged past Slovan Bratislava with a 3-2 scoreline. Paulo Fonseca will now focus on league matters, as Milan are still on the coattails of the top six, with all those teams now considered in the thick of an exciting title race.
Fonseca was brought in to challenge the top order and be in the mix like those other teams. They did manage to get a draw against Juventus in their most recent Serie A game, which barely moved the needle for either team in the context of the title race. The Rossoneri are ten points behind leaders Napoli, but one cannot rule out them entering the top six in a span of few games, as they will target a win over Empoli.
Empoli comes into this game at San Siro on a three-game unbeaten run. However, they only managed one victory in those three clashes. Roberto D’Aversa’s side is sitting in tenth but only three points behind their next opponents.
Hence, there is the incentive to get on level terms with AC Milan, although Empoli have yet to manage to win at this venue since 2017 in Serie A. In fact, they have lost six of their last seven encounters here and do not possess a goalscoring threat against the Rossoneri.
Team News & Tactics
AC Milan
Paulo Fonseca will look to field a competitive AC Milan lineup to face Empoli, as he will have three points on his mind. Long-term absentees like Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi are out of action alongside Luka Jovic.
Milan were missing Alvaro Morata in midweek following a suspension, and the Spanish striker should be returning to the starting lineup. The exclusion of Tammy Abraham may seem harsh, considering he was on the scoresheet in midweek.
Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders will be stationed in midfield, while Christian Pulisic and star man Rafael Leao will keep their place alongside Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the attacking third. Matteo Gabbia and Malick Thiaw are pencilled in for central defence, with Emerson Royal and Theo Hernandez stationed in those full-back roles.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Thiaw, Gabbia, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Morata
Empoli
Roberto D’Aversa will look to field a competitive side ahead of their trip to San Siro, although he continues to miss a host of players for the weekend. Szymon Zurkowski, Tyronne Ebuehi, Saba Sazonov, and Jacopo Fazzini are all missing from the action.
Midfielder Nicolas Haas seems like a long-term absentee with a suspected serious knee injury. Empoli will be able to field Devis Vasquez and Lorenzo Colombo, with both players on loan from Milan, as the pair have a big chance to show their parent club they are worthy of a place in the future.
D’Aversa will continue to deploy a system with a back three. Saba Goglichidze, Ardian Ismajli, and Mattia Viti are likely to feature there, while Emmanuel Gyasi and Giuseppe Pezzella are likely choices in those wing-back roles.
Colombo should be able to take one of the positions behind striker Pietro Pellegri, while Liberato Cacece should also feature in the more advanced position. Liam Henderson and Youssef Maleh will be in line for their central midfield berths for Empoli against AC Milan.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti; Gyasi, Henderson, Maleh, Pezzella; Cacece, Colombo; Pellegri
Key Stats
- AC Milan have kept a clean sheet in their last four home matches against Empoli in all competitions.
- AC Milan have won six of their last seven matches against Empoli in all competitions.
- Empoli have not won at San Siro since 2017.
- Empoli have stayed unbeaten in their last three Serie A games.
Player to Watch
Alvaro Morata
The striker returns to action following a small suspension in midweek, although his return will be more complex this time out. Fonseca has managed to bring Tammy Abraham to a good level, and the English striker has repaid the faith with some goals in recent games, most notably in their midweek UEFA Champions League clash.
Hence, bringing in Morata for Abraham seems harsh, but it is important to make this change to bring the best competition for places in the striker role. Hence, the Spaniard will come into this clash under some pressure to perform, as a goal against Empoli will go a long way from helping him keep his spot in Paulo Fonseca’s lineup for the time being.
Prediction
AC Milan 3-1 Empoli
Empoli could be in better form, but they have shown a robustness that will keep a few teams on their toes. However, their dismal form away at San Siro will come into focus once again, as a win here will be a big statement of intent from Roberto D’Aversa.
Even if Milan ends this game in a draw, it will be a bitter blow to their chances of breaking into the top six, which will have some repercussions on their season. In any case, the Rossoneri are likely to get three points here, as they could continue their goalscoring form, although they could concede an odd goal at some stage.
