AC Milan will look to recover from another disappointing European defeat when they travel to face an increasingly confident Genoa side at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday afternoon.
With Daniele De Rossi’s hosts enjoying their best run of the campaign and the Rossoneri struggling for consistency, this encounter promises an intriguing battle before the November international break.
Milan have experienced contrasting fortunes over the past week, with an impressive victory against city rivals Inter followed by another damaging Europa League setback. Ruben Amorim’s side produced one of their finest domestic performances of the season in the Derby della Madonnina, securing a 3-1 victory through goals from Adrien Rabiot, Christian Pulisic and Diego Moreira. That result helped the Rossoneri recover from a 4-2 defeat against Bologna while strengthening their position among Serie A’s leading contenders.
However, their European struggles continued on Thursday evening, when Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros claimed a surprise 2-0 victory at San Siro. The defeat left Milan with just three points from four Europa League matches, placing their knockout qualification hopes under considerable pressure. Despite those continental difficulties, Milan remain competitive domestically and Amorim’s side occupy fifth place with 21 points from 10 matches, sitting four points behind Inter and seven adrift of leaders Lazio.
Their attacking performances have generally been encouraging, with 21 goals scored in their opening 10 league fixtures. This represents the strongest goalscoring start by a new Milan manager since Cesare Maldini in 1972. The visitors have also remained unbeaten away from home in Serie A, collecting two victories and three draws from their first five league trips.
Genoa, meanwhile, have enjoyed an impressive revival under Daniele De Rossi after enduring a difficult opening to the campaign. The Rossoblu were facing growing uncertainty during the previous international break, but four victories in their last five Serie A matches have transformed their prospects and lifted them to 11th place.
Their latest success came against Lecce, where former Milan winger Junior Messias played a decisive role in a 2-1 victory. The Brazilian created the opening goal for Milutin Osmajic before scoring himself, helping Genoa secure a third consecutive league win. That achievement marked the club’s first sequence of three straight Serie A victories in eight years. Another triumph on Sunday would extend their winning streak to four matches for the first time in 17 years.
However, recent history favours Milan. The Rossoneri are unbeaten in their previous 10 league meetings against Genoa and have won their last four visits to Stadio Ferraris. Sunday’s encounter therefore presents an important test of Genoa’s resurgence. The hosts will attempt to exploit Milan’s European disappointment and defensive uncertainty, while Amorim’s side will seek to reinforce their Champions League ambitions with another positive domestic result. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Genoa CFC
Daniele De Rossi has relatively few injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s encounter, with Elias Havel and Lorenzo Venturino recently returning from lengthy absences, although Venturino’s availability still requires confirmation. Milutin Osmajic is expected to continue leading the attack after scoring four Serie A goals this season, while Junior Messias and Stephan El Shaarawy should retain their places following encouraging recent performances.
El Shaarawy has contributed assists in consecutive matches and will be particularly motivated against his former club. Genoa are expected to retain their 3-4-2-1 formation, combining defensive compactness with quick attacking transitions.
Morten Frendrup will be crucial in protecting the defensive line, using his energy and ball-winning ability to disrupt Milan’s passing combinations. Alongside him, Hamed Junior Traorè could provide greater creativity and forward movement. The wing-backs, Kingsley Ehizibue and Mikael Ellertsson, will have important responsibilities at both ends of the pitch. Their ability to retreat into a five-man defensive line could help Genoa restrict Milan’s attacking width.
In possession, Messias and El Shaarawy are likely to operate behind Osmajic, exploiting pockets of space between Milan’s midfield and defensive lines. Messias could prove particularly dangerous when moving inside from the right, while El Shaarawy’s intelligent movement may create opportunities against his former employers.
Genoa could also target Milan’s full-backs during counterattacks, especially when Amorim’s side commit numbers forward. Early passes into the wide channels would allow Osmajic and the supporting attackers to exploit defensive gaps. However, De Rossi must ensure his team remain compact centrally, preventing Rabiot and Pulisic from receiving possession in dangerous positions.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Ehizibue, Frendrup, Traore, Ellertsson; Messias, El Shaarawy; Osmajic
AC Milan
Ruben Amorim is expected to make several changes following Thursday’s disappointing Europa League defeat against Ferencvaros. Captain Mike Maignan should return in goal after serving a European suspension, while Diego Moreira is also pushing for a starting opportunity following his impressive performance against Inter.
Strahinja Pavlovic could return after a fitness concern, although Fikayo Tomori, Samuel Chukwueze, Matteo Gabbia, Alexis Saelemaekers and Ruben Loftus-Cheek remain unavailable through injury. Milan are likely to operate in a 4-2-3-1 formation, prioritising controlled possession and attacking combinations through midfield.
Luka Modric will be instrumental in dictating the tempo from deeper positions, using his passing range to switch play and exploit spaces behind Genoa’s wing-backs. Yunus Musah could provide energy alongside the Croatian, helping Milan recover possession and protect their defence during transitions.
Further forward, Rabiot may operate in an advanced central role, combining with Pulisic and Moreira to create opportunities around the penalty area. Moreira’s pace and direct running could prove particularly valuable against Genoa’s three-man defensive structure. By attacking the spaces between the wing-back and outside centre-back, he could force the hosts into difficult defensive decisions.
Pulisic’s movement from the opposite flank offers another creative threat, while Gonçalo Ramos will be expected to convert opportunities inside the penalty area. However, Milan must improve their defensive organisation following another European setback. Their advancing full-backs could leave spaces for Messias and El Shaarawy to exploit, particularly during quick counterattacks.
Amorim may therefore instruct one midfielder to remain deeper during attacking sequences, maintaining defensive balance while allowing Milan to sustain pressure.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Gila, De Winter, Pavlovic, Diawara; Musah, Modric; Moreira, Rabiot, Pulisic; Ramos
Key Stats
- Genoa have won four of their previous five Serie A matches, including three consecutive victories against Venezia, Juventus and Lecce.
- AC Milan have scored 21 goals in their opening 10 league matches, averaging 2.1 goals per game.
- Milan occupy fifth place with 21 points, while Genoa sit 11th with 13 points after 10 fixtures.
- Amorim’s side are unbeaten in their first five away Serie A matches this season, registering two victories and three draws.
- Milan have avoided defeat in their last 10 Serie A meetings with Genoa, while their previous four league visits to Stadio Ferraris have ended in victories.
Player to Watch
Diego Moreira
The 22-year-old has registered seven goal contributions in his first six league appearances, demonstrating an impressive combination of creativity, movement and attacking efficiency. His spectacular free-kick against Inter highlighted his confidence and technical ability, while his direct running has provided Milan with another dangerous attacking option.
Against Genoa’s expected three-man defence, Moreira’s movement could be particularly important. Operating from the right, he may look to exploit spaces behind the hosts’ left wing-back or drift inside to combine with Rabiot and Ramos. His ability to accelerate past defenders and deliver dangerous passes into the penalty area could create problems for Genoa, particularly if Milan establish sustained possession.
With the Rossoneri seeking an immediate response to their European disappointment, Moreira’s attacking confidence and individual quality could provide the inspiration required to secure three important points.
Prediction
Genoa CFC 1-2 AC Milan
Genoa’s impressive recent form suggests they will provide a difficult examination for Milan, particularly at Stadio Ferraris, where their growing confidence could make them dangerous opponents. De Rossi’s side have demonstrated considerable improvement in defensive organisation and attacking efficiency, with Messias, El Shaarawy and Osmajic capable of troubling Milan’s defensive line.
However, the Rossoneri possess greater individual quality and have maintained an impressive unbeaten away record in Serie A. Their victory over Inter demonstrated their ability to produce excellent domestic performances even when experiencing inconsistency across other competitions.
Pulisic’s creativity, Rabiot’s movement and Moreira’s attacking contributions could eventually stretch Genoa’s defensive structure, although the hosts should have opportunities through quick transitions. Ultimately, Milan’s superior attacking depth and recent dominance in this fixture should give them a narrow advantage.
