AS Roma vs AC Milan will be a clash in Serie A on Saturday, looking to boost their Champions League qualification hopes.
AS Roma were beaten by Atalanta in the last league outing, and they will be desperate to bounce back strongly vs AC Milan. The Rossoneri are coming into the game on the back of a four-match unbeaten run. But they have picked up just two wins in that period.
Both teams are in similar form, and this should be a cracking contest in the context of Champions League qualification. Milan and Roma are fourth and fifth in the league table respectively, and they have the same number of points.
AC Milan have enjoyed a great run of form against Roma in recent seasons and they are unbeaten in the last six outings against the capital club. The visitors will be hoping to extend their fine run of form with an away win here.
This time tomorrow… 🔥 #ASRoma #RomaMilan
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 28, 2023
Team News and Tactics
AS Roma
Jose Mourinho will be without the services of Georginio Wijnaldum, Rick Karsdorp and Diego Llorente. Paulo Dybala picked up a knock against Atalanta, but the Argentine international is expected to be a part of the squad on Saturday.
Roma are likely to shape up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Rui Patricio in goal. Gianluca Mancini will start along with Marash Kumbulla and Roger Ibanez in the back three. Nicola Zalewski and Leonardo Spinazzola will be deployed as the wing-backs. The two players will look to protect the central defenders and contribute offensively.
Bryan Cristante will look to add creativity from the base of the midfield while Nemanja Matic breaks up the opposition’s attacks.
Lorenzo Pellegrini will be the central attacking midfielder here, and he will look to add creativity and goals to the side. Tammy Abraham will lead the line for Roma alongside Paulo Dybala.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Patricio; Mancini, Kumbulla, Ibanez; Zalewski, Cristante, Matic, Spinazzola; Pellegrini; Dybala, Abraham
AC Milan
Luciano Spalletti does not have any major injury issues, although the likes of Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimović are doubtful with knocks. The visitors are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Mike Maignan in goal.
Davide Calabria and Theo Hernandez will be the full-backs here and the two players will look to set up counter-attacking opportunities for their teammates and help out the central defenders as well. Pierre Kalulu will start at the heart of the defence along with Fikayo Tomori.
At the base of the midfield, Rade Krunic will start alongside Sandro Tonali. The two players will look to protect the central defenders and win the ball back for their side. Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leao will start as the wide forwards. The two players will look to hit Roma on the counter and create goal-scoring opportunities for their teammates.
Ismael Bennacer will be the central attacking midfielder here, and he will be expected to drop deep from time to time and outnumber the Roma midfield. He will also look to link the midfield with the attack with his playmaking abilities. Despite a knock, Giroud is set to lead the line for the visitors.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Hernandez; Krunic, Tonali; Diaz, bennacer, Leao; Giroud
Key Stats
- AC Milan have scored at least two goals in their last six matches vs AS Roma in all competitions.
- AC Milan have picked up four wins and two draws in the last six matches vs AS Roma.
- Roma have picked up five wins from the last six league matches at home.
- AC Milan have picked up just two wins from the last six league matches away from home.
- 22 goals have been scored in the last six meetings between these two sides.
Player to watch
Paulo Dybala
The 29-year-old Argentine international has been one of the best players in Serie A this season. And AS Roma will need him in top form if they are to grind out all three points vs a resolute AC Milan outfit.
Dybala has 16 goals and seven assists to his name across all competitions, and he will help open up the Milan defence with his creativity and chip in with goals as well. Amid interest from several high-profile clubs, the World Cup winner will be raring to go.
Prediction
AS Roma 1-1 AC Milan
Both teams will be desperate to pick up all three points here, and a defeat could be a damaging blow as far as their Champions League hopes are concerned. AS Roma and AC Milan are likely to approach the game with caution, and this could be a close contest.
Jose Mourinho knows how to set up his side for important match-ups, and he will look to make life difficult for the Milan attackers. A low-scoring game is on the cards in the AS Roma vs AC Milan game, and the two teams are likely to cancel each other out. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
