AC Milan will be keen to secure a spot in the last eight of the Coppa Italia against minnows Cagliari.
AC Milan will face Cagliari Calcio in the Coppa Italia Round of 16 tie in the new year. It is now 21 years since the Rossoneri last won the cup and Stefano Pioli will be keen to end that hoodoo.
Milan are coming off a poor 2022/23 season and also have had mixed success this time around. Cagliari, on the other hand, arrived at this stage having defeated Palermo and Udinese Calcio in the previous rounds, both games by a score of 2-1 after extra time.
The game against AC Milan represents a significant upscale in opposition and will present a bigger challenge to Cagliari. Both teams will be keen to get 2024 for to a winning start, and it should prove to be a feisty contest.
Pioli saw his men make hard work of Sassuolo in their final Serie A game of 2023. However, Christian Pulisic’s winner was enough for them to secure all three points and solidify their spot in the top four.
Cagliari, on the other hand, are flirting with relegation and ended their 2023 with a 0-0 draw against Empoli. While progressing to the final eight of the Coppa Italia will help build momentum, the minnows have bigger fish to fry and will have an eye on their upcoming league clash against Lecce next weekend.
The winner on the night will face either Atalanta or Sassuolo in the quarter-finals. With defending champions Inter Milan already out, AC Milan will hope that they can keep the city’s hold on the trophy for another season, this time in red. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
AC Milan
Stefano Pioli’s men started off well this season but in the last couple of months, some familiar Achilles heels have come to mind. However, they continue to grind out results and are well within the ability to secure a top-four finish in the league.
The Scudetto appears to be out of reach for the Rossoneri while even dropping down to the UEFA Europa League does not give them an advantage given the presence of teams like Liverpool. The Coppa Italia gives Pioli the best chance of securing silverware this season, and it will be a mistake if the Milan boss does not seize it with both hands.
The recently0returned Ismael Bennacer will not be available after being told to report early to training with Algeria ahead of the AFCON. However, Samuel Chukwueze should feature on the night before joining up with the Nigerian squad, affording Pioli the opportunity to rest Pulisic.
Olivier Giroud is also likely to be rested, with Luka Jovic getting the nod upfront. Milan will also be without Pierre Kaluku, Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, Marco Sportiello, Noah Okafor and Tommaso Pobega, all of whom are out injured.
The 4-2-3-1 formation appears to be the way forward, with Mike Maignan in goal. The Frenchman should be protected by the back four of Alessandro Florenzi, Jan-Carlo Simic, Theo Hernandez, and Davide Bartesaghi.
Rade Krunic and Yacine Adli should form the double pivot, with the trio of Samuel Chukwueze, Luka Romero and Rafael Leao providing the attacking impetus.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Florenzi, Simic, Hernandez, Bartesaghi; Krunic, Adli; Chukwueze, Romero, Leao; Jovic
Cagliari Calcio
Cagliari have made it to the final of the competition just once in their history. This happened all the way back in 1969 when they lost to AS Roma.
Currently struggling to stay afloat in Serie A, Claudio Ranieri’s men are bound to have an eye on their game at the weekend. The minnows had to resort to extra time to win their last two games in the tournament. Milan represents a higher challenge and will very well prove to be a difficult hurdle, especially at San Siro.
The visitors will be without the injured trio of Nahitan Nandez, Marko Rog and Eldor Shomurodov. Antoine Makoumbou is back available, but Ranieri is certain to rotate his squad for the game.
A 4-3-1-2 formation should help the Italian tactician cut off supply to the Milan attack by overcrowding the midfield and closing down passing channels. Boris Radunovic should start in the goal behind the back four of Gabriele Zappa, Edoardo Goldaniga, Alberto Dossena, and Tommaso Augello.
The trio of Antoine Makoumbou, Matteo Prati, and Gaston Pereiro should hold down the fort, with Gaetano Oristanio donning the creative role in the middle of the park. Andrea Petagna and Zito Luvumbo should lead the line and will aim to secure a giant killing on the night.
Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Radunovic; Zappa, Goldaniga, Dossena, Augello; Makoumbou, Prati, Pereiro; Oristanio; Luvumbo, Petagna
Key Stats
- AC Milan have not won the Coppa Italia for 21 years now, last triumphing in 2003.
- AC Milan have made the final of the Coppa Italia 14 times, the fourth most of any side in Italy.
- Cagliari are just one of two sides in the history of the competition to make it to a final without ever winning it.
- Cagliari have never defeated AC Milan at San Siro in 17 previous attempts, losing 16 of them in the process.
- While Stefano Pioli is yet to win the competition, Claudio Ranieri went all the way with Fiorentina in 1996.
Player to Watch
Luka Jovic
The Serbian striker is easily Milan’s reserve striker but has the potential to force Pioli’s hand with a good run of performances. Olivier Giroud’s age has more or less reduced his powers, meaning the Rossoneri cannot depend on the Frenchman week in and week out.
The 26-year-old’s time at Eintracht Frankfurt is a distant memory given the struggles faced at Real Madrid and Fiorentina. Now at AC Milan, he has the chance to prove to Pioli that he has what it takes to succeed Giroud in the long-term.
Prediction
AC Milan 2-1 Cagliari Calcio
While AC Milan are not in the best of nick, Cagliari are likely to prioritise their safety from relegation rather than attempt an upset in the Coppa Italia. While neither side are unlikely to start their best XI, Milan’s strength ind depth should see them through in what should be a cagey affair.
