AC Milan are seeking a fifth Serie A win on the bounce as they face Bologna, as Stefano Pioli will want to apply pressure to the top two.
A dreadful run of three wins in nine Serie A games looked to have damaged Milan’s title hopes. Juventus and Inter Milan are currently fighting a fierce battle up top, but Stefano Pioli’s side recently showed they might have a peek into proceedings.
Milan’s 3-2 win over Udinese, courtesy of late goals from Luka Jovic and Noah Okafor, ensured Pioli’s men secured a fourth Serie A win in a row, taking them very close to the front two. They are currently sitting in third, and one might argue they are primed to finish there, considering the gap with fourth-placed Fiorentina.
Coach Pioli on:
💪 Solidity in possession
🔛 Impact from the subs
🏴🇳🇱 Bologna's key men#MilanBologna #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/3579ezUKn1— AC Milan (@acmilan) January 26, 2024
While Pioli will hope their top two rivals drop points at the weekend, Milan must keep winning to keep the current six-point gap with local rivals Inter Milan intact. Hence, Pioli will not tolerate complacency and would love to see his side produce another stellar display as they cling to a tiny hope of returning to the title race.
Thiago Motta will take complex to see what has gone wrong with his side, who were seeking a top-four challenge at the end of last year when they beat Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia at the San Siro. Back then, Bologna were fourth in the standings, although a dreadful run since then has pushed them into eighth.
Bologna have proved they are no pushovers in this league this season and will look to challenge the biggest sides during this second part. However, their record at the San Siro while facing Milan has been dreadful, having failed to score in each of their last three games here, with the last goal coming from Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Bologna have not won each of their last three Serie A games, with the latest coming against Cagliari, where they lost. Motta will hope for a change of fortunes and wants his players to revive their hunt for the top four, considering only two points separate them from fourth-placed Fiorentina.
Team News & Tactics
AC Milan
Despite some good results recently, Milan still have a long list of absentees, especially in defence. Pioli will unlikely make any changes to the back four that started against Udinese, with Simon Kjaer and Matteo Gabbia likely to keep their central defensive partnership intact.
Training to fly 🦅#SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/Ee30drd2Jk
— AC Milan (@acmilan) January 24, 2024
Malick Thiaw, Fikayo Tomori and Pierre Kalulu are all still absent, while Tommaso Pobega remains sidelined. Samuel Chukwueze remains with Nigeria at the AFCOn, but Ismael Bennacer has returned following Algeria’s dreadful campaign at the African continental championship.
The midfielder may not yet see his name on the team sheet, as Pioli would prefer to name Yacine Adli and Tijani Reijnders in his central midfield. Similarly, the manager would keep faith in Olivier Giroud to lead the line despite Noah OPkafor and Luka Jovic significantly impacting off the bench.
The duo have one of Milan’s best minutes to goal ratio this season, although Pioli might still think they are far superior when coming off the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1) – Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Gabbia, Hernandez; Adli, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud
Bologna
Compared to Pioli, Motta has a significantly shorter injury list, with Bologna only missing Adama Soumaoro and Dan Ndoye through injury. The latter scored during the team’s visit to the San Siro in December against Inter Milan.
Final session ✅#MilanBologna #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/ouMt1VPzgH
— Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) January 26, 2024
The only other issue is with right-back Stefan Posch, who must serve a one-game ban. Replacing him would be Lorenzo De Silvestri, with the veteran set to slot into that wide role at the back. Motta will use a familiar 4-2-3-1 as his preferred setup, with Sam Buekema and Riccardo Calafiori marshalling the backline.
Victor Kristiansen will finish the backline with his spot at the left-back. Remo Freuler and Michel Aebischer will take their positions in midfield, while Riccardo Orsolini and Kacper Urbanski will attack from their wing positions.
Milan loanee Alexis Saelemaekers has returned to the squad, but there are doubts about whether Motta would select him ahead of his current wingers. The big boost for Bologna comes with the return of striker Joshua Zirkzee, who has continued to have links with a move to the Premier League. The former Bayern star will lead the line for Motta’s side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1) – Skorupski; Silvestri, Buekema, Calafiori, Kristiansen; Freuler, Aebischer; Orsolini, Ferguson, Urbanski; Zirkzee
Key Stats
- AC Milan have won 13 of their last 16 matches against Bologna in all competitions.
- AC Milan have won each of their last 4 Serie A games.
- AC Milan have scored 3 goals in each of their last 4 Serie A games.
- Bologna have not scored in each of their last 3 visits to the San Siro to face AC Milan.
- This will be Thiago Motta’s 100th match as Serie A manager.
Player to Watch
Olivier Giroud
Only two players have scored 10+ Serie A goals so far this season:
◎ Lautaro Martínez (18)
◉ Olivier Giroud (10)Made in Milan. pic.twitter.com/wPAaQteyAn
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 14, 2024
The veteran Frenchman remain Pioli’s preferred choice to lead the line, but for how long? The experienced frontman does provide the needed experience for a side like Milan, but he could have already come under excessive pressure from Okafor and Jovic on the bench.
The pair were instrumental in the win over Udinese during the previous matchday and will likely have another such game against Bologna. Hence, with the idea now set that Giroud will play a regulated number of minutes as a starter, the Frenchman must deliver in that period to keep hold of his undisputed place in the starting lineup.
Prediction
AC Milan 2-1 Bologna
Milan have been exceptional over the last four matchdays, but they have been leaky at the back. Yet, they are in a good run of scoring form, which will probably see them triumph against Motta’s side.
Bologna have not scored a the San Siro facing Milan since Takehiro Tomiyasu’s strike in 2020, although there are chances they could break that curse. Yet, the home team are the clear favourite to take three points, as Pioli’s men will likely register their fifth win on the bounce in Serie A.
