AC Milan will close the curtains on the 2022-23 season tonight with a game against a Hellas Verona side hoping to avoid relegation.
The win against Juventus last weekend means that Milan have already achieved their final remaining objective which is a top four finish, but Hellas Verona are in relegation trouble and need to better the result of Spezia (away at Roma) if they are to stay up.
Verona will have to win some key battles to preserve their Serie A status, starting with the one between Olivier Giroud and Isak Hien. The Frenchman has four goals in his last two games and would no doubt like to add to his 17 for the season across all competitions, so the 24-year-old Swedish centre-back will have to watch him closely.
Sticking with Milan’s attack, Giangiacomo Magnani will get a tough examination from Rafael Leao. The Portuguese winger would love to celebrate his freshly-signed renewal with his 14th (and possibly more) league goal of the season against the 27-year-old right centre-back.
Cyril Ngonge has been one of the few bright sparks in a disappointing season for Verona. He has three goals and one assist in just eight starts in a low-scoring team, so Rade Krunic will have to keep tabs on his runs from midfield.
It could be Brahim Diaz‘s last game in a Milan shirt given that his loan deal runs out at the end of the month. He has six goals and seven assists in Serie A and is no doubt desperate to end on a high which could impact his future in a positive way, with Danish midfielder Oliver Abdilgaard likely to be tasked with thwarting his influence.
Theo Hernandez Davide Faraoni