AC Milan face a trip to the capital to take on AS Roma in a game that will be crucial for both teams in the battle to secure a top four spot.
The equation going into the game is quite simple: the two teams are level on 56 points, with Milan ahead in fourth spot due to goal difference. Both are fighting for a Champions League spot and the winner will grab head-to-head advantage over the other, after the draw at San Siro in January.
The outcome of the game will be heavily influenced by a number of key battles, starting on Milan’s left. Rafael Leão is enjoying his best season in terms of goals scored in Serie A (12 goals, with 6 assists too) and he has 6 goal contributions in 6 games this month. He faces Gianluca Mancini – a no-nonsense centre-back who is known for losing his head and being reckless – who will have to keep his cool.
In the midfield there will be an all-Italian battle. Lorenzo Pellegrini has scored in each of his last three matches for Roma in all competitions and he will lead the attack in some ways given Paulo Dybala and Tammy Abraham are not expected to start. Sandro Tonali will try limit his influence, while he has history in big games at the Olimpico, with his winner against Lazio coming almost exactly a year ago.
Olivier Giroud is also a player who has a knack for loving the big occasions as he equalised before Tonali’s late winner in the aforementioned Lazio game. He is back after missing the Lecce game due to an Achilles problem, and the 36-year-old faces the 24-year-old centre-back Roger Ibanez who will be in the middle of the three-man defence.
Moving back to Milan’s left flank, the 21-year-old Nicola Zalewski will face potentially his toughest examination of his career so far against Theo Hernandez. The Pole is expected to create width, cross and get forward, but in doing so he must also keep an eye on his French opponent whose direct runs cause havoc.
Finally, we come to Nemanja Matic against Ismael Bennacer. The Algerian did a fantastic job in stopping Napoli building through the middle with Lobotka, and he could cause even more issues for the slower and less agile Matic which would frustrate Roma’s attempts to dictate the tempo.
