While no game in the ninth round of the season can truly be decisive, there is the flavour of a potential Scudetto battle heading into AC Milan’s game against Juventus on Sunda.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes this morning, Milan have the chance to go seven points above Juve while they in turn can pull to one point behind the Rossoneri, so the scenario would change a lot
Stefano Pioli’s side were very good at reacting after the 5-1 derby loss with four victories in the league and two 0-0s in the Champions League where Milan were the better side.
However, only a victory against another great team can definitively remove the memory of the derby defeat. This year’s Lazio cannot be considered a top team, given they were in 13th when Milan played them.
Against Juve, Pioli wants to peremptorily reiterate his side’s candidacy for the title, however Juve have the same aim. They too beat Lazio, while they have played six teams in the bottom half and barely escaped with a draw against Atalanta.
The game against Milan will be their first real direct clash and by winning it, Allegri would give some belief to Juventus’ dreams and send an intimidating message to the competition, especially given they don’t have Europe to worry about.
The result is not enough. The big night at San Siro must see Allegri’s side show their game too, as they have only done against Lazio so far.
Allegri has not beaten Pioli since his return to Juve, but he has the opportunity to show the new skin, quality and courage – promised in the summer – and to push Juve to a higher dimension.
Milan meanwhile have never lacked identity and Pioli has never given up on his style either. He is missing two pillars of the defence in Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez though, which is an added challenge.
Between the posts, he has to choose between a 40-year-old who hasn’t been a starter in Serie A for over two years (Mirante) and a kid (Nava), while Alessandro Florenzi is another world to what Theo gives on the left.
The tactical map will need to be heavily revised, but then on the other side the injury to Danilo also takes a lot away. The Brazilian is not just a starting defender, he has become the soul of the team, the rock in the storm, what Bonucci and Chiellini were.
Pioli has been missing his first two directing options for some time: Bennacer and Krunic. Yacine Adli gave good impressions there, but against aggressive opponents in the Champions League, the coach chose other players.
Juve, in general, do not jump on you like English and German sides, so the Frenchman could have the space and time that is so important in build-up play.
Then, naturally, we come to the attack. Olivier Giroud decided the last league meeting between the sides but has not scored since September 1.
Rafael Leao, whose last goal was on 23 September against Verona, has only scored one goal against Juve, in the 4-2 win in July 2020.
In Juve’s best match, the 3-1 against Lazio, Vlahovic scored 2 goals. The Serbian returns to lead the attacking line, probably paired with Milik, and he wants to break his San Siro duck.
