While the Milanisti will justifiably be focused on the men’s derby against Inter this weekend, there will be another Milan team playing a game this Sunday. The AC Milan Women will take on Empoli at 14:30 CET on Matchday Eight.
Down below is an overview of what you need to know about the encounter…
The background
Milan and Empoli have met six times in Serie A Femminile. The first encounter was in December of 2018. The match ended in a 4-2 win for the Tuscans.
Empoli have won three out of six of those matches. Milan managed to finally get the better of them in October of 2020 and the match ended in a 3-0 win for the Rossonere. The last time they met was in March of this year, and Milan won the game by a solitary goal.
The formations
Empoli are currently ninth on the Serie A table. They have won two matches, drawn one, and lost four. The team usually plays in either a 4-5-1, a 4-2-2-2, or a 4-1-4-1 formation. The one consistent element to their tactical variance is the fact that they usually play with four at the back.
Milan are third in the standings, as they have won five games, drawn one, and lost one. The Rossonere have varied between deploying a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-1-2 formation. The team had to revert to the former formation after a few of their players were missing against Fiorentina.
They lined up against La Viola without the likes of Vero, Jane, and Giacinti. If Milan gets Giacinti and Vero back, then they’ll most likely deploy a 3-4-1-2 formation.
Jane is still out due to a problem with her right ankle, as per sources on Twitter. As a result of this, Christy Grimshaw will most likely take her place in the lineup.
The opposition’s arsenal
The Tuscans have proven to be tough opposition for Milan in the past, and they have the players to hurt them. Among their standout players are Chanté-Mary Dompig (forward), Cecilia Prugna (captain, forward), Asia Bragonzi (forward), Melissa Bellucci (defensive midfielder), and Sara Tamborini (forward).
Bragonzi and Bellucci are on loan from Juventus and have brought Juve’s winning mentality with them to the pitch. Dompig and Prugna have caused the Rossonere many problems in the past, and the latter scored the game-winner against Milan in 2019.
Tamborini is currently on loan from Milan to the team. The Rossonere will have to work hard and diligently to not only contain their own player but to neutralize the opposition as well.
Milan’s defense, however, is arguably the best in the league. They’ve only conceded two goals so far this season and have proven adept at keeping the opposition away from their penalty area.
They will be more than ready for this challenge.
Final Predictions
Once again, it’s hard to predict the final score, but the Rossonere should be able to end the match with all three points.
How to watch
If you live in Italy, you can watch the match on Milan TV and on TimVision. For everyone else, check your local listings. You’ll also be able to watch the match on the Dailymotion page a few hours after it has ended.
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