AC Milan and Juventus meet on the road to the Champions League

The scent of Champions League football hangs over San Siro: it’s time for AC Milan vs. Juventus. The Rossoneri against the Old Lady, in one of the most traditional showpiece fixtures in Italian football. Although both sides are some way off the top – with an Inter side flying towards their 21st league title – the clash between Allegri and Spalletti still offers plenty of intrigue and carries weight in shaping both teams’ ambitions for the future. Thanks to a narrow win away at Verona, the Rossoneri have reclaimed second place (level on points with Napoli) and are now looking to secure their return to Europe’s elite competition once and for all. On the other hand, Juventus have been one of the most in-form teams in recent months, climbing above Como and Roma in the tight race for fourth place. Their convincing win over Bologna confirmed the team’s progress in terms of both quality and solidity, with the Bianconeri now more focused than ever on reaping the rewards of their long-term rebuild.

Matchday 34 of Serie A Enilive kicks off on Friday evening with Napoli vs. Cremonese (20:45 CEST), followed on Saturday by Bologna vs. Roma (18:00 CEST). On Sunday afternoon, Genoa host Como at 15:00 CEST. All of these are clashes with Champions League implications, capable of significantly shaping the atmosphere heading into Sunday night at the Giuseppe Meazza.

On paper, a draw might seem the most likely outcome, but settling for that – especially if Napoli, Como and Roma were all to take maximum points – could quickly become a double-edged sword given what is at stake. In any case, whatever happens elsewhere, both AC Milan and Juventus would remain in control of their own destiny thanks to their favourable position in the table.

State of play

AC Milan are back to winning ways, even if not in particularly convincing fashion, following their 1-0 victory over Hellas Verona. Decided by Rabiot’s strike in the first half, the result eased the pressure on Massimiliano Allegri’s side heading into the week of the Juventus clash.

Before facing Hellas, three defeats in four games had dented the team’s confidence, a run that culminated in a heavy 3-0 home loss to Udinese two matchdays ago. At home, the Rossoneri have particularly struggled against lower-ranked opposition, while tending to raise their level in the bigger fixtures. This is reflected in their two derby wins over Inter, as well as victories against Roma, Lazio, Napoli and Bologna, with the only exception being a 1-1 draw against Como.

This AC Milan side looks more comfortable in big games, a trait that will encourage them ahead of the Juventus showdown and, beyond that, potential Champions League nights in the future.

**
Juventus, meanwhile, have been in excellent form**, maintaining a particularly impressive pace over the past two months of the league campaign. It all seems to have started with a hard-fought 3-3 draw away at Roma in early March, a match in which Spalletti’s side came from two goals down late on to avoid slipping further away from the battle for fourth place.

Since 7 March, their momentum has shown no signs of slowing**: the Bianconeri have beaten Pisa, Udinese and Genoa** (although they were held at home by Sassuolo), overcome a tough test against Atalanta, and continued their progress with a win over Bologna.

The match against AC Milan is not a do-or-die fixture, which in itself represents progress, regardless of where this run began. Spalletti now has the opportunity to keep the upward trajectory going.

Numbers and team news

Since the start of 2022, Juventus have managed just one win at San Siro against AC Milan: a 1-0 victory on 22 October 2023 courtesy of a goal from Locatelli, with Allegri in charge of the Bianconeri.

Last season’s meeting in Milan ended goalless, with little in the way of clear-cut chances, while the reverse fixture at the Allianz Stadium on 23 November also finished 0-0 – a match in which Pulisic missed a penalty.

That recent pattern of tight, evenly balanced encounters reflects the tactical chess match expected between Allegri and Spalletti, who have faced each other 15 times in the dugout. The Juventus coach holds a slight edge in the head-to-head (six wins to five), with four draws completing the picture. Their most recent meeting came in April 2023, when Spalletti’s Napoli beat Allegri’s Juventus 1-0 away from home. This will be their first time facing each other in an AC Milan vs. Juventus clash as opposing coaches, given that Igor Tudor was in the Bianconeri dugout for the reverse fixture earlier in the season.

At Milanello, the home side are preparing for a big night. When it comes to the starting XI, Allegri appears to have few real doubts: the only area of uncertainty is on the right flank, where Saelemaekers and Athekame are competing for a starting berth. The tried-and-tested 3-5-2 system looks set to remain in place, anchored by Gabbia at the heart of defence and the trio of Modrić, Rabiot and Fofana in midfield. In attack, Pulisic and Leão are expected to start again, both looking to take a clear step forward in terms of goal output.

There are no injury concerns, a situation that gives the Rossoneri boss the flexibility to adjust during the game depending on the tactical demands of the match.

At Continassa, the Juventus squad are full of determination. The desire to give it a real go is fuelling their ambition to make the final stretch of the Serie A Enilive season something special. Spalletti, like his AC Milan counterpart, has few real selection dilemmas. The main battle is for the number nine role: David, who scored against Bologna, could be given the nod ahead of Boga, who remains ready to come off the bench if needed. The former AC Milan duo Kalulu and Locatelli are expected to start, while the trio of Yildiz, McKennie and Conceição will pose a threat to the league’s most solid defence. At the back, Bremer will marshal the defence in front of Di Gregorio, who has returned to form with a string of convincing performances in recent weeks.

On one side, the solidity of Allegri’s AC Milan, on the other the unpredictability of Spalletti’s Juventus. All the ingredients are there for a mouth-watering clash to savour right to the very last minute. AC Milan vs. Juve is a pivotal moment of the season.