AC Milan v Torino – Preview: Uninspired Granata travel to boisterous Rossoneri

Published on: 26 February 2016

AC Milan host Torino at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday night in Serie A, with the Rossoneri hoping to continue their fine run of form since the turn of the year.

Il Diavolo will be boosted by their 1-1 draw away to second placed Napoli on Monday, and despite being outplayed for most of the game on the night put in a fine disciplined defensive performance to come away with a point.

Sinisa Mihajovic’s men sit in sixth position in the table on 44 points after round 26, eight points off Fiorentina in the third and final Champions League place and four points off local rivals Inter in fifth which would qualify the club for next seasons Europa League.

The Rossoneri are now unbeaten in eight games in Serie A since losing to 1-0 to Bologna at the San Siro following the winter break, and have only lost two games at home all season [the other, 4-0 against Napoli], winning eight, drawing three in their 13 fixtures at the San Siro.

The Granata, meanwhile, have only won two of their last ten games since the start of the year, as fan unrest is starting to build against coach Giampiero Ventura following a poor league campaign to date.

The Turin side sit mid-table in 11th position on 32 points after round 26, nine points clear of 18th placed Frosinone, but a whooping 16 points off the Europa League places, which was their target before the campaign began.

Il Toro have only picked up 12 points on the road this season, but did win their last away fixture 3-1 against Palermo in Sicily, while wins against Atalanta 1-0, and 2-1 against Frosinone on the opening day of the season the only other victories away from the Stadio Olimpico.

When the two sides met in October the game ended 1-1 in Turin, while Milan won 3-0 at the San Siro last season. Torino haven’t defeated the Rossoneri home or away in 16 attempts since Cristiano Lucarelli scored the winner in a 1-0 victory in Turin in 2001, and you have to go back to 1985 for their last victory at the San Siro.

In team-news, Milan will be without midfielder and captain Riccardo Montolivo as he serves a one-match suspension, with former Genoa midfielder Andrea Bertolacci set to replace him in the centre of the park.

Torino’s Italy under-21 international midfielder Marco Benassi will miss the game through suspension with former Inter midfielder Joel Obi expected to come into the side.

Form Guide: AC Milan (W-W-D-W-D) Torino (D-D-L-W-D)

Expected Starting XIs

AC Milan: Donnarumma; Abate, Alex, Zapata, Antonelli; Honda, Kucka, Bertolacci, Bonaventura; Bacca, Niang.

Torino: Padelli; Maksimovic, Glik, Moretti; Peres, Obi, Vives, Baselli, Molinaro; Immobile, Belotti.

Source: forzaitalianfootball.com

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Learn more