AC Milan vs Juventus: Is the Rossoneri Season About to Collapse at the San Siro?

by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Cydias Aujard

image AC Milan vs Juventus: Is the Rossoneri Season About to Collapse at the San Siro?
The lights at the San Siro are usually a beacon of hope for AC Milan fans, but tonight they feel more like a countdown. For months, Milan supporters looked at the Serie A table with a sense of security that has now turned into pure dread. They occupy the third automatic Champions League spot, but the seven-point cushion they enjoyed in February has evaporated to just 3 over Juventus. With five games left and fifteen points on the table, Milan must win today or else they invite The Old Lady to turn their brilliant season into a painful collapse.
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The Slow Decay of a Milanese Dream

Milan fans are already preparing for the worst after the momentum that carried them through the winter has stayed behind in March.

Since thumping Pisa in February, the Rossoneri have managed just four wins in their last nine outings.

Even with a 1-0 win away to Verona last week, AC Milan's huge lead has now shrunken to a three-point gap. The team that looked like Inter’s only real challenger has become a side that looks afraid of its own shadow.

The San Siro crowd expects a fight, but lately, they have seen a team that seems to be waiting for the final whistle to end their misery. Can this Rossoneri side take all three points to draw level on points with Napoli in 2nd? See our AC Milan vs Juventus prediction before you bet.

Current Serie A League Standings

PosTeamPlayedPoints
1Inter Milan3378
2Napoli3469
3AC Milan3366
4Juventus FC3363
5AS Roma3461

The Midfield Chess Match: Modric vs Locatelli

Still, the dream lives on if Milan can improve on their 0-0 stalemate against Juventus earlier this season. But the keys for control today rest on two men who represent the polar opposite ways to play the game.

Luka Modric is the ageing wizard who was brought to Milan to provide the winning DNA this young squad lacked. Even at 40, his stats remain an anomaly in Serie A. He leads the league in progressive passes and pass accuracy under pressure, acting as the team's heartbeat.

When Modric is calm, Milan is clinical. But in this spring slump, he has often looked isolated, like a lone conductor with no orchestra. Opposing him is Manuel Locatelli, the engine of the Juventus resurgence.

If Modric plays with a wand, Locatelli plays with a hammer and a mini wand. In Spalletti’s new system, Locatelli has evolved into the most complete midfielder in Italy. He ranks in the top 1% of Serie A midfielders for interceptions and successful tackles, but he couples that grit with an elite ability to switch play.

Today, the man who wins this central acre of the San Siro likely wins the Champions League spot for his club.

Spalletti’s Juventus: The Vultures at the Gate

Under Luciano Spalletti, the "Old Lady" has stopped being a slow defensive machine and started acting like a predator. They haven't lost a league game since the end of February.

They are arriving in Milan with seven games of unbeaten momentum, with five wins behind them.

And with just 3 points behind, this old lady is preparing to overtake the young Milan in the race for UCL football.

Unlike last time, where Juve was comfortable with the 0-0 draw, they’ll be coming for blood on their trip to Milan. If they get it, they don’t just move level on points: they shatter Milan's confidence for the rest of the month.

Last Five Games for Milan and Juventus

AC Milan Last 5 Games

  • Milan (H) vs Juventus
  • Sassuolo vs Milan (A)
  • Milan (H) vs Atalanta
  • Genoa vs Milan (A)
  • Milan (H) vs Cagliari

Juventus Last 5 Games

  • Milan vs Juventus (A)
  • Juventus (H) vs Verona
  • Leece vs Juventus (A)
  • Juventus (H) vs Fiorentina
  • Torino vs Juventus (A)