MX23RW : Wednesday, April 13 21:28:03| >> :120:10243:10243:
[monks data]
Apr 15, 2022 at 8pm UK at San Siro
AC Milan
vs.
Genoa

Preview: AC Milan vs. Genoa - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Friday's Serie A clash between AC Milan and Genoa, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Seeking to avoid a third successive Serie A game without a win, league leaders AC Milan will welcome relegation-threatened Genoa to San Siro on Good Friday.

The Rossoneri have only won two of their last six league matches on home soil, while the Rossoblu have won only one of their 16 away games in the top flight this season, a 3-2 victory against Cagliari back in September.


Match preview

AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli reacts on February 13, 2022© Reuters

AC Milan have seen their lead at the top of the table cut to just two points, following successive goalless draws against Bologna and Torino.

Stefano Pioli's men had 47 shots on goal between these two matches, but they were unable to find the net and have subsequently dropped four points against opposition in the bottom half of the table.

The Rossoneri, who are vying to win their first Serie A title since 2011, will now be looking over their shoulders after city rivals Inter Milan claimed back-to-back league wins to move to within two points of the summit with a game in hand.

Milan will be confident of returning to winning ways and finding their form in front of goal when they face Genoa, as they have won seven of their last 10 league games against them, scoring two or more goals on six of those occasions.

With Inter facing Spezia two hours before Milan kick off against Genoa, the former could momentarily climb to the top with a victory, but maximum points secured by Pioli's men on Good Friday would help them return to the summit.

 Genoa's Manolo Portanova and Davide Biraschi applaud fans after the match with Atalanta BC on December 21, 2021© Reuters

After seven successive draws and one victory in eight matches between January 22 and March 18, Genoa have since suffered back-to-back league defeats against Hellas Verona and Lazio.

A narrow 1-0 loss away at Verona was followed by a heavy 4-1 defeat at home to Lazio last weekend, with hat-trick hero and Serie A top goalscorer Ciro Immobile the star of the show for the visitors.

Genoa now have identical home and away records in Serie A this season after 32 matches, winning only once, drawing eight times and losing seven games.

Alexander Blessin's side remain in the relegation zone, but they are only three points adrift of safety with six games remaining, including favourable-looking fixtures against Cagliari, Sampdoria and Bologna.

One of three challenging fixtures remaining for the Rossoblu is their Good Friday clash with Milan, though their surprise 2-1 triumph at San Siro in March 2020 will provide them with confidence.

Genoa have only won two Serie A games this season, the fewest of any side in Europe's top-five leagues, but if they were to cause a major upset against the league leaders, then they could move out of the bottom three if Cagliari were to lose to Sassuolo.

AC Milan Serie A form:
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • D

AC Milan form (all competitions):
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • D

Genoa Serie A form:
  • D
  • D
  • D
  • W
  • L
  • L


Team News

AC Milan's Rafael Leao celebrates scoring their first goal with Mike Maignan and teammates on February 13, 2022© Reuters

AC Milan quartet Ismael Bennacer, Samu Castillejo, Ante Rebic and Alessio Romagnoli are all sidelined with muscle injuries, while Alessandro Florenzi and Simon Kjaer are ruled out for the rest of the season with knee problems.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is also set to miss out with a knee issue, so Olivier Giroud is expected to lead the line once again.

Pioli is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, so the likes of Rafael Leao, Brahim Diaz and Alexis Saelemaekers are all set to support Giroud again in the final third.

As for Genoa, Zinho Vanheusden, Andrea Cambiaso, Lennart Czyborra, Nicolo Rovella, Stefano Sturaro and Riccardo Calafiori are all ruled out due to injury.

Veteran defender Domenico Criscito is set to begin as a substitute again, with a back four of Silvan Hefti, Nikola Maksimovic, Leo Ostigard and Johan Vasquez expected to continue.

Former Milan striker Mattia Destro, who has found the net just twice in 12 appearances since the turn of the year, will be hoping to force his way into the Genoa XI ahead of either Roberto Piccoli or Caleb Ekuban.

AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Hernandez; Tonali, Kessie; Saelemaekers, Diaz, Leao; Giroud

Genoa possible starting lineup:
Perin; Hefti, Maksimovic, Ostigard, Vasquez; Badelj, Galdames; Melegoni, Amiri, Portanova; Ekuban


SM words green background

We say: AC Milan 1-0 Genoa

Both sides have been difficult to break down in recent months but they have also struggled to find the net, so a low-scoring contest could be on the cards at San Siro.

However, Milan will be the firm favourites to come away with maximum points and they should have enough quality in their side to edge past the visitors.


ID:483214:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect11946:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Who will win Friday's Serie A clash between AC Milan and Genoa?

AC Milan
Draw
Genoa
AC Milan
75.0%
Draw
25.0%
Genoa
0.0%
8
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Gianluca Scamacca in action for Sassuolo in December 2021
Read Next:
Arsenal 'face Milan competition for Gianluca Scamacca'
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1AC Milan32208456292768
2Inter Milan31199365244166
3Napoli32206658263266
4Juventus32188649282162
5Roma32176953361757
6Lazio32167964471755
7Fiorentina311651052401253
8Atalanta BCAtalanta31149853361751
9SassuoloSassuolo321210105852646
10Hellas VeronaHellas Verona32129115649745
11Torino31109123530539
12Bologna31107143444-1037
13Udinese30812104348-536
14Empoli32810144156-1534
15SpeziaSpezia3296173254-2233
16Sampdoria3285193954-1529
17CagliariCagliari32510173061-3125
18Genoa32216142452-2822
19VeneziaVenezia3157192657-3122
20Salernitana3037202368-4516

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Match previews - Daily
Transfer Talk Daily
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!