The two most successful clubs in Italian football, AC Milan and Juventus go head-to-head today in a game which used to be regarded as ‘the glamour tie’ of the Serie A, before the Calciopolli scandal (which saw Juventus accused of match-fixing) soiled everything, and saw them (Juventus) eventually relegated to the Serie B ?and stripped of two scudettos, but they bounced back after one season. They have failed to challenge for the scudetto, since then and last season they missed out of Europe altogether. This season, with the appointment of former player Antonio Conte,things are looking good for the former champions.
?
?
Juventus ?are top of the pack with eight points from four matches. Antonio Conte’s squad opened the season with two straight wins and drew their next two matches.
AC Milan is 12th with five points from four matches. Massimiliano Allegri’s team went winless in three matches, before beating Cesena 1-0 last weekend. The Rossoneri lost 3-1 to Napoli on September 18.
?
?
?Last season, both teams won on the other’s home pitch, as Juventus grabbed a 2-1 victory at the San Siro and Milan returned the favour with a 1-0 win in Turin in March.
Mid-week in the UEFA Champions League against Viktoria Plzen, Milan ran away 2-0 winners. ??
?
?
Juventus, on the other hand, did not qualify for Europe, but has spent time preparing for Milan.
Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to the line-up against Plzen after a two-week lay-off, due to an ankle injury.
?
?
Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo will face his former club for the first time since a summer move away from the San Siro. In 10 seasons with Milan, Pirlo won two Serie A titles and two UEFA Champions League medals.
“Pirlo is another important player, and we will have to mark him and others,” said Allegri. ?“Juventus have the advantage of playing just once a week, so it will be more difficult for us.”
?
Line-ups
AC Milan
?
?Abbiati; Nesta, Abate, Thiago Silva, Antonini; van Bommel, Seedorf, Aquilani, Emanuelson; Ibrahimovic, Cassano
?Juventus
?
?Buffon; Chiellini, Barzagli, Grosso, Lichtsteiner; Pirlo, Pepe, Elia, Krasic; Quagliarella, Pardo
?
Today’s Fixtures
Italian ‘Serie A’
?
Novara v Catania
Cesena v Chievo
Parma v Genoa
Udinese v Bologna
Fiorentina ?v Lazio
Palermo v Siena
Lecce v Cagliari
Juventus ? ?v ? ? ? ? AC Milan