Week 15: Milan – Crotone

Follow the game as it happens, on the forum.

Week 14’s 4-1 win at Empoli didn’t seem a sure thing at half time, with an unimpressive first and a 1-1 score three points didn’t seem a very good possibility. Lapadula starting in place of the injured and absent (and spotted in Spain) Bacca had opened the scoring but another former Milan player, as they often do, had equalized soon after. This time it was Riccardo Saponara scoring a rare Empoli goal. As it transpired the win was comfortable in the end with Empoli dropping their resistance in the second half.

The game was not all good news as Mati Fernandez injured himself early and was joined on the injury list with Bonaventura. Both will miss this Crotone match. The former may be out longer than Bonaventura and both could miss week 16’s encounter against Roma. With the injuries adding up the midfield is now an almost mandatory trio of Locatelli, Sosa and Pasalic, with Kucka perhaps deserving the start over one of Pasalic or Sosa. Bertolacci is back to add another midfield option. Bacca is still out however.

The week’s news was once again dominated by the sale and closing saga and it seems that another delay is on the cards. The saga will likely drag on into the new year adding fuel to doubts that it is ever going to happen. The Chinese seem to have difficulty “authorizing” the cash needed to pay Fininvest. Berlusconi has insisted that the sale will go through in the end but questions seem still unanswered. In the meanwhile expectations for a the January transfer window have nosedived.

Crotone, the newly promoted team, sit tied for last place with Palermo and have not won away so far this season.