Week 30: Juventus – Milan

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Follow the match as it happens, on the forum.

Milan’s Serie A form (last 10 games) WWWWWDWWWD

With the 3-2 win vs Chievo before the international break Milan continued the surprising form that has elevated Gattuso’s name in the coaching ranks. Milan took a lead courtesy of Calhanoglu but two very quick Chievo strikes made it seem like the fragile Milan could return. The feeling didn’t last long. Cutrone and later Andre Silva made it a come back win. Milan could even afford a late Kessie penalty miss. Why is Kessie the one taking penalties can be asked later perhaps.

The international break provided some good new as Conti, who was back in the squad for the Chievo match, seemed very close to getting back into action and providing needed quality and depth at right back. The right back position has been up and down and with Abate injured it was left to Calabria or Borini in recent weeks. However the young Italian re-injured his knee in training, and while it is not a ligament tear as happened last September it is still uncertain as of now and rules him out for the rest of the 2017-2018 season.

A visit to Turin will provide the stiffest of tests for Gattuso’s Milan and it isn’t helped that the Inter rescheduled match will come four days after this one. With Napoli also on the horizon (April 15th) the next 15 days will definitively show if this Milan is capable of climbing back into the top four and Champions League spots. Juventus will be missing Mario Mandzukic, Federico Bernardeschi and Alex Sandro but are of course led by Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala up front. The speed of Douglas Costa and the possibility of Juan Cuadrado playing will provide a big test for Rodriguez, Calabria and the whole team.

The central defense will be the now established Bonucci and Romagnoli. The midfield will feature Kessie, Bonaventura and Biglia. The bigger question is up front where any one of Cutrone, Kalinic and Silva can play in between Calhanoglu and Suso. Kalinic is back in the squad after being banished from training earlier in the month but word is Cutrone and Silva are ahead of him for the Juventus encounter.