As the Serie A season approaches its midway point, AC Milan travels to the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi to face Hellas Verona in a crucial Friday night encounter. The match pits a struggling Verona against an AC Milan side desperate to revive their faltering campaign.
Hellas Verona finds themselves in a precarious 17th position, teetering just above the relegation zone with 15 points from 16 matches. Their recent form has been a cause for concern, with four losses in their last five games before a vital win against Parma provided a glimmer of hope.
AC Milan, despite their illustrious history, sit in an unexpected 8th place with 23 points. The Rossoneri’s title aspirations have all but evaporated, trailing league leaders Atalanta by a substantial 13 points. Their recent form in Serie A has been disappointing, with only one win in their last five outings.
For Verona, Casper Tengstedt and Amin Sarr will be crucial in attack, while Milan will look to Rafael Leão and Theo Hernandez to provide the creative spark. Mike Maignan’s performances in goal have been a bright spot for Milan, with seven clean sheets this season.
AC Milan has dominated recent encounters, winning all of the last seven Serie A meetings between the two sides. Verona’s last positive result against Milan dates back to November 2020. The Rossoneri’s record at the Bentegodi has been particularly strong, with five consecutive away victories against Hellas
Team News
Verona manager Paolo Zanetti faces several injury concerns. Juan Manuel Cruz and Abdou Harroui are sidelined with cruciate ligament injuries, while Martin Frese is also unavailable. The team may adopt a 3-4-2-1 formation, focusing on defensive solidity and quick counterattacks.
Paulo Fonseca’s Milan squad is grappling with an injury crisis. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Alessandro Florenzi are among the key absentees. Noah Okafor’s recent calf injury further depletes their attacking options. The Rossoneri are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, relying on Rafael Leão’s wing play and quick transitions.
Expected Starting XIs
Verona: Montipo; Dawidowicz, Coppola, Ghilardi; Tchatchoua, Duda, Belahyane, Lazovic; Suslov, Tengstedt; Sarr
Milan: Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Thiaw, Jimenez; Fofana, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Morata, Leao; Abraham
Match Prediction
Despite Milan’s inconsistent form, their superior quality and historical dominance in this fixture suggest they should emerge victorious. Verona’s defensive frailties, conceding an average of 2.44 goals per game, are likely to be exploited by Milan’s attack.
Prediction: Hellas Verona 0-2 AC Milan
