The Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is set to host a thrilling Supercoppa Italiana semi-final clash between Juventus and AC Milan on Friday. This encounter between two of Italy’s most storied clubs promises to be a captivating affair, with both teams eyeing a spot in the final against either Inter Milan or Atalanta.
Juventus, the Coppa Italia holders, enter the match with an unbeaten streak in Serie A but have struggled to convert draws into wins. Under new manager Thiago Motta, the Bianconeri have drawn 11 of their 18 league games, leaving them sixth in the standings. Their recent 2-2 draw with Fiorentina, featuring a brace from Khéphren Thuram, highlighted both their potential and their frustrations.
AC Milan, meanwhile, arrive in Riyadh under new management. Sergio Conceição has replaced Paulo Fonseca at the helm, inheriting a team sitting eighth in Serie A. The Rossoneri’s inconsistent form led to Fonseca’s dismissal, and Conceição faces the immediate challenge of rejuvenating the squad and competing for silverware.
The match presents an intriguing tactical battle between Motta’s evolving Juventus side and Conceição’s newly inherited Milan squad. With both teams eager to claim the first trophy of 2025, fans can expect a closely contested affair in the unfamiliar surroundings of Riyadh.
Team News
Juventus will be without Arkadiusz Milik, Bremer, and Juan Cabal due to injuries. However, they’ve received a boost with Jonas Rouhi and Timothy Weah returning to training. Dusan Vlahovic is expected to lead the attack, possibly supported by Francisco Conceição, who will face his father’s team.
AC Milan have their own injury concerns, with Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic nearing returns. Noah Okafor, Samuel Chukwueze, and Alessandro Florenzi are ruled out, but Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah should be available to strengthen the midfield.
Expected Starting XIs
Juventus: Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic
Milan: Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Thiaw, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Morata, Jimenez; Abraham
Match Prediction
While AC Milan’s change in management could provide a spark, Juventus’s resilience and defensive solidity give them a slight edge. Expect a tightly contested match with Juventus potentially edging out a narrow victory to progress to the Supercoppa final.
Prediction: Juventus 2-0 Milan
