An early clash of Serie A heavyweights sees leaders AC Milan visit a fourth-placed Juventus side that is currently grappling with injuries and inconsistency ahead of Sunday’s showdown.
Former Juve boss Max Allegri’s Milan has bounced back from an opening-day home defeat to Cremonese, stringing together four straight league wins that suggest a team finding their rhythm.
That streak, culminating in a resilient victory over champions Napoli, has been driven by a tighter defence and improved balance in midfield, allowing Milan to grind out a 2-1 win despite being reduced to ten men for over half an hour.
Milan’s situation mirrors what Napoli experienced last year. Free from the demands of a European campaign, the Rossoneri can keep their best players fresh for Serie A — a luxury many believe was crucial to Napoli’s title run.
In Turin, Milan will again face a test of their adaptation to a new midfield-centric line-up as they take on unbeaten Juventus, who trail the leaders by just one point after five games.
Allegri may need to make defensive adjustments after Fikayo Tomori came off towards the end of the Napoli game with what appeared to be a groin injury, but the coach otherwise has the bulk of his squad available for the meeting with his former club.
Igor Tudor’s Juve side may find themselves at a potential crossroads after back-to-back Serie A draws, with their situation complicated by mounting fitness concerns. Left-back Juan Cabal is unlikely to feature after being forced off in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at Villarreal in the Champions League, while midfielder Khephren Thuram and centre-back Gleison Bremer missed the Spanish trip and remain doubtful.
