On Sunday Hellas Verona will face AC Milan at the Stadio Bentegodi in what is a important game for two sides that are extremely close in the Serie A table.
The Gialloblu and the Rossoneri go in to the game level on 11 points each as the pair have both started the 2014-15 Serie A season in a solid fashion. The international break has served to help build up excitement in the build-up to the fixture and Hellas are opening extra sections of the ground to accommodate extra fans.
As the season is still only six games old, the fixture could set a marker for the rest of the year. It did so last time round at the Bentegodi when Verona beat Milan 2-1 to kick-off their return to Serie A in a special way.
Milan’s form has looked mixed in early season. Things were looking up for the Rossoneri after they beat Lazio and Parma before a defeat to Juventus and disappointing draws with Empoli and Cesena put nerves back on edge. But they head to Verona off the back of a run of the mill win over Chievo and so it’s almost impossible to tell what Milan side will turn up.
The Mastini have been solid in early season which is impressive considering the large turnover of players over the summer. The defence has been shored up greatly and the Gialloblu have kept three clean sheets from six games.
Verona haven’t been as deadly in attack as they were last season but they are coming up against a Diavolo side that have conceded nine from six. Luca Toni seems to be owed a goal after having one disallowed against Cagliari for dubious reasons and the 37-year-old has only scored one this season despite playing well. Seeing as he scored twice at the Bentegodi last season, Toni will relish the chance to have a go at bullying the Milan defence from set pieces.
Mounir Obbadi and Lazaros Christodoulopoulos are unlikely to feature for Verona due to injury and Gustavo Campanharo has recently started suffering from a pain in his right knee. Ivan Martic and Francesco Benussi should be back in contention after injury set-backs of their own. Jacapo Sala will not play as he has suffered a setback in his journey to return from a long-term injury.
Nigel De Jong will not play for Milan due to the Dutchman being suspended and Riccardo Montolivo is still a long away from the side as he looks to recover from a broken leg.
Jeremy Menez, Marco van Ginkel, Ricardo Saponara are likely to miss the game for the Rossoneri through injury.
Expected Starting XIs
Hellas Verona (4-3-3): Rafael, Agostini, Marquez, Marques, Moras; Tachtsidis, Ionita, Hallfredsson; Jankovic, Toni, Gomez
Milan (4-3-3): Lopez, De Sciglio, Rami, Alex, Abate, Muntari, Essien, Poli, El Shaarawy, Torres, Honda
