AC Milan and embattled coach Filippo Inzaghi welcome a rejuvenated Hellas Verona side to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Serie A action on Saturday evening.
The Rossoneri seem destined for a second consecutive campaign without European competition next year if they cannot string together some wins and gain a consistency which has been missing since the opening weeks of the season.
Inzaghi now faces the double-whammy of turning around a poor season whilst contending with a rash of injuries to key players. Milan’s doctors were already working overtime before midfielders Riccardo Montolivo and Nigel de Jong were substituted after sustaining leg injuries in last week’s drab scoreless draw against Chievo Verona and are not expected to feature this weekend.
Verona coach Andrea Mandorlini is finding difficulty repeating last year’s thrilling return to the top flight after a 14-year absence which saw the Gialloblu compete for a European slot up until the season’s final weeks. While the club miss the creativity of Juan Iturbe, Jorginho and Romulo, the real difficulty has been a leaky defense as the Mastini have surrendered more goals than every squad save for the current relegation candidates.
After three consecutive losses Verona were in a fight for their Serie A lives but a home draw versus Roma and an away win in Sardinia against a reeling Cagliari side have reinvigorated the Gialloblu who only trail the Rossoneri by six points.
Inzaghi will be desperate for some production from his target strikers with Stephan El Shaarawy, Giampaolo Pazzini and Mattia Destro combining for a paltry three goals in more than 27 hours of play. The goal-scoring burden has fallen to Jeremy Menez and Keisuke Honda who have provided more than half of Milan’s overall goals.
The Mastini will look to feed 37-year old Luca Toni who proved last year’s renaissance was no fluke as his 10 goals lead the club. The former World Cup winner can still hold up the ball for his team mates and his goals in four successive matches prove he still keeps some some water from the fountain of youth nearby.
The clubs don’t share much recent history given the Gialloblu’s lack of top flight experience but in the October reverse fixture, Honda scored twice in a 3-1 victory with Rafa Marquez earning an ejection for a rash challenge and scoring an own goal.
Form Guide: Milan (D-W-D-L-W-L) Verona (W-D-L-L-L-W)
Expected Starting XIs
Milan (4-2-3-1): Lopez; Bonera, Alex, Bocchetti, Antonelli; Poli, Van Ginkel; Cerci, Honda, Bonaventura; Destro
Verona (4-3-3): Benussi; Pisano, Marquez, Moras, Agostini; Ionida, Tachtsidis, Hallfredsson; Sala, Toni, Jankovic
