Well, it’s the time of year every Italian soccer fanatic waits for and that is the return of Serie A! But first, Milan and Juve will lock horns in the annual Trofeo Berlusconi Sunday, a rematch of last year’s derby at the San Siro.
This encounter is significant in the sense that it marks the end of club friendlies in Italy and occurs one week prior to the first round of Serie A games. The superstition surrounding this match-up is that, whichever side lifts the Trofeo Berlusconi will be the side that does not win the scudetto this year. This does not always apply seeing that Inter ruled the Italian league for four years in the post-calciopoli era.
This was a heated battle last term as the Rossoneri feel stripped of a possible title due to the phantom goal scored by Sulley Ali Muntari which was disallowed. Now, however, beginning this year, the Serie A will deploy two more officials and place them behind the nets for the sole purpose of being goal judges. This should hopefully eliminate, or at least reduce, controversy regarding disallowed goals.
Rossoneri transfer guru (although, he is not so much of a guru these days) Adriano Galliani and head coach Massimiliano Allegri will be on the lookout for Juventus striker Alessandro Matri seeing that the Diavoli are in the market for a hitman. The 27-year old Matri is a product of Milan’s youth academy and has trained under Allegri at Cagliari Calcio prior to the tactician’s appointment to the Milan hotseat and is keen on working with him again.
There will be some major absentees for both clubs for this encounter. Captain Massimo Ambrosini and Philippe Mexes will not take part in this match due to a knock and a possible transfer respectively.
Juventus will also be missing key players in Gianluigi Buffon and playmaking wizard Andrea Pirlo. The Bianconeri do not want to risk injury to the side’s most important duo. Coach Antonio Conte will continue to serve his 10-month ban and will be watching from the stands tonight.
Who will prevail?
Bookmakers are not choosing a winner in this encounter as a victory for both contenders is quoted at 2.50. It is very difficult to predict. Both teams have made various additions and significant changes.
AC Milan will feature a much more youthful formation with new signings Francesco Acerbi, Christian Zapata, Kevin Constant, and Riccardo Montolivo. Milan’s frontline is certainly not lacking firepower with players such as Kevin Prince Boateng, Antonio Cassano, Alexandre Pato, Robinho, and Stephan El Shaarawy.
Juventus have also reinforced the squad with midfielders such as ex-Udinese duo Kwadwo Asamoah and Mauricio Isla, and ex-Man United promising 19-year old Paul Pogba; with defenders like veteran Lucio, and youngster Alberto Masi; and in attack with the ‘Atomic Ant’ Sebastian Giovinco.
Possible formations:
AC Milan
Abbiati
Abate – Acerbi – Zapata – De Sciglio
Montolivo – Flamini – Nocerino
Boateng
Pato – El Shaarawy
V
Giovinco – Matri
Asamoah – Vidal – Pogba – Marchisio – Lichtsteiner
Lucio – Bonucci – Barzagli
Storari
Juventus FC
Look for:
Milan: Boateng – Pato – El Shaarawy. Should the trio connect, they could very well cause problems for the Juve backline as did Napoli in the Italian Supercup. The Bianconeri love to keep possession and push up the field which will allow Pato to burst down the middle or the flanks for a quick counterattack.
Juventus: Midfield is key to victories. If Juve can force Milan to turnover the ball in midfield, quick movements up the park may cause the floodgates to swing open.
Prediction:
ll in all, it should be a very tight affair with the Old Lady just edging past the Diavolo. AC Milan 1 – 2 Juventus.
