Battles between Juventus and AC Milan, two of the most storied and most successful clubs in Italian football, are always must-watch, but this season’s first meeting on Saturday will bring an extra layer of intrigue.
New Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri faces Milan for the first time since being sacked by the club earlier this year, while new Milan boss Filippo Inzaghi – who played for Juve before leaving for Milan in his playing days – gets his first big test as a manager.
Both teams enter this big game 2-0, so something has to give on Saturday. How will things play out? Read on for more on the big game and don’t miss our breakdown of some other major soccer action across the pond in our previews the Chelsea vs. Manchester City or Aston Villa vs. Arsenal.
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Juventus vs. AC Milan Prediction and Betting Preview
Where: San Siro, Milan, Italy
When: Saturday, September 20, 2:45 PM ET
Line: Juventus -105 at AC Milan +250, tie +220; total 2.5 – view all soccer lines
Betting on Juventus
Despite losing manager Antonio Conte, who led the club to three-consecutive champions, Juventus have hardly skipped a beat with new manager Massimiliano Allegri. The Old Lady has won its first three games of the season – two in the league as well as their Champions League opener in midweek.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Allegri has been wise not to tinker with the three-time defending champs’ team, one that has also won the last three meetings in a row against Milan. The team’s defense, which has been the cornerstone of their title successes, has kept clean sheets in each of their first three games.
Juve’s incredibly stacked midfield has fared just fine even with Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo both absent from the lineup. Don’t be surprised to see Pirlo make his season debut against his former club, while Vidal’s presence alongside powerhouse Paul Pogba would provide Juve with a tremendous advantage in the middle of the park.
Up front, Carlos Tevez has had a fine start to the season with three goals in his last two games, including a brace against Malmo in midweek. An in-form Tevez will be up against a struggling Milan defense that has given up five goals in their first two games.
Betting on AC Milan
It hasn’t taken Filippo Inzaghi very long to mold his Milan team into the goal-scoring machine he was as a player. Under the first-time top flight manager, Milan have won each of their first two games with scores of 3-1 and 5-4.
Pippo has deployed a very positive 4-3-3 formation, with Jeremy Menez as the focal point of a flexible and dynamic front three. The results have been promising thus far, with Menez and Japanese forward Keisuke Honda firing five of the team’s eight goals.
Menez’s audacious backheel goal against Parma was particularly indicative of how high his confidence is at the moment. The speed and versatility of the Milan attack has the potential to cause a Juventus defense lacking in speed some serious problems.
Milan’s own defense isn’t particularly quick itself, but Juve don’t necessarily have the speed to exploit that weakness. Central defender Daniele Bonera’s suspension may also be a blessing in disguise, as either Cristian Zapata or Adil Rami would be an upgrade over him alongside Alex.
The midfield trio of Sulley Muntari, Nigel de Jong and Andrea Poli, while admittedly nowhere near as talented as their Juventus counterparts, are functional, hardworking players who will battle hard to protect that backline.
Starting goalkeeper Diego Lopez will miss the game due to a hamstring injury he picked up in their previous game against Parma. But in Christian Abbiati, Milan have a very experienced backup who should deputize capably.
Writer’s Prediction
Juventus’ experienced defense is too tough for Milan’s attack to crack, while Juve breach Milan’s backline at least once. Take the defending champions to win at home. Create a betting account and follow all the intriguing Italian Serie A soccer action all season long.
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