Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Hungary
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
United Arab Emirates

AC Milanvs.Salernitana

sportsmole.co.uk, 23 May 2024, 15:35
Already confirmed as Serie A runners-up going into the final day of the season, AC Milan are set to close the Stefano Pioli era after Saturday's game against relegated Salernitana.

Two years after winning the title, Pioli is set to say farewell to San Siro, where the visitors will bid goodbye to the Italian top flight.

Match preview

Beaten 3-1 by mid-table Torino in the last away game of their 2023-24 campaign, Milan's late-season dip seems to have cemented the board's belief that their head coach must be replaced ahead of a potentially busy summer.

Stefano Pioli claimed the Scudetto in 2022, and his team went all the way to last year's Champions League semi-finals, but the end is now nigh and likely replacement Paulo Fonseca waits in the wings.

With city rivals Inter Milan 19 points clear heading into the final day, and second place long since wrapped up, the Rossoneri have nothing other than pride to play for this weekend.

After previously winning five straight league games, Milan have faltered badly of late, posting just one success from their last six and conceding a hatful of goals in the process.

Nonetheless, Pioli can depart with his head held high, having beaten luminaries such as Arrigo Sacchi, Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancelotti to record the second-best win rate (59%) of any manager in the club's long Serie A history.

Having lost only one of nine prior meetings with Salernitana in the top flight, Milan's squad will now try to give their boss a fitting send-off by extending a club-record streak of six straight final-day wins, dating back to 2018.

While San Siro is one of Calcio's great stages, it has proved an unpopular venue with this week's visitors, as Salernitana are yet to win a Serie A fixture there - against either Milan or Inter - in nine previous attempts.

The Campanian club now sign off a chaotic campaign, surely hoping rather than expecting to taste victory in their last top-level match for at least one more year.

After ex-Milan striker Pippo Inzaghi was sacked in mid-season, the brief reign of Fabio Liverani was soon brought to an end, so current coach Stefano Colantuono will skipper the ship as it sinks down to Serie B.

In the spring of 2022, Salernitana secured 18 points from their last 15 matches to defy the drop in miraculous fashion, before edging towards survival again this time last year; however, their luck has now run out.

After Monday's 2-1 home defeat to Hellas Verona, the Granata have lost 25 games and could ultimately finish as many as 21 points adrift of safety if they fail to take anything back down south from the second city.

AC Milan Serie A form:

D

L

D

D

W

L

AC Milan form (all competitions):

L

L

D

D

W

L

Salernitana Serie A form:

L

L

L

L

D

L

Team News

Recently absent from Milan's lineup due to a muscular injury, first-choice goalkeeper Mike Maignan will now miss his team's final match of the season - and potentially the upcoming Euros - with a dislocated finger; Marco Sportiello therefore continues to deputise.

Samu Chukwueze is also ruled out, but Mattia Gabbia should start in central defence after serving a one-match ban, while both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Simon Kjaer could return in time to make the bench.

Kjaer joins evergreen striker Olivier Giroud in signing off his stay at San Siro this weekend, with the latter having set a new club best for scoring the most Serie A goals after turning 34; his tally of 38 beats the record previously set by Zlatan Ibrahimovic (34).

Meanwhile, Salernitana are also without their main goalkeeper, as Guillermo Ochoa joins defensive duo Jerome Boateng and Norbert Gyomber on the sidelines through injury.

Toma Basic is suspended, so following his late consolation goal earlier this week, Giulio Maggiore should step into the visitors' midfield: the latter is one of only three Italians to have been directly involved in five or more Serie A goals since the start of March.

AC Milan possible starting lineup:

Sportiello; Calabria, Tomori, Gabbia, Hernandez; Adli, Bennacer, Reijnders; Pulisic, Giroud, Leao

Salernitana possible starting lineup:

Fiorillo; Pierozzi, Fazio, Pirola; Sambia, Coulibaly, Maggiore, Zanoli; Candreva, Tchaouna; Ikwuemesi

We say: AC Milan 2-0 Salernitana

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liechtenstein vs. N. Macedonia (Saturday, 2.00pm) Kicking off European qualifying Group J, North Macedonia begin their latest quest for a World Cup debut on Saturday, when they visit Liechtenstein in Vaduz. 22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Thiago Almada produced a moment of magic to guide Argentina to a 1-0 away win over Uruguay in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. 22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth are reportedly interested in signing Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga on a permanent transfer. 22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Battling for a place in League B of the UEFA Nations League, Georgia are set to host Armenia at the Boris Paichadze Stadium for the second leg of their playoff on Sunday. 22 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly been alerted to the possibility of signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi in a cut-price deal. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has become the latest Arsenal player to withdraw from his national team. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brazil will be forced to contend with numerous absentees against Argentina following their 2-1 victory against Colombia on Friday morning. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Thomas Tuchel hasn't been shy in calling out Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford's displays from England's 2-0 victory over Albania on Friday night. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City Women will face Chelsea Women in the third of four consecutive head-to-head matches in Sunday's clash at the Etihad Stadium. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Myles Lewis-Skelly was the star of the show on his England debut as his goal helped new boss Thomas Tuchel get off to a winning start. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arne Slot could lose a number of forwards in the summer transfer window but may also be boosted by the arrival of additions, Reds transfer expert David Lynch has claimed. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Thomas Tuchel started his England tenure with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Albania in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Turkey will hope to maintain their first-leg lead and advance into League A of the UEFA Nations League on Sunday when they travel to Puskas Arena to take on Hungary. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Myles Lewis-Skelly created England history by becoming the youngest player to score on their senior debut for the national team. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Canada can earn their second medal at the CONCACAF Nations League on Sunday when they take on the USA at SoFi Stadium in California. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly wrote a new page of Three Lions history with his opening goal in Friday's World Cup 2026 qualifier against Albania. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City Women will continue their Women's Super League survival bid when they face Brighton & Hove Albion Women in Sunday's clash at the King Power Stadium. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Jude Bellingham has moved ahead of Wayne Rooney in the England record books by earning his latest cap against Albania. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Iceland and Kosovo will complete their UEFA Nations League promotion/relegation playoff tie on Sunday, when they meet at the Estadio Nueva Condomina in Spain. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven could reportedly resume training with the Red Devils shortly after the international break, with the issue that he suffered against Leicester City last weekend not believed to be serious. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pau Cubarsi has returned to Barcelona after suffering an ankle injury in Spain's UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg against Netherlands on Thursday night. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United Women will welcome Tottenham Hotspur Women to the Chigwell Construction Stadium for Sunday's Women's Super League clash. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk England boss Thomas Tuchel has named his first starting lineup as Three Lions boss for Friday's World Cup 2026 qualifier against Albania. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Riccardo Calafiori has reportedly given Arsenal a major boost with his knee injury not claimed to be serious. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson is reportedly set to hold 'crunch talks' with the Reds hierarchy over his future at the end of the season. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Follow all the action as Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manager against Albania, live on talkSPORT. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Follow all the action as Thomas Tuchel takes charge of his first game as England manager against Albania, live on talkSPORT. 21 March 2025 talksport.com England made a winning start to life under Thomas Tuchel on Friday night as they beat Albania 2-0 at Wembley. 21 March 2025 talksport.com Chelsea's first opponents at this summer's Club World Cup have been expelled from the competition, FIFA has announced. 21 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly learned how long Riccardo Calafiori will be out for with a knee injury following the defender's withdrawal from the Italy squad.
Something went wrong! Don't hesitate to let us know if you need any help.