AC Milan vs. Napoli: A Tight Contest Awaits As Suspensions & Injuries Plague Rossoneri

A big Tuesday night showdown awaits. AC Milan v Napoli represents an important crossroads for the teams coached by Paulo Fonseca and Antonio Conte, with it being a significant clash in terms of the table and morale. For both sides, it's the final fixture of what has been an intense October, and we’re now introducing it with our Match Preview.

LATEST FROM MILANELLO The unforeseen postponement of the Bologna match means that the suspensions of Theo Hernández and Tijjani Reijnders will carry over to this midweek game against the Partenopei. In the last few hours, it's been confirmed that Matteo Gabbia will also be unavailable after joining an injury list that already contains Abraham, Bennacer, Florenzi and Jović. It doesn't leave Coach Fonseca with too many options in defence, where Emerson Royal will start. Joining them in the Rossoneri backline will be either Pavlović, Tomori or Thiaw in the centre and Calabria or Terracciano on the left. Fofana and Loftus-Cheek are ready to line up in midfield, while Chukwueze and Okafor are hoping to leave their mark in attack. Camarda is set to be named in the matchday squad once again.

"Napoli are a very strong side, as shown by the table. They're on a good run and will arrive at San Siro with plenty of motivation," said Coach Fonseca on the eve of the game. "We're also strong and improving defensively and in possession: we can fight for the title. The group has trained well, and I have confidence in everyone. I expect an even affair, but we'll have to play as a team."

LATEST FROM NAPOLI The Partenopei will arrive at San Siro aware that they'll stay top of the table whatever the result. Coached by Antonio Conte, this new-look Napoli side currently sit four points ahead of second-place Inter after an excellent start to the season. After losing away to Hellas Verona on the opening matchday, they've since won seven and drawn one of their last eight league games. The draw came in the only six-pointer they've played so far, against Juventus in Turin. The match against AC Milan represents the start of an important cycle for the Azzurri, who are pretty much at full strength, although there is a doubt about whether Lobotka will be fit enough to play (if he is, it remains to be seen whether he'll get the nod over Gilmour) and Spinazzola is unavailable. Conte will stick with the 4-3-3 he's been using and the pillars of the side, from captain Di Lorenzo (who scored against Lecce) through to Scottish midfielder McTominay and the dangerous Kvaratskhelia. It remains to be seen who will start out of Lukaku and Simeone up front.

Antonio Conte didn't hold a press conference ahead of the game, but Buongiorno was interviewed after Napoli 1-0 Lecce: "We don't have much time and need to recover as much as possible both mentally and physically in order to try and win." Meret added the following: "Perhaps AC Milan have had a few extra days of rest, but that doesn't mean anything. We'll give 100% out on the pitch."

PRE-MATCH NUMBERS

WHERE TO WATCH AC MILAN v NAPOLI In Italy, the game will be live on DAZN. To watch AC Milan v Napoli from a different country, please consult the 'AC Milan on TV' page. Follow Matchday on Milan TV: live coverage will begin at 20:00 CET until shortly before kick-off, with the game being followed by interviews and Coach Fonseca's press conference. Don't miss out on our coverage via acmilan.com, the AC Milan Official App (where the full deferred broadcast will be available in the coming days), our official social media channels and WhatsApp.

LATEST FROM SERIE A Andrea Colombo will take charge of the match at San Siro. The 34-year-old has refereed 34 Serie A fixtures, including two involving the Rossoneri (the last one was the derby in April). Colombo will have Berti and Vecchi as his assistants, while Sozza will perform the role of fourth official. Marini, assisted by La Penna, will oversee VAR.

For the one and only time this season, a Serie A matchday is taking place midweek. Matchday 10 will kick off today with three fixtures: Lecce v Hellas Verona and Cagliari v Bologna (both at 18:30 CET) will be followed by AC Milan v Napoli (20:45 CET). On Wednesday, Venezia v Udinese and Empoli v Inter will kick off at 18:30 CET, after which Atalanta v Monza and Juventus v Parma (both at 20:45 CET) are scheduled. On Thursday, the following matches are in store: Genoa v Fiorentina (18:30 CET), Roma v Torino (20:45 CET) and Como v Lazio (20:45 CET).

The current table: Napoli 22; Inter 18; Juventus 17; Fiorentina, Atalanta, Lazio and Udinese 16; AC Milan* and Torino 14; Empoli 11; Roma 10; Bologna*, Como, Cagliari and Hellas Verona 9; Monza and Parma 8; Genoa 6; Venezia and Lecce 5. (* = Bologna and Milan have a game in hand)

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Copyright © 2020 ACMilan.com. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form. VAT number: 01073200154 Licenza SIAE 5330/I/5051 Milan will have to do without Theo Hernandez, Tijjani Reijnders and possibly Rafael Leao as well, as Antonio Conte’s table-topping Napoli visit San Siro in a box office midweek clash in Serie A on Tuesday evening.

The Partenopei will have a chance to temporarily go seven points clear at the top of the Serie A table if they pick up three-points against a frustrated and suspension-hit Rossoneri.

Milan have a game in hand over all of the other teams in the top half of the Serie A table, and likely will do until February 2025, as their game against Bologna, originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon, was called off last Friday after flooding in the Emilia-Romagna region.

That means that any of Milan’s suspensions for the Bologna game will be carried forward, which in turn means that Reijnders and Hernandez will not be available to play against Napoli.

Reijnders was sent off against Udinese in Milan’s most recent Serie A game, while Hernandez is set to serve the second match of his two-game ban for his red card after the final whistle of the 2-1 loss to Fiorentina at the beginning of the month.

Leao is also expected to start from the bench in the second Serie A game in a row, which means that Paulo Fonseca could go with an attacking unit of Samuel Chukwueze on the right, Christian Pulisic through the middle and Noah Okafor on the left, with Alvaro Morata at centre-forward.

There could be two Scotsmen in the Napoli midfield, as Billy Gilmour is reportedly set to earn his third consecutive Serie A start, alongside compatriot Scott McTominay and Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa in midfield.

There are conflicting reports over Conte’s starting front three. Some suggest he will stick with the same front three as the 1-0 win over Lecce at the weekend, while others claim that he could rotate his wingers and start David Neres and Cyril Ngonge. Romelu Lukaku is expected to start either way.

Kick-off is due at 19.45 GMT.

(Milan 4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson Royal, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Terracciano; Fofana, Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Okafor; Morata.

Napoli (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia.

Milan vs Napoli will be able to watch in the UK via OneFootball. Supporters in the USA are able to watch through FUBO.

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Italian football news, analysis, fixtures and results for the latest from Serie A, Serie B and the Azzurri.

As Serie A fans eagerly await the October 29, 2024 clash between AC Milan and Napoli, the stakes are high with both teams eyeing top league standings. Here’s a breakdown of how each team has performed recently, expert predictions, and top bookmaker odds to watch for as AC Milan takes on Napoli in what promises to be a thrilling contest.

With a win rate of 67% over the past month, AC Milan has shown resilience, securing four victories out of their last six games. Notable recent performances include a 3-1 win over Club Brugge and a clean 3-0 victory against Lecce.

Although Milan stumbled against Fiorentina and Bayer Leverkusen, these opponents rank considerably higher than Milan’s recent challengers, showing that Milan generally holds their own against mid-tier teams. Currently ranked 23rd in the World Clubs Rankings, Milan is positioned as the stronger team in terms of international standing.

Napoli’s form is even more impressive, boasting an undefeated streak with a 100% win rate over the past five games. Their recent games reveal solid wins, including a decisive 5-0 victory over Palermo and steady performances against Empoli and Monza. Napoli’s consistency, especially in high-goal games, highlights their offensive strength, which could be an advantage against Milan’s defensive tactics. Ranked 74th, Napoli might have lower club ranking credentials, but they have dominated their recent matchups.

The last encounter between Milan and Napoli ended in Milan’s favor, but with Napoli’s reinforced lineup, this match might tell a different story. In the league standings, Milan edges slightly above Napoli, thanks to a consistent record against both lower and similarly ranked teams. Napoli, however, comes into this match with momentum and a confident scoring streak, making them a formidable opponent despite their lower ranking.

Several top football analysts have weighed in on the match. Here are some expert opinions:

Overall, the expert consensus tilts slightly towards a draw or a tight contest, with each team showing strengths that could cancel each other out.

When it comes to odds, bookmakers generally favour AC Milan:

Mostbet offers the best odds on a Napoli win at 3.00, while 888starz has an attractive 3.60 for a draw, reflecting the balanced expectations around this game. For those leaning towards AC Milan, odds around 2.52 from Pinnacle and 888starz make it a favorable choice.

This AC Milan vs Napoli showdown is set to be a tightly contested match, with both teams bringing formidable recent records. While AC Milan has the edge in world ranking and slightly stronger league position, Napoli’s 100% win streak and dynamic offense make them a credible threat. Expect a close game with high potential for either a narrow Milan victory or a draw, as both sides will push hard to claim league positioning. Betting on a draw or a Napoli win could provide the most value for those seeking solid returns based on recent form.

This matchup will likely hinge on which team can capitalize on early opportunities, given both teams’ defensive prowess and ability to control the pace. Fans can expect an intense 90 minutes that may very well reflect the expert inclination towards a balanced outcome.

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Theo Hernandez and Tijjani Reijnders were expected to serve their suspensions on Saturday against Bologna, but the postponement of that game means they will be suspended for tonight instead. Matteo Gabbia, Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic are injured meanwhile.

Fonseca has chosen changed three of the back four with Malick Thiaw, Strahinja Pavlovic and Filippo Terracciano all coming in. Emerson Royal and Mike Maignan are the only players in the rearguard from the Brugge game to keep their spots.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek was expected to come in for the suspended Reijnders and partner Youssouf Fofana in the midfield double pivot, while Samu Chukwueze and Noah Okafor occupied the wings.

However, Christian Pulisic has come down with flu and thus Loftus-Cheek should occupy a more advanced role as the attacking midfielder, with Yunus Musah playing in the midfield pairing instead.

Alvaro Morata will lead the line, which means Rafael Leao has dropped to the bench as was speculated in the build-up.

Official Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Terracciano; Fofana, Musah; Chukwueze, Loftus-Cheek, Okafor, Morata.

Bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Calabria, Bartesaghi, Tomori, Jimenez, Pulisic, Zeroli, Liberali, Leao, Camarda.

Official Napoli XI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia.

Bench: Turi, Caprile, Juan Jesus, Neres, Marin, Simeone, Zerbin, Ngonge, Mazzocchi, Spinazzola, Raspadori, Folorunsho.

Any idea who has the game on tv?

In the US all Serie A is on Paramount+

Check out livesoccertv for a more global answer

thank you

rlc again?

Pulisic out – we are probably f’cked

Yeah, this is really bad. Really bad.

Why Loftus cheek, why not pulisic?

He is out with influenza.

Damn also losing Pulisic on top of the players who should already have served their suspensions had the mayor of Bologna and the FIGC not been a bunch of incompetent asshats might be too much for us to overcome. A bit worried how this will pan out and if I have to come with a logical prediction then I would probably say that we will lose the match but I’ll try to stay positive and hope for a 2-1 win.

Wow – no Pulisic… on top of Napoli making sure Theo and Reijnders aren’t there. But guess who IS there – Di Lorenzo, who should’ve picked up a red card against Lecce…

Conte seems to have a lot of connections, not just in the media, but within Serie A and the referees.

👍

Well on the one hand, the great thing is that the news outlets didn’t predict exactly our team. Hated that teams can just look at predicted lineups from outlets and know exactly who we’re going to do. On the other hand Puli sits? My guess is to bring on Puli and Leao against tired legs 😁. Brave coach!

Oh wait he’s out with the flu ☹️ acc to Martin above Darn

And that was also my second

The article also says so but when I wrote it then the bench wasn’t yet uploaded but I can see he is on it there, lets hope that the bench doesn’t comes down with the flu before the weekend as well sigh…

Yes, then Futuro would have a problem 😀

Yeah and even the first team as well.

I’m hoping it galvanizes the squad. Maybe they’ll pay even more attention when the chips are down

Lets hope so, its not impossible to win or draw the match but current circumstances clearly doesn’t favor us one single bit but maybe we will still nevertheless pull out a great team performance and that is probably also the only thing that can save us from an embarrassment tonight.

That was also my first reaction

Is this the worst Milan lineup in the last 20 years? Possibly

I’m guessing 0-4 to Napoli

How can it be the worst lineup, if there ain’t any alternatives? Our only chance is to stick together as a team, therefor Leao has to sit. Just grab a beer and be ready for some spectacle. I stop believing if we‘re three goals down, but we ain’t yet.

Bro we had Bakaye Traore, Bonerror, Montolivo, Mexes and Ubry Emanuelson start for us in a game…..but don’t worry Kevin Content came on as a sub with Mesbah waiting in the wings. …we’ve had worse

I’m sorry this is worse. A RW who has 1 good game every 6 months, a striker who cant score and “AM” who does nothing of any sort, a Midfielder who nobody knows what position he is or why he is at Milan. A LB that nobody ever heard of now wish they hadn’t a RB who bravo to him is making millions pretending to be a footballer and 2 CB’S who in fairness have ability but have no form or continuity.

Mike, Fofana and Okafor are 3 solid players all the rest are place fillers

I have to side with IKWYDLS this team is still a lot better player for player compared to some of the banter era squads. We might still get hammered though if we isn’t a bit careful and stays well organized throughout the match and grabs the few chances that we probably will get.

“1 good game every 6 months” – you’re exaggerating again just to try and make a point.

lineups 10 years ago: Milan: Lopez; Armero, Mexes, Rami, Bonera; Poli, De Jong, Montolivo; Bonaventura, Menez, Honda Napoli: Cabral; Ghoulam, Albiol, Koulibaly, Mesto; Jorginho, Lopez; Mertens, De Guzman, Callejon; Higuain

i think that was worse

We won 2:0 🙂

I disagree, that is a far far better team.

I just hope we don’t concede early and then I dream of a 85th minute Leao trademark dribble with perfect assist for our goal scoring beast Musah 😀

Camarda to get off the mark tonight?

This lineup is diabolical. It’s essentially our B team. Let’s hope for a miracle.

If we can pull it off, it will be on a par with the derby win…

Oh my

Puli sick? That sucks. They really just need to defend deep. Hopefully they can hang on then bring a sick Puli off the bench and Leao. A draw would be an amazing result at the point.

Too many changes, unproven back line, best player (Pulisic) unavailable. Napoli 3-1 Milan. 😔

Napoli were useless against Empoli and lucky against Lecce and Lukaku’s rapidly losing his mojo. I’d have started Tomori over Thiaw though and Leao over Okafor. Plus we have to wait and see what surprises the ref has in store for us…

Good shout. Lukaku just bust a hole in the worst defensive lineup in Milan history

Crazy crazy decisions. This is terrifying!

I hope he knows what he is doing…

Obvious…

Looks like its gonna be a very long evening, well if we can’t beat them lets at least break Lukaku’s legs.

Where’s Ted? Bro was so close in his pre match predictions

Should’ve canceled the match.. rain forecast etc etc

Napoli’s goal came from the stupidity of Maignan who did not clear the ball and preferred a risky pass, the ball was lost and Napoli built the goal phase. I already clarified about Pavlovic, he is only tall, otherwise he has a low football IQ, he has no technical qualities and in general his quality as a player is low average

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