Under pressure Paulo Fonseca in search of maiden win at Milan.
Milan vs
Venezia
Under pressure from a rocky start to the season, AC Milan host newly promoted Venezia at the San Siro, where a win is crucial for Paulo Fonseca's tenure and Milan's Serie A standing.
Milan
With only two points from their first three matches, Milan is under pressure to secure three points against newly promoted Venezia. A recent 2-2 draw against Lazio has intensified speculation around new coach Paulo Fonseca's future, with potential replacements like former Milan boss Max Allegri and Thomas Tuchel mentioned.
It was Rafael Leão's late equaliser, after being controversially benched along with Theo Hernández, that helped Milan avoid defeat in their last outing. Fonseca's start has been underwhelming, marked by a dramatic 2-2 draw with Torino on the opening day and a surprising 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Parma on Matchday 2.
All three matches revealed Milan’s defensive vulnerabilities, struggling to contain Parma’s recurrent attacks and failing to convert clear chances. A failure to win this weekend might see Milan fail to secure a victory in any of their first four Serie A fixtures for the first time in the 21st century.
With Liverpool up next in the UEFA Champions League, a win in Saturday’s game against the Winged Lions could be crucial for Fonseca's tenure. He is expected to use a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Tammy Abraham likely to start for the first time this season due to Álvaro Morata’s thigh injury recovery.
Additionally, Ismaël Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi are both unavailable, while Malick Thiaw struggles with an ankle sprain. Rafael Leão, Milan’s standout performer with ten goals and ten assists since last season, is set to return to the lineup alongside Christian Pulisic, who recently scored in a 1-1 draw against New Zealand for the USA.
Venezia
Life in Serie A has remained difficult for Venezia, who have just one point from three matches [0W, 1D, 2L], following a 1-0 loss to Torino. The Winged Lions, who secured promotion via playoff having finished 3rd in Serie B, will be looking to take advantage of Milan’s leaky defence when they travel to the San Siro.
Along with Atalanta and Lecce, AC Milan has conceded the most goals in Serie A this season, with six. However, Venezia’s sole away victory at San Siro was in 1942.
For Venezia, Joel Pohjanpalo will lead the attack when Eusebio Di Francesco deploys the familiar 3—4—2—1 formation. Pohjanpalo is still searching for a goal, having scored 22 times as Serie B’s top scorer in the 2023/24 season.
Gaetano Oristanio and Gianluca Busio could team up with the 29-year-old Finnish forward in the attack.
