Under pressure Paulo Fonseca in search of maiden win at Milan.
AC Milan, teetering on early-season turmoil and desperate for a win to silence growing doubts over new coach Paulo Fonseca, face newly promoted Venezia at the San Siro this Saturday evening in what promises to be a gripping clash of necessity against ambition.
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 sees new coach Paulo Fonseca facing increasing speculation about potential replacements, including former Milan boss Max Allegri and Thomas Tuchel.
It was a late equaliser from Rafael Leão, controversially benched along with Theo Hernández, that helped Milan escape defeat last time out. To say the least, Fonseca's start has been underwhelming.
After a dramatic 2-2 draw with Torino on the opening day and a surprising 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Parma on Matchday 2, Milan’s defensive frailties have been evident. All three games exposed their struggle to handle opposition onslaughts while failing to convert clear-cut chances.
Failing to win this weekend could mark the second time in 65 years and the first time in the 21st century that Milan would fail to win any of their first four Serie A fixtures. 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.
Fonseca is expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Tammy Abraham likely to make his first start of the season due to Álvaro Morata’s ongoing recovery from a thigh injury. Additionally, Ismaël Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi are both ruled out, while Malick Thiaw is struggling with an ankle sprain.
Rafael Leão, who has been Milan’s standout performer with ten goals and ten assists since the start of last season, is expected to return to the lineup. He will likely play alongside Christian Pulisic, who recently scored the only goal in the USA's 1-1 draw against New Zealand.
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, 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 remains without 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 attack.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.