Mattia Destro, who sat out the majority of the game against Verona, should also reclaim his starting position alongside Jeremy Menez, who will likely link up with Honda to give Destro support. The midfield is still a makeshift operation. It is unlikely that Sulley Muntari will start another game in the near future, considering he has cost Milan three goals in his last two appearances.
"The team felt the blow at the time, but over the last few days they seemed relaxed to me, " Inzaghi told reporters (per Football Italia). "We have to make up for those two lost points. "Fiorentina's last five Serie A matchesLazio vs. Fiorentina4-0Inter vs. Fiorentina0-1Fiorentina vs. Torino1-1Sassuolo vs. Fiorentina1-3Fiorentina vs. Atalanta3-2acmilan. comAC Milan's last five Serie A matchesMilan vs. Verona2-2Chievo vs. Milan0-0Milan vs. Cesena2-0Milan vs. Empoli1-1Juventus vs. Milan3-1acmilan. comPredicted FormationsLa Gazzetta dello Sport predicts yet another change in Milan's system. They could very well try out a 4-3-1-2 formation on Monday, with Keisuke Honda returning as the trequartista.
Rafael Leao began Tuesday's game on the bench, but now returns on the left side of the hosts' front three, having scored twice in three previous Serie A meetings with Fiorentina - including his very first goal in the Italian top flight, back in September 2019. Once more, goalkeeper Mike Maignan joins Davide Calabria, Sergino Dest, Alexis Saelemaekers, Alessandro Florenzi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a crowded treatment room at Milanello; Junior Messias is also a doubt. Fiorentina's injury list, meanwhile, features Argentinian winger Nicolas Gonzalez, fellow wide man Riccardo Sottil and long-term absentee Gaetano Castrovilli.
AC Milan have won 17 of their 18 matches in which the Frenchman has found the net in all competitions (only losing against Napoli in September 2021). Riccardo Saponara made his Serie A debut for AC Milan in 2013/14. He played eight league matches for the Rossoneri – while AC Milan are the side which he has scored the most Serie A goals against (four, at least twice as against any other). Giacomo Bonaventura scored 30 goals in 155 Serie A matches for AC Milan between 2014 and 2020. Among the opponents which he has never been involved in a goal against in the Italian top-flight, they are the side which he played the most minutes against in the competition (618). France internationals Theo Hernandez and Olivier Giroud are both back from suspension and will return to the side; therefore, Fode Ballo-Toure and Divock Origi make way. Giroud has scored four goals in his last four appearances, and Milan have won 17 of 18 games in which he has found the net since signing last year.
The Rossoneri have no such excuses for their miserable form: just three wins in 2015. Injuries to starters like Nigel de Jong and Riccardo Montolivo—neither of whom made the trip to Florence—have hurt, but it is Milan's lack of belief or consistency that is truly killing them. Coach Filippo Inzaghi almost lost his job last week after his team conceded an equalizer in the final seconds of an eventual 2-2 draw versus Hellas Verona.
The schedule right now is unforgiving for La Viola. It is undoubtedly their toughest spell: Seven matches in 22 days, a real sprint through the month of March. Fatigue at this point is an issue. A week ago, Lazio dismantled Fiorentina 4-0. It was an embarrassing setback for a club with fighting interests in the league, the Coppa Italia and the Europa League. Date: Monday, 16 MarchTime: 6 p. m.
WATCH AC MILAN VS FIORENTINA LIVE STREAMS 🔴🔴SLIDE DOWN TO SEE LIVE LINKS🔴MATCH INFO, TALKING POINTS AND INJURY UPDATESMilan won 1-0 in their last Serie A meeting with Fiorentina and could keep successive clean sheets against them for the first time since 2016 (2-0 under Mihajlovic and 0-0 under Montella). Fiorentina have lost only one of their last 11 Serie A matches against Milan in the first half of the season (0-2 in 2020) – they have had six wins (including a 4-3 victory last season) and four draws. Milan and Fiorentina have drawn only one of their last 14 Serie A meetings at the Meazza (1-1 with goals from de Jong and Ilicic in October 2014). Such games have ended in eight wins for the Rossoneri and five for the Viola.
Felice Calabro'/Associated PressThere is some relief in defence as Ignazio Abate makes his comeback from a thigh problem. He should reclaim his right-back role from Daniele Bonera, while Alex and Philippe Mexes could partner up in central defence once again. Luca Antonelli is one of the few constants in the team and he will continue to play left-back as long as Mattia De Sciglio remains out. Diego Lopez, as usual, will play in goal. Fiorentina have to make a few changes of their own. They are without striker Mario Gomez, midfielder David Pizarro and defender Stefan Savic—big losses in each area of the field.
UK/2 p. EDTVenue: Stadio Artemio FranchiTV info: ESPN UK/Rai International, BeIN Sports (U. S. and Canada)Live stream: beIN Sports Connect (U. and Canada)Up until that loss at Stadio Olimpico, Fiorentina were the Serie A team to beat. They had just ended Juventus' 47-game unbeaten home record, and they were playing breathtaking attacking football. Lazio hit them when they were out of breath, and a subsequent 1-1 draw at home in the Europa League against Roma only confirmed suspicions of a possible burnout. Really, there is no better pick-me-up than a game against Milan.
AC Milan - Fiorentina » Live Score & Stream + Odds, Stats
Fiorentina vs. AC Milan: Team News, Predicted Line-Ups, Live Stream & TV InfoGabriele Maltinti/Getty ImagesThe match on Monday against Fiorentina looks less than ideal for AC Milan. It pits them against a Champions League hopeful and a club competing on several fronts. Milan, meanwhile, are enduring a hard-enough time in only one campaign. These two teams are taking two different paths this season, but this meeting in Serie A is just as important to the both of them.
Milan have averaged 2. 3 goals per game in their last 10 Serie A home games, winning nine matches in the process (defeat v Napoli in the other one) – while they have kept a clean sheet in 50% of their matches during this period. Fiorentina are unbeaten in their last three Serie A away games and could make it four in a row for the first time under Vincenzo Italiano. After their 2-0 win over Sampdoria, the Viola could keep a clean sheet in successive away matches in the competition for the first time since May 2021.
Andrea Poli will also miss the game through suspension, and De Jong and Montolivo are out. Expect Giacomo Bonaventura to appear on the left of the midfield three. He has filled in everywhere, but the left is his side. Michael Essien and Marco van Ginkel could step back into the lineup after lengthy absences for the two of them.
Stefano Pioli oversaw 69 Serie A games as the manager of Fiorentina between 2017 and 2019 (W24 D24 L21). Rafael Leão has scored two goals in three Serie A matches against Fiorentina, with both coming at the Meazza - one of them was his very first in the competition, on September 29th, 2019. Olivier Giroud has scored four goals in his last four appearances for AC Milan in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League.
AC Milan - Fiorentina Live - Serie A - Eurosport