Serie A: San Siro Hosts Giants Looking to Recapture Past Glories

AC Milan vs AS Roma

Two Serie A giants close out 2024 with an end-of-year clash at San Siro.

I say two giants because, right now, AC Milan and AS Roma are more like fallen giants. They are not realistically going to threaten for the top honours any time soon as far as this SBOTOP observer is concerned.

That’s not to say we won’t get any Serie A 2024 highlights on Sunday night.

 

Talking Points 

While Milan lead their visitors by seven points in the Serie A standings, neither side has matched their respective expectations this year, not helped by turmoil off the pitch.

That has been well reflected by the change of the men at the helm. Embattled head coach Paulo Fonseca has certainly not taken over a vintage Rossoneri side for his side are also 11 points adrift of arch-rivals Inter Milan and 14 shy of league leaders Atalanta, meaning any slim Scudetto hopes for the 2022 Italian champions have long been shelved. Furthermore, they are also behind several other challengers for European qualification.

It means a crucial second half of the campaign awaits, including a New Year sojourn to Saudi Arabia for the Supercoppa Italiana, as well as a further meeting with Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals to come.

Milan may have kept six clean sheets in eight league games at San Siro this term, but they have also failed to score in three of the last four – as many times as throughout the previous 45 outings.

Several names have been linked with a move over recent weeks, including Genoa’s Morten Frendrup and Monza’s Warren Bondo, and they need to strengthen if they’re realistically going to finish in the top four.

On Sunday, Fonseca will hope he can welcome back Christian Pulisic from injury, while Ismael Bennacer and Luka Jovic have returned to full training. Star man Rafael Leao, Yunus Musah, Noah Okafor, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are among those still sidelined.

The hosts come into this one on the back of a 1-0 win against Hellas Verona last weekend, courtesy of a 56^th-minute winner from in-form Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders.

Roma, meanwhile, moved into the top half of the table on goal difference after thumping Parma at the Stadio Olimpico, a game in which Paulo Dybala proved his worth by scoring twice.

The fact they are so low in the standings, though, speaks volumes for the year they have had – ever since they decided to part company with Jose Mourinho in January and replace him with club icon Daniele De Rossi (a decision I lamented at the time), which was subsequently followed by a poor spell under Ivan Juric, recently appointed manager at Southampton.

Although they have lost all their last four away games in Serie A – the club’s worst such run since 2008 – and have a dismal recent league record against Milan, at least the subsequent return of retired veteran Claudio Ranieri has lifted spirits.

His interim appointment has steadied the ship, if nothing else, and he should be able to call upon a near full strength squad this weekend. The only exception for the Giallorossi is Bryan Cristante, who has suffered a setback in his bid to return from an ankle problem.

 

History 

In what was their first ever clash in European competition, Roma won both legs of their Europa League quarter-final tie last season. The first leg success in April, courtesy of a Gianluca Mancini header, was the first time Roma had beaten Milan on their own turf since October 2017. The second leg was a 2-1 home success, secured courtesy of Mancini and Dybala goals.

Milan won both league games, including the corresponding fixture in January when Yacine Adli, Olivier Giroud, and Theo Hernandez were the scorers in a 3-1 home win. A Leandro Paredes penalty was all Roma had to show for their display.

Milan have traditionally had the upper hand in this heavyweight battle. They have won 85 of their encounters – I recalled one just as football resumed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 – Roma have enjoyed 50 victories and there have been a further 57 draws.

 

Betting Tip

Our Serie A 2024 betting odds give Milan the edge, priced 1X2 @ 2.28 and Asian Handicap -0.50, also @ 2.28, compared to Roma 1X2 @ 2.89 and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.38. A repeat of last season’s league encounter is on offer with Correct Score 3-1 @ 18.50. I don’t think there will be to many goals in this, but I do think the wily Ranieri can guide his side to a point.

   

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