Sabasports Match Preview
Italia Super Cup: Juventus vs AC Milan
Kickoff Time: 2024-01-04 03:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo
Juventus faced a morale blow last weekend when they drew 2-2 at home against Fiorentina. So far this season, Juventus has only lost one match at home in the Champions League against Stuttgart, remaining unbeaten in all other competitions. In Serie A, Juventus stands out as the only team still unbeaten, with a record of seven wins and 11 draws. However, due to too many draws, Juventus currently sits in sixth place in the standings with just 32 points. It is worth mentioning that Juventus’s attacking power has been somewhat lacking, with the wings lacking explosive breakthrough ability. Although Dusan Vlahovic is the team’s top scorer, he often plays as a center forward, which has not led to an efficient and sharp attack for the team. When facing teams that excel at defense, Juventus often struggles to break through their opponents’ tight defenses. Fortunately, Juventus’s defense remains relatively solid, which is why they have been able to stay unbeaten in many matches.
Last weekend, AC Milan drew 1-1 at home against Roma, and afterward, AC Milan officially announced the dismissal of head coach Paulo Fonseca, with Marceneiro Conceicao taking over the position. Conceicao previously led Porto to three Primeira Liga championships, with a counter-attacking style being his winning strategy. Under Conceicao, Porto has pulled off several upsets in the Champions League, giving many top teams a hard time. However, Serie A is different from the Primeira Liga, and it remains to be seen whether Conceicao can maintain his tactical system in the pace of Serie A. In the first 17 rounds of the league, AC Milan scored 26 goals and conceded 17, indicating a weak attack but strong defense. Although AC Milan’s squad looks good on paper, there is no stable core player who can step up and lead the team in crucial moments. Additionally, the midfield remains a weak point, with several players lacking consistency, posing a challenge for Conceicao.
Both Juventus and AC Milan are known for their strong defenses, especially with AC Milan’s new coach, Conceicao, placing a strong emphasis on defense. The last two encounters between the two teams ended in draws, and given the small gap in overall strength, it is believed that this time they will also find it difficult to determine a winner within the regular time. Considering AC Milan has just undergone a coaching change, which may improve the team’s internal atmosphere, it is reasonable to expect that AC Milan could remain unbeaten in this match within 90 minutes.
Juventus’s Last 5 Games: DWWDW
24-12-30 Juventus 2-2 Fiorentina
24-12-23 Monza 1-2 Juventus
24-12-18 Juventus 4-0 Cagliari
24-12-15 Juventus 2-2 Venezia
24-12-12 Juventus 2-0 Manchester City
AC Milan’s Last 5 Games: DWDWL
24-12-30 AC Milan 1-1 AS Roma
24-12-21 Hellas Verona 0-1 AC Milan
24-12-16 AC Milan 0-0 Genoa
24-12-12 AC Milan 2-1 FK Crvena Zvezda
24-12-07 Atalanta 2-1 AC Milan
Head To Head Record:
24-11-24 AC Milan 0-0 Juventus
24-04-28 Juventus 0-0 AC Milan
23-10-23 AC Milan 0-1 Juventus
23-07-28 Juventus 2-2 AC Milan
23-05-29 Juventus 0-1 AC Milan
Prediction: AC Milan to win or Draw