AC Milan return to action following the international break, this time taking on reigning champions Juventus.
In what is a season-defining game, the Rossoneri take on Juve, who last year ran away with the title, wrapping it up with four games still left to play and finishing up on 87 points.
AC Milan went into the international break following a 0-0 draw against Atalanta and are sitting precariously on the ladder in fifth spot.
While Milan have had a topsy-turvy season, the Bianconeri have fared worse, winning just five games so far this season. Their opening game against Genoa saw them lose 2-0 and things took a while to improve.
Historically though, Juventus have the bragging rights over Milan, winning 21 out of the last 49 matches played, while the Rossoneri have a tally of 14 wins and 14 draws. Juve have won five straight against AC Milan since 2012 and will be looking to continue that winning streak on Saturday night.
The Rossoneri have not lost a game since October and will be looking to build on their pre-international break form, which saw them pick up three wins and two draws. Their last loss was the heavy 4-0 defeat to Napoli, however they have since appeared to turn their season around. A lot of this can be attributed to the fantastic work from their young goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma. Sinisa Mihajlovic took a gamble in putting the youngster between the sticks instead of Diego Lopez earlier in the season, and the gamble has paid off, so far.
The team appears to be finally coming together, and the string of wins and draws they took into the break will give them a confidence boost ahead of the showdown against Juventus. If Milan want to overcome Juve and notch their first win in Turin since 2011, then the midfield and forwards will need to be firing on all cylinders. Giacomo Bonaventura and Carlos Bacca will be crucial for the game and if the crafty midfielder can work his magic with the ball and feed it to the Colombian, then they may just come away with a win that would lift their spirits and mental strength immensely.
Bacca has become the main point of goalscoring for Mihajlovic since Mario Balotelli was sidelined through injury. Luiz Adriano, while scoring two goals for Milan this season, has been disappointing overall and the manager will feel strained with his limited bench options. Balotelli is reportedly out until at least January and appears likely to be having surgery on the groin injury that has kept him out of the squad. The Italian international had appeared to be discovering some form and was a threat on the field before his injury, creating havoc against defenders and providing some excellent free kicks.
The match against Juve is a big test for the mentality of the squad and if it can come away with a win or a draw then it will be a success. A win would see Milan move to 23 points and possibly fifth place if Sassuolo lose. A draw would move the Milanese to 21 points, where they would remain in sixth spot on the ladder. If Juventus win, however, then they would jump Milan and move into sixth place.
The run into the Christmas break sees AC Milan take on Juventus and Sampdoria, followed by teams all sitting at the lower end of the table (Carpi, Verona and Frosinone), as well as Crotone in the fourth round of the Coppa Italia.
If Milan can shake off the inconsistency that has plagued them the last two seasons, they can potentially come away with 15 points leading into Christmas and while it would seem like an unlikely scenario, this is why Mihajlovic was appointed. He will be looking to instill this belief into the team come Saturday, where they will be aiming to snatch a shock win against the Bianconeri. Three players will be key to the potential victory: Donnarumma, Bonaventura, and Bacca.
Key Facts
Juventus have lost none of the eight games played this season in all competitions when starting Claudio Marchisio. They have suffered four defeats in the other nine matches.
Juventus have won their last two Serie A games, but have failed to win three in a row since last April.
The Rossoneri are unbeaten through the last five games (3W, 2D), they were unbeaten through six matches in October 2014 (2W, 4D)
AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has an 84.6% save record in the Serie A since his debut, only Samir Handanovic has a better record at 86.3%
Juventus and AC Milan have met a total of 160 times in the Serie A, with the Bianconeri leading with 58 wins, while AC Milan have 48 wins and there has been 54 draws.
The Bianconeri have won their last three home matches.
Juve have also conceded the joint-most goals from outside the box this Serie A season. Last season? Just four conceded.
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