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Milan logo
Serie A | Gameweek 14
Nov 30, 2024 at 5pm UK
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
Empoli logo

AC Milan
vs.
Empoli

Preview: AC Milan vs. Empoli - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Serie A clash between AC Milan and Empoli, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Beset by chronic inconsistency, AC Milan will aim to stay on the coat-tails of Serie A's top six as they host mid-table Empoli on Saturday.

Milan's grim goalless draw with Juventus left them seventh in the standings, before victory in Bratislava boosted their Champions League campaign - and their visitors could pull level on points with a win at San Siro.


Match preview

AC Milan duo Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao in September 2024.© Imago

Posting their third straight Champions League success, Milan edged past Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday evening, with goals from Christian Pulisic, Tammy Abraham and Rafael Leao ultimately securing an unconvincing 3-2 victory.

Having previously recovered from a slow start by beating Club Brugge and reigning champions Real Madrid, the Rossoneri therefore moved five points clear of the elimination zone and are occupying a playoff place with three league-phase games to go.

However, on the domestic front, Paulo Fonseca's side have accrued a modest total of 19 points in Serie A, following last Saturday's dull 0-0 home draw with Juventus, in which they produced just one shot on target.

Just before the international break, they led twice in Cagliari but had to settle for one point from a six-goal thriller, and that is part of a wider picture of instability: Milan have alternated between conceding at least one goal and then keeping a clean sheet throughout their last 10 league matches.

Already, any hopes of silverware may be restricted to knockout competitions this season, as they must make up a 10-point deficit to first-placed Napoli, with five other contenders stacked up between.

Having failed to score in their last two Serie A games at San Siro, they could now go three without a home win for the first time since 2021 and three without scoring for the first time in seven years, so under-fire Fonseca cannot afford to slip up.

Pietro Pellegri scores for Empoli on November 25, 2024© Imago

While Empoli have lost six of their last seven league meetings with Milan - failing to find the net in five - all of the Azzurri's previous victories over the Rossoneri have come at San Siro: in 2003, 2007, and most recently in 2017.

At this advanced stage of the season, Empoli are surprisingly within three points of their illustrious counterparts - albeit having played an extra match - having proved particularly tough to beat.

They held Udinese to a 1-1 draw on Monday evening, when resurgent striker Pietro Pellegri scored his third goal in as many appearances, and have lost just three times across all competitions this season.

Sitting 10th in the table, Roberto D'Aversa's squad are continuing to exceed expectations, after scrapping their way to safety under Davide Nicola's management last spring.

The Tuscan club can also look forward to next week's Coppa Italia clash against local rivals Fiorentina, when a quarter-final place will be at stake, but first they must tackle the might of Milan at San Siro.

AC Milan Serie A form:


AC Milan form (all competitions):


Empoli Serie A form:


Team News

AC Milan's Tammy Abraham pictured on September 14, 2024© Imago

Milan will have almost all of their squad available on Saturday evening, as only long-term absentees Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi join Luka Jovic on the sidelines.

Alvaro Morata returns to the fray after serving a UEFA suspension, and he will compete with teenage star Francesco Camarda and Tammy Abraham to claim the lone striker's role.

Morata is favourite, but Abraham was on target in midweek and has scored more Serie A goals against Empoli than any other opponent (four); the Roma loanee is now looking to score in consecutive league games for the first time since March 2022.

Meanwhile, ex-Milan forward Pietro Pellegri is sure to start for Empoli, as he enjoys a purple patch. The injury-plagued striker's tally of three goals from his last three matches is as many as he managed across the past two seasons with Torino.

The Azzurri's solid form comes despite a long absence list, and Roberto D'Aversa will still be missing several men this weekend: Szymon Zurkowski, Tyronne Ebuehi, Saba Sazonov and Jacopo Fazzini are all unavailable, while Swiss midfielder Nicolas Haas recently suffered a serious knee injury.

Milan-owned pair Devis Vasquez and Lorenzo Colombo are both set to start against their parent club - in goal and up front respectively.


AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Emerson, Thiaw, Gabbia, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Morata

Empoli possible starting lineup:
Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti; Gyasi, Anjorin, Henderson, Maleh, Pezzella; Colombo, Pellegri


SM words green background

We say: AC Milan 2-0 Empoli

While they are often vulnerable on the road, Milan tend to keep things tight at San Siro, where they will put an end Empoli's unbeaten run.

Paulo Fonseca's rotation policy may be contributing some uneven performances, but the Rossoneri should still have too much firepower for their Tuscan counterparts to handle.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




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Data Failed

Who will win Saturday's Serie A clash between AC Milan and Empoli?

AC Milan
Draw
Empoli
AC Milan
100%
Draw
0.0%
Empoli
0.0%
3
Collect / Create New Data
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AC Milan duo Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao in September 2024.
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rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Napoli139222091129
2Atalanta BCAtalanta1391334161828
3Inter Milan1384131141728
4Fiorentina1384127101728
5Lazio1391328141428
6Juventus136702171425
7AC Milan125432014619
8Bologna124621516-118
9Udinese135261619-317
10Empoli133731011-116
11Torino134361619-315
12Roma133461418-413
13Parma132651721-412
14Hellas VeronaHellas Verona134091732-1512
15Lecce13337621-1512
16CagliariCagliari132561424-1011
17Genoa132561124-1311
18Como132471325-1210
19Monza131661116-59
20VeneziaVenezia132291122-118


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