Holding a one-goal advantage from the first leg, Monza aim to take one step closer to the Italian top flight when they play host to Brescia on Sunday, in the Serie B playoff semi-finals.

The Lombardy rivals convene at Stadio Brianteo after Monza took a 2-1 lead in midweek, and - thanks to their higher Serie B finish - the home side will progress to the final even if the tie ends all-square on aggregate.

Match preview

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Battling back from behind in a tense first-leg affair at Stadio Rigamonti, Monza recovered from the early blow of conceding Stefano Moreo's seventh-minute strike to find an equaliser just before the break - going on to improve their promotion chances still further at the start of the second half.

Danish striker Christian Gytkjaer converted a 56th-minute penalty to complete an invaluable brace, which leaves Brescia needing to win by two clear goals in Sunday's return.

Crucially finishing the regular season one place above their local rivals, Giovanni Stroppa's men entered the semis directly, and though the away goals rule does not apply in the Serie B playoffs, if the tie ends level on aggregate then the team that finished higher in the table goes straight through.

Having had time to digest their failure to go up automatically, Monza - who were fourth in the standings - are therefore favourites to make the final, of which the first leg is next Thursday.

The Biancorossi's ownership pairing of Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani - one of the most successful partnerships in Calcio history, having won 29 trophies with Milan - will not settle for anything less than a place in Serie A. Even more so, after they lost to Cittadella in the semi-finals last year.

Monza - who have never before reached the top tier - not only edged the first leg, but also took four points from Brescia during the league season; drawing 1-1 when the teams clashed at Stadio Brianteo last month.

Having qualified for the playoffs via a fifth-placed finish in Serie B, Brescia ultimately came just two points short of sealing automatic promotion but are now on the brink of missing out on a return to the promised land.

Eugenio Corini's side had to come through a tense preliminary round against Perugia last Saturday, booking their semi-final spot with a 3-2 extra-time win, before faltering on home soil in midweek.

Owned by former Leeds United chief Massimo Cellino, it has been a tumultuous time since Brescia's relegation two years ago, and a series of coaches have come and gone in their search for success.

Though the Biancazzurri boasted the division's second-best away record of the 2021-22 campaign, they now visit a Monza outfit who won 13 of their 19 home fixtures - and who they failed to beat in three previous attempts this term - so the odds are certainly stacked against them.

Team News

Following their first-leg defeat, Brescia are set to be forced into at least one change to the side which started at the Rigamonti in midweek.

While Matthieu Huard, who was forced off with a head injury on Wednesday, has returned to training and will hope to retain his place in defence, fellow full-back Stefano Sabelli was sent straight to hospital with a back injury and misses out.

The latter could be replaced by Marko Pajac this weekend, while Andrea Cistana, Giacomo Olzer and Lorenzo Andreoli join him on the sidelines. Veteran striker Rodrigo Palacio should lead the line up front again, alongside Stefano Moreo.

Monza, meanwhile, are once more set to start with a 3-5-2 system; Giovanni Stroppa's back three being helmed by the experienced Gabriel Paletta.

Stroppa, however, will have to do without wing-back Pedro Pereira, who sustained a sprained ankle in the first leg.

First-leg hero Christian Gytkjaer - who scored nine times during the regular season and twice on Wednesday - is favourite to start up front, supported by Dany Mota.

Monza possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Donati, Paletta, Pirola; D'Alessandro, Ciurria, Barberis, Machin, Augusto; Mota, Gytkjaer

Brescia possible starting lineup:
Joronen; Pajac, Adorni, Mangraviti, Huard; Bisoli, Van De Looi, Leris; Tramoni; Moreo, Palacio

We say: Monza 1-0 Brescia (Monza win 3-1 on aggregate)

Having had to overcome an extra-time epic shortly before the first leg, while Monza prepared in peace, Brescia were always likely to be up against it at Stadio Rigamonti.

Their chance may now have passed, as Sunday's hosts are an ambitious outfit, driven to reach one final destination: Serie A.

For additional data used by our team to analyse our suggested result please click here.

Written by
Jonathan O'Shea

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