Italian Serie A Preview: AC Milan – US Palermo (Part 2)
Team News
AC Milan
Allergi will be without the services of Dainele Bonera, Massimo Oddo and Gianluca Zambrotta as the trio is out due to injuries. Club favourite Gennaro Gattuso will also miss the game due to suspension. Owing much to Robinho’s poor outing against Bari, Allegri
is likely to start Ronaldinho ahead of him.
Expected Formation
Massimliano Allegri has taken a liking to the 4-3-1-2 formation recently and will stick to it. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexandre Pato will lead the line with Ronaldinho weaving his magic from the trequartista role. Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo and Massimo
Ambrosini will start in the midfield while Luca Antonini and Ignazio Abate will take the full back positions. The Nesta-Silva pair will continue to feature in front of Christian Abbiati at the goal.
Probable Line up
Christian Abbiati, Ignazio Abate, Alessandro Nesta, Thiago Silva, Luca Antonini, Clarence Seedorf, Massimo Ambrosini, Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
US Palermo
Fabio Liverani and young forward Abel Hernandez will miss the trip to Milan due to injuries.
Expected Formation
Delio Rossi will use his own version of 4-3-1-2 formation against Milan. Fabrizio Miccoli and Josep Ilicic are likely to lead the line for the Rosanero. Jaiver Pastore will look to stun San Siro crowd from his trequartista role while Giulio Migliaccio, Armin
Bacinovic and Antonio Nocerino will look to dominate an ageing yet talented Milan midfield. In Mattia Cassani and Federico Balzaretti, Delio Rossi has the most potent full back combinations in Serie A. The duo will look to stretch the Milan back line with
overlapping runs. Salvatore Sirigu will keep the gloves and will be eager to impress Cesare Prandelli in the Azzurri seat.
Probable Line up
Salvatore Sirigu, Mattia Cassani, Federico Balzaretti, Cesare Bovo, Ezequiel Munoz, Giulio Migliaccio, Armin Bacinovic, Antonio Nocerino, Fabrizio Miccoli, Javier Pasotre, Josep Ilicic
Key Players
Alexandre Pato
The Brazilian livewire is yet to hit the dazzling heights wildly expected of him. His return from injury has been decent at best and with fellow Samba stars Ronaldinho and Robinho misfiring at the moment, ‘The Duck’ will have to be at his lively best.
Javier Pastore
Undoubted star man for Palermo, the Argentine has added million to an already burgeoning price tage this season with a string of dazzling performances. Milan’s full back are poor and Pasotre will look to drop into space left behind by their forays forward.
Should Pastore find his top form tonight, Milan will find it hard going for a victory.
Prediction
The game at San Siro promises to be an entertaining affair with chances a plenty for both sides. With the two sides oozing with quality, it will take a moment of magic from the two set of players to decide the tie. Milan’s superior offence will prevail towards
the end and the Rossoneri will eke out a 2 – 1 victory.
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