Serie A | Gameweek 16

Dec 15, 2024 at 7.45pm UK

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza

AC Milanvs.Genoa

Match preview

Milan recorded their fourth Champions League win on the spin as Rafael Leao's superb first-half strike and Tammy Abraham's late strike secured victory over Red Star Belgrade in the penultimate home game of the league phase.

Despite moving to within a point of an automatic last-16 berth, coach Paulo Fonseca was far from happy, questioning the attitude of some of his players and threatening to replace them with youngsters from the club's primavera.

Last week, Milan lost 2-1 to local rivals Atalanta BC in the league, leaving them 12 points adrift of La Dea in the title race, and they will now have to rely on cup competitions in their search for silverware.

The Rossoneri return to continental action in January when they take on Girona and Dinamo Zagreb, but first they have three Serie A fixtures to complete a disappointing calendar year.

Before taking on Hellas Verona and Roma, they face a Genoa side that Milan have dominated in recent seasons, having scored at least twice in eight of their last 10 league meetings and losing just one of their last 13.

Having also kept clean sheets in five of their seven Serie A home matches so far, despite doubts over Fonseca's defence, the hosts will be expected to prevail when a familiar face returns to the San Siro.

Although Patrick Vieira failed to make much of an impact at Milan before moving to Arsenal, where his playing career really took off, the 1998 World Cup winner went on to win several Scudetti for Inter a few years later.