AC Milan travel to lower-tier Verona on Friday for some festivities as the seven-time European champions battle inconsistent form and fan anger as local rivals and Serie A champions Inter Milan continue their form. . Hopeful Milan supporters want excitement and trophies, but this season has so far offered little of the former and is unlikely to end with the latter. Coach Paulo Fonseca’s team is in 8th place in the Italian top league, and although they have a game left, they are in turmoil with a 14-point difference from league leaders Atalanta, just six months after taking over at San Siro. The director appears to have reached his limit.
The Portuguese has publicly clashed with senior players, questioned his team commitment and repeatedly gone after his compatriot and star winger. Rafael Remove Leo and French full-backs Theo Hernandez against a teenage academy player in last weekend’s miserable goalless draw with Genoa.
Meanwhile, fans are in a state of militancy, attacking the owners on Saturday, as the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations were canceled due to poor performance and the presence of Paolo Maldini, who was among the iconic players paraded on the pitch. was marred not only by its conspicuous absence, but also by chants of demand. US investment fund Redbird is sold.
Supporters then appeared outside a private anniversary party, attacking most of the arriving players and holding up banners with messages such as “A club without ambition, unworthy of our history.” Ta.
As a fallout from these vocal protests, Italian media have floated the names of former national team managers, with Fonseca reportedly risking his job to take Milan to Verona. roberto If Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi leaves the club with fewer than three points, Mancini will take his place.
This may not be an easy task, as Verona were only denied a win against Juventus by a stoppage-time penalty last time out.
Milan’s problems were made even worse for their fans with Inter defeating Lazio 6-0, a victory that showed they were not going to let go of the league crown easily.
Third-placed Inter, three points behind Atalanta, have a game in hand and Simone Inzaghi’s men will be looking to move into a new gear on Monday night when they host Como in their last Serie A game before Christmas. There are signs that it is ready to enter.
Inzaghi will be without injured star midfielder Nicolo Barella and the defender Francesco Acerbi and Benjamin Pavard However, there are strong agents who have shown that they can be incorporated into the coach’s established system.
Atalanta hosts Empoli on Sunday maintained a two-goal lead over Napoli, who had just beaten Cesena in Serie B 6-1 in the Italian Cup, and are looking to extend their club record to a 11th consecutive league win.
Player to watch: David Neres (Napoli)
Since joining from Benfica in August, Brazilian international Neres has primarily been assigned a reserve role behind Juvica Kvaratschelia, but has always impressed in his appearances off the bench.
And due to Kvaratscheria’s knee injury, Neres made a rare start at Udinese, where he showed off his direct running and dynamism.
Neres will be in Antonio Conte’s starting XI for the fifth time on Saturday night against Genoa. The hosts will play their first game since being bought by Romanian businessman Dan Suk on Wednesday.
Key statistics
10 – Atalanta’s consecutive wins in Serie A is a club record.
11 – The number of points separating Milan and Inter.
Match schedule (GMT time)
Friday
Verona vs AC Milan (1945)
Saturday
Turin vs. Bologna (1400), Genoa vs. Napoli (1700), Lecce vs. Lazio (1945)
Sunday
Roma vs. Parma (1130), Venice vs. Cagliari (1400), Atalanta vs. Empoli (1700), Monza vs. Juventus (1945)
Monday
Fiorentina v Udinese (1730), Inter Milan v Como (1945)
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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