Milan-Roma is a match valid for the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals and is played on Thursday at 21:00: live free-to-air TV, probable formations, predictions.
In the last draw in Nyon, with 3 out of 8 Italian teams, the chances of a derby happening were very high. Of course, it would have been better to avoid it, if only for a question of “ranking,” but so be it. On the bright side, of course, there will be at least one of our representatives in the semifinals, who will face one between Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham.
It is still a long and winding road to success, then, for Milan and Roma, who are ready to set up an exciting and thought-provoking doubleheader. The Rossoneri, once they have consolidated a place among the top 4, can devote themselves heart and soul to the Europa League, which has become a concrete goal ever since Stefano Pioli’s men exited the Champions League. So far, the Diavolo have disposed without major problems of two tricky but still within reach opponents such as Rennes and Slavia Prague. The French, who were overwhelmed 3-0 in the first leg at the San Siro, took advantage in the return leg of a Milan side that was already certain of passage to the round, beating them 3-2. Two wins out of two, on the other hand, against the Czechs (4-2 in Milan and 3-1 in Prague), who were down to 10 men in both challenges. Roma’s path was more painful: the Giallorossi, revitalized by the De Rossi cure – who took over from Mourinho in January – got the better of Feyenoord on penalties, then it was all easy with Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton, demolished 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico (painless the 1-0 defeat in the return match).
All Milan’s winning streak
A.C. Milan has been finding continuity for a month and a half now that it never had in the first part of the season. And since March it has had only victories, both in the league and in the cup.
The 3-0 win over Lecce last Saturday allowed them to further consolidate second place, ensuring that the gap to third-placed Juventus remained unchanged. It was also a positive weekend for Roma, which narrowly won the heartfelt derby with Lazio (1-0), decided by a Mancini header. For De Rossi’s team, which has slowed down a bit in the past month, it was the second win in three days. They nibbled two points off fourth-placed Bologna – now the Felsinei are at +2 – and detached even sixth-placed Atalanta (-5 with a game to spare). A success, the one against the biancocelesti, that also amounts to an important confidence boost ahead of the first round of the cup derby. As for the lineups, Pioli has to deal with the usual problems in defense. Tomori is disqualified and Thiaw is not at his best: if the German cannot make it, Kjaer will play alongside Gabbia. On the other side, De Rossi is without N’Dicka, who is also disqualified. On the left flank Spinazzola will be preferred to Angelino, in attack space for the Dybala-Lukaku-El Shaarawy trident.
The prediction
First continental clash between AC Milan and Roma, who have so far only played each other in Serie A. Recently, the Rossoneri have become something of a “black beast” for the Capitolini, who have failed to beat them for as many as nine games, with the Giallorossi’s last success at the San Siro going all the way back to 2017. Pioli’s team won the two previous season matches, but Mourinho was still on the Roma bench. The “revolution,” not only tactical, brought forward by De Rossi makes this double challenge for sure more balanced and uncertain, although at this moment it is difficult to go against Milan, slightly favored in the first leg match. Likely, however, Roma will manage to score at least one goal, keeping the qualification games open.
The probable formations of Milan-Roma
MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Gabbia, Hernandez; Bennacer, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud.
ROME (4-3-3): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Smalling, Spinazzola; Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini; Dybala, Lukaku, El Shaarawy.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
