Series A
Lessons from the past: Milan-Verona, Sassuolo-Juventus, Empoli-Inter
The most recent spherical of Serie A video games is upon us, the place Milan, Juventus and Inter will all must keep away from numerous pitfalls towards their respective opponents, Apollo Heyes highlights.
Milan will tackle Hellas Verona on September 23 at 14.00 UK time, with Juventus taking up Sassuolo later at 17.00. The next day, Empoli will host Inter at 11:30.
With all three groups neck and neck within the early phases of the Serie A title race, none can afford to slide out of their provincial outings, including additional pressure to matches already awash with dangers.
Milan vs Hellas Verona
It wasn’t that way back when Milan final confronted Hellas Verona, internet hosting the Gialloblu at San Siro on June 4 within the closing spherical of video games within the 2022-23 season. It was a robust word for the Rossoneri’s season to finish on, particularly contemplating their inconsistencies throughout the marketing campaign.
Milan flew to a 3-1 win that June afternoon, with targets from Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leao securing all three factors for the membership. Davide Farioni picked up the comfort purpose for Verona, which gave them hope within the 72nd minute earlier than Leao’s brace within the closing seven minutes killed off the sport.
Wanting again at that match, it confirmed that Verona didn’t want a lot to seek out the again of the online – a protracted throw from Fabio Depaoli, a flick from Darko Lazovic and a header from Farioni. The Gialloblu solely produced 0.82 xG that sport, taking six photographs and taking part in a paltry 103 passes, and nonetheless nearly escaped with a degree.
Milan haven’t misplaced to Verona of their final 9 conferences, with that defeat coming in December 2017, however are dealing with a new-look Gialloblu below the steerage of Marco Baroni, whose Lecce held the Rossoneri to a 2-2 draw final season.
The Veneto facet edged out a 2-1 win over Roma final month regardless of taking 5 photographs to the Giallorossi’s 23, a warning signal for Milan heading into their conflict.
Sassuolo vs Juventus
Rewinding the clock, Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus clearly must study from their final assembly with Sassuolo, a irritating 1-0 loss on April 16. The consequence got here within the midst of a run of poor type, sandwiched between the losses to Lazio and Napoli.
Gregoire Defrel scored the decisive purpose for Sassuolo that night, profiting from a poor nook clearance from Nicolo Fagioli to poke the ball previous a diving Mattia Perin, who in all probability ought to’ve carried out higher at his close to publish.
It was an odd match from Allegri’s Juventus, who struggled to look notably harmful till they conceded within the 64th minute. By then, it was too little too late, letting Sassuolo off the hook regardless of the Outdated Woman ending the match with an xG of 1.11 from their 13 photographs.
One factor that does profit the Bianconeri is the summer time switch market; two gamers who performed key roles in Sassuolo’s victory in April have been Davide Frattesi and Maxime Lopez, who’ve since left for Inter and Fiorentina respectively.
The Outdated Woman have seemed robust in current weeks, discovering success with their attacking pairing of Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic, two gamers who’ll have to complete decisively if Allegri’s facet wish to take house all three factors in Reggio-Emilia.
Empoli vs Inter
All eyes can be on the league leaders Inter as they swap focus again to Serie A following their tense Champions League draw with Actual Sociedad. Historical past bodes properly for Simone Inzaghi’s facet, who dispatched Empoli 3-0 of their final assembly on April 23.
The scoreline isn’t absolutely reflective of the match, which was a lot nearer than the easy match it suggests for Inter. The sport was additionally one of many uncommon few final time period that noticed a decisive contribution from now-Roma striker Romelu Lukaku, who scored twice and supplied the help for Lautaro Martinez’s purpose.
Empoli put up a struggle on the Stadio Carlo Castellani, producing an xG of 0.93 from 11 photographs regardless of solely having 39% of the ball. Tommaso Baldanzi had an amazing sport for the Tuscan facet, serving to progress play up the pitch and act with chew within the penalty space.
Issues can be totally different this weekend, nonetheless. Empoli lately sacked coach Paolo Zanetti following their disastrous begin to the season – 4 defeats in 4 – and have introduced again Aurelio Andreazzoli, who was in cost when the Nerazzurri secured 2-0 and 4-2 wins over the Tuscan outfit.
While Inter might be prone to a brand new supervisor bounce, there’s little to counsel that Empoli will have the ability to wobble the league leaders, particularly contemplating their want to claim themselves after that troublesome draw with Actual Sociedad.
Phrases: @ApolloHeyes
