AC Milan aren’t involved about their Scudetto hopes slipping away, with Adrien Rabiot mentioning that there’s a lengthy strategy to go within the Serie A title race.
Milan go to Fiorentina on Sunday, having let two factors slip via their grasp final day trip in a 1-1 draw with Genoa.
That consequence left Massimiliano Allegri’s aspect three factors adrift of rivals Inter on the prime of the desk, however with the Nerazzurri dealing with third-place Napoli on Sunday, they might have a possibility to make up floor on matchday 19.
Milan haven’t misplaced in Serie A since matchday one, once they went right down to Cremonese within the first league sport of Allegri’s second stint in cost.
Ought to they keep away from defeat this weekend, Milan will attain 19 matchdays in a Serie A season with as few as one defeat for under the fourth time within the three-points-for-a-win period, after 1995-96, 2003-04 and 2004-05.
Milan received the Scudetto within the first two of these campaigns, whereas ending as runners-up within the latter.
“It’s January,” Rabiot stated as he mirrored on Thursday’s slip-up. “The season runs till Might, there are lots of matches and plenty of head-to-head video games.
“We have to keep calm, recuperate our vitality for Sunday and hold going. We’re there. We’re not apprehensive.”
Rabiot does imagine Milan should shake their behavior of beginning slowly – if solely first halves counted, they might be fourth within the Serie A desk with 28 factors. Within the second-half desk, they’re second with 34 factors.
“We at all times inform ourselves to start out properly, however generally we’re not there mentally,” Rabiot continued. “
“We do higher after half-time, however we are able to’t play solely 50 minutes per match. We’ll hold engaged on this, particularly on the psychological aspect.”
Fiorentina sit 18th within the desk, having taken extra factors from their 4 video games (seven) than they did from their first 15 at first of the marketing campaign (six), having changed Stefano Pioli – a former title-winning coach with Milan – with Paolo Vanoli in November.
Fiorentina sit 18th within the desk, having taken extra factors from their final 4 video games (seven) than they did from their first 15 at first of the marketing campaign (six), having changed Stefano Pioli – a former title-winning coach with Milan – with Paolo Vanoli in November.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fiorentina – Albert Gudmundsson
Gudmundsson is one among 4 gamers, alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Riccardo Orsolini and Nikola Vlasic, to have scored three penalties in Serie A this season.
Because the begin of 2023-24, the Fiorentina man has transformed 9 of his 10 penalties within the competitors; solely Paulo Dybala (91%) has a greater conversion charge from the spot than him (90%) amongst gamers who’ve taken no less than eight within the prime flight over this era.
AC Milan – Rafael Leao
Fiorentina are one among two groups – together with Cagliari – towards whom Leao has scored probably the most Serie A objectives; the Portugal ahead has netted six instances in simply eight video games towards the Viola.
Nonetheless, solely a kind of objectives got here on the Stadio Artemio Franchi, on March 30, 2024. Milan received that sport 2-1 with Leao additionally offering an help for Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Rafa nodded in his seventh league purpose this season
Delivered to you by @SN4IFUN pic.twitter.com/ircTnRtmG0
— AC Milan (@acmilan) January 9, 2026
MATCH PREDICTION – AC MILAN WIN
AC Milan have received 79 of their 171 Serie A matches towards Fiorentina (D45 L47), with the Rossoneri solely recording extra victories towards Roma (81) within the competitors.
Fiorentina are additionally the aspect towards whom Milan have scored probably the most objectives (268) of their Serie A historical past.
And solely one of many final 11 Serie A matches between Fiorentina and Milan has led to a draw (2-2 final April at San Siro), with the Rossoneri successful seven and Fiorentina successful three throughout this era.
Fiorentina are at present two Serie A video games unbeaten (W1 D1), however they haven’t gone three consecutive matches with out defeat within the competitors at any level this season.
The Viola have gained seven factors of their final 4 Serie A fixtures, yet another than they collected of their first 15 league video games of the season.
However Milan, who’re unbeaten since matchday one, are the favourites. Away from residence, they’re the one workforce but to lose in Serie A this season, solely conceding 5 objectives in eight street journeys (W5 D3) – Bayern Munich are the one different workforce in Europe’s prime 5 leagues who’re but to lose on their travels.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fiorentina – 26.7%
AC Milan – 47.1%
Draw – 26.1%
