AC Milan vs Como – News and Probable Lineups

AC Milan and Como are finally set to clash in what has been dubbed Serie A’s most contentious matchup of the season, with the game scheduled for Wednesday evening.

The fixture was originally slated to occur in Australia, as San Siro was chosen to host the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, featuring title-chasing Milan against their determined regional rivals.

Match overview

For a considerable period, the Serie A’s controversial initiative to hold a match in Perth seemed close to realization, as Milan and Como were selected to be the first top-flight teams to play outside of Italy’s borders.

Nonetheless, despite extensive negotiations over several months, administrative obstacles remained, leading to the match being relocated back to San Siro, although it will occur at a later date.

The teams now find themselves with second-placed Milan trailing league leaders Inter de Milão by eight points, with Milan having one match in hand over their historical rivals.

Since an unexpected defeat on the opening day against Cremonese, the Rossoneri have maintained an unbeaten streak across their next 23 games, the longest active run in Europe’s top five leagues.

In fact, their only defeats since August have come in knockout competitions, facing Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana and Lazio in the Coppa Italia.

Having recorded the club’s finest points tally at this point in the season for 22 years, Max Allegri’s squad is certainly keeping a formidable Inter side alert.

In their last outing, they narrowly defeated Pisa, with veteran midfielder Luka Modric scoring a late winner before Adrien Rabiot was shown a red card during stoppage time.

Now, Milan must face Como before proceeding to two matches against teams in the bottom half of the table, followed by a potentially crucial Derby della Madonnina.

Despite their recent advancements, the financially ambitious Como have endured three losses against Milan since their promotion to Serie A in 2024.

During their last meeting a month ago, Rabiot netted twice as the Rossoneri secured a 3-1 victory at Stadio Sinigaglia; the defeated coach Cesc Fabregas expressed his frustrations regarding Allegri’s tactical setup.

Another stylistic confrontation looms on Wednesday as Fabregas’s side aims to recover from a 2-1 home defeat to struggling Fiorentina last week, a result that negatively impacted their aspirations for a top-six finish.

In less than two years since their ascent from Serie B, the Lariani are competing for a spot in Europe and remain in contention for their first Coppa Italia after eliminating Napoli in the quarter-finals.

This penalty shootout triumph set up an enticing two-legged semi-final against Inter, but first, they need to enhance their league performance, as they have recently dropped to seventh place in Serie A.

With smart acquisitions, Fabregas has crafted a side that proves difficult to defeat on their travels: Como have only lost three of their 11 away matches so far, conceding merely nine goals.

Now, he will guide them across Lombardy to San Siro, aiming for another impactful victory and three points that could push them above Atalanta.

Team News

Milan is making progress toward a fully-fit squad, with key forwards Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao having both made appearances from the bench last Friday.

Belgian wing-back Alexis Saelemaekers is nearing a return from an adductor injury, although he might still join Santiago Gimenez on the sidelines.

Alongside Pulisic and Leao, Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Fullkrug – the latter having missed a penalty against Pisa – are also vying for two attacking positions, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek has taken on an advanced role in recent weeks.

Allegri will need to adjust his midfield as Rabiot is suspended; meanwhile, Como’s Alvaro Morata received an unwarranted red card against Fiorentina and will be unavailable to face his former club.

Tasos Douvikas and Nico Paz are the top scorers for the Lariani in Serie A, each with eight goals, and both are expected to start again. However, it’s possible the latter may be asked to play as a false nine, with Douvikas starting on the bench.

Only Assane Diao and Edoardo Goldaniga are injured, giving Fabregas ample choices for selection.

AC Milan probable starting XI:

Cousins; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Athekame, Fofana, Modric, Loftus-Cheek, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Nkunku

Como probable starting XI:

Butez; Smolcic, Ramon, Kempf, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Vojvoda, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas

Milan, with hopes for the Scudetto, require all three points to keep pressure on Inter, but Como has the potential to halt their momentum.

The Lariani present a significant threat in the attacking third and maintain a commendable record when playing away.