Udinese vs AC Milan – News and Probable Lineups

After a challenging midweek performance in England, AC Milan will look to regain their form as they face Udinese, who are currently struggling in Serie A, this Sunday evening.

In their last match, the Rossoneri suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of another team in red-and-black stripes, putting a halt to their recent positive run.

Match overview

Following an opening loss to Benfica, Milan rebounded with a commanding 4-0 victory over RB Salzburg in their second Europa League encounter this month, with promising young player Alphadjo Cisse netting a hat-trick.

Nonetheless, two early mistakes cost them dearly against Bournemouth on Thursday night. A handball by Koni De Winter resulted in a penalty for the Cherries, and Mike Maignan experienced a red card for an altercation with Tyler Adams.

The Rossoneri’s goalkeeper and captain not only received a dismissal but also allowed another spot-kick, which the hosts converted to secure a 3-0 win.

Currently situated just inside the qualification cutoff for the knockout stages, Milan’s European ambitions have not gone as anticipated, unlike their strong start in Serie A.

New head coach Ruben Amorim is the third manager in the club’s history to remain unbeaten in his opening seven top-flight matches, marking the first occurrence since 1963.

His squad has amassed 15 points, although they nearly let two slip away last weekend after establishing a three-goal lead against Atalanta and having to hold on for victory.

Having drawn their last three away encounters in Serie A, Milan must now aim to extend their impressive track record in Udine, where they achieved two victories last year with an aggregate score of 7-0.

However, Udinese’s latest clash with Milan saw them enjoy a significant triumph: their 3-0 win at San Siro in April contributed to the Rossoneri’s failure to qualify for Champions League football.

In their last eight league confrontations, there have been no draws, with the Bianconeri securing three wins in that span.

Current forms indicate they might find it tough to claim all three points this week, as Kosta Runjaic’s side has suffered five defeats in seven Serie A matches thus far.

This marks Udinese’s highest number of losses at this stage of a season since 2017-18, and the way they’ve struggled in their recent matches is particularly worrisome.

Exposed defensively during set-pieces, the Friuli outfit endured a 3-0 defeat against Lecce, a team not particularly known for their away performances.

Now teetering just above the relegation zone, Udinese tend to falter as games progress: they hold the worst second-half goal difference in Serie A (-8), having found the net only twice after the break this season.

Team News

Milan’s busy fixture list is set to intensify with next Saturday’s Derby della Madonnina, coupled with a midweek game against Bologna, so Amorim is likely to implement changes.

After their club-record signing Goncalo Ramos missed the trip to England due to a minor injury, the Portuguese forward has returned to complete training and is expected to take Cisse’s place in the attack.

However, Samuel Chukwueze (hip), Mattia Gabbia (thigh), and Alexis Saelemaekers (ankle) remain unavailable; Filippo Terracciano is expected back from a UEFA ban but is now a fitness doubt.

While Adrien Rabiot has been involved in five goal-scoring efforts across his last four league appearances, Udinese has their own midfield threat in Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, who set up one and scored another against Milan in April, contributing to 11 Serie A goals this calendar year.

Now facing pressure for the first time during his tenure, Runjaic will welcome the return of Nicolo Zaniolo from injury, although David Alaba strained a calf during his first start for Udinese last week.

The veteran defender joins Vakoun Bayo and Idrissa Gueye on the sidelines; with both still absent, Keinan Davis is set to lead the line for the hosts.

Udinese probable starting XI:

Okoye; Bertola, Solet, Ebosse; Vojvoda, Karlstrom, Piotrowski, Kamara; Ekkelenkamp, ​​Gomez; Davis

AC Milan probable starting XI:

Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Moreira, Musah, Modric, Bartesaghi; Rabiot, Pulisic; Ramos

Milan faced one of their most significant European disappointments midweek, and their demanding schedule is taking a toll, so Udinese might manage to halt their losing streak on Sunday.

Once a formidable force, the Friulani have lost five consecutive matches since reaching the Coppa Italia’s third round in early September, and they cannot afford for this negative trend to continue.