Sunday marks a landmark event for Milan and Atalanta as they lock horns in Serie A on Easter for the primary time. Either side can be keen to soak up the power of the vacation backdrop, utilizing it as gas to ship a efficiency worthy of the highlight.
Milan provided their greatest displaying underneath Sergio Conceicao but in final weekend’s 4-0 rout of mid-table Udinese. Standout winger Rafael Leao pieced collectively a classic efficiency, whereas Tijjani Reijnders hit a ten-goal milestone in Serie A to encourage a vital win.
Nevertheless, Milan are nonetheless liable to lacking out on European qualification through their Serie A putting, with 5 factors separating them from sixth-placed Lazio pre-round. With solely six video games left, the Rossoneri might must pursue alternate methods to safe continental soccer for subsequent season.
One such comes via the Coppa Italia. Milan will renew hostilities with arch-rivals Inter within the second leg of their evenly-poised semi-final tie in a number of days, therefore a possible distraction forward of this conflict. Atalanta might profit from the significance of Milan’s upcoming cup duties.
Regardless of being within the Scudetto image till final month, Atalanta should navigate a pulsating run-in to safe a top-four end. Certainly, Gian Piero Gasperini’s costs boast a feeble four-point lead on fifth-placed Bologna, solely because of a 2-0 residence win in opposition to this opposition final week.
Mateo Retegui and Mario Pasalic have been on the scoresheet contained in the opening 21 minutes to assist Atalanta get better from an embarrassing three-match shedding league run with out scoring.
Match Preview
Milan
Milan slumped to a 2-1 defeat in December’s reverse fixture in Bergamo. Because of this, they might lose each league matches in opposition to La Dea in the identical season for the primary time since 2007/08, a disturbing prospect that may probably dampen their spirits forward of a season-defining encounter in opposition to Inter.
The San Siro has not been the fortress Milan followers have been hoping for currently, with Conceicao’s facet choosing up only one win throughout their final 5 residence outings in all competitions (D3, L1). Worryingly, they conceded exactly twice in each league video games in opposition to fellow top-half rivals in that underwhelming sequence (D1, L1).
A scarcity of defensive resilience has been Milan’s undoing on this floor, as they’ve didn’t hold a clear sheet in seven of their final eight residence league fixtures. That’s a far cry from a scintillating run of six shutouts from seven earlier residence video games in Serie A.
Atalanta
Not since 1978 have Atalanta tasted Serie A soccer on Easter Sunday. Ominously, their final such showdown produced a defeat to Milan’s everlasting rivals Inter. With Juventus threatening their third spot, La Dea should defy historical past to construct on the abovementioned win in opposition to Bologna, which noticed them try solely 4 pictures – their joint-lowest in a single sport of this league marketing campaign.
Nevertheless, Atalanta slumped to a 1-0 loss at Fiorentina on their final Serie A journey, relinquishing an excellent 12-match unbeaten league run on the street (W9, D3). That places them at risk of shedding back-to-back away matches on this competitors for under the second time this season. But, the final time it occurred was on this floor in opposition to Inter.
Conceding first might not essentially finish Atalanta’s quest to topple Milan at San Siro in Serie A for the primary time since January 2021. Certainly, solely their hosts (16) and Bologna (17) had gained extra factors from shedding positions than La Dea’s 15 forward of this spherical.
Workforce Information
Regardless of struggling a head harm in opposition to Udinese, star goalkeeper Mike Maignan ought to begin between the sticks. However Milan will nonetheless be with out Emerson Royal, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Kyle Walker, with the latter anticipated to get better for the Coppa Italia decider.
In the meantime, Atalanta can’t name upon a number of first-team stars, together with Charles De Ketelaere, Sea Kolasinac, Giorgio Scalvini, and Gianluca Scamacca. Moreover, Stefan Posch is a doubt because of a minor thigh harm.
Milan vs Atalanta Potential Beginning Line-ups
Milan (3-4-3): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Jimenez, Fofana, Reijnders, Hernandez; Pulisic, Abraham, Leao.
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Toloi, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; Pasalic, Lookman; Retegui.
Milan vs Atalanta Prediction
Three factors are completely crucial for Milan. Regardless of their abysmal season, they’ve fared beautifully in opposition to high-profile opposition underneath Conceicao, main us to imagine they’ll pounce on Atalanta’s drop-off on Sunday.
Prediction: Milan to Win
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