(Football news) Although Milan’s guests are yet to record a league victory this season and were eliminated from the Coppa Italia in midweek, they did play out an exciting draw with Napoli last weekend after losing their previous two games.
Milan’s 2-2 draw with Napoli may have felt like two points lost in the wake of two depressing losses the previous week, as Olivier Giroud’s first-half brace had put them in control at Stadio Maradona last Sunday.
After Pierre Kalulu left the game due to injury and was replaced by the unproven Marco Pellegrino, Stefano Pioli’s already thin lineup was further weakened. In the second half, Napoli came charging back to steal a point from a thrilling match between the previous two Scudetto winners.
The Rossoneri had come south after losing to Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus; after losing 3-0 at Parc des Princes last month, they have not scored in their last five European games and are currently bottom of Group F, which also includes Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund.
The previous season’s Champions League semi-finalists need to first aim for their first league victory in almost a month, as they will be eager for three points from their rematch against PSG next week.
With a win over a struggling team they have previously dominated, Milan will look to right the ship after winning six of their last seven Serie A home games, with their lone defeat coming against possible championship rivals Juventus.
Even if Pioli’s team is still suffering from injuries, the Rossoneri have won 15 of their previous 16 league games at San Siro against Udinese, and their opponents haven’t triumphed since August.
Although Udinese defeated Milan 3-1 earlier this year to earn their first Serie A victory over the Milanese team in seven meetings, it appears that the Fruili team will have a difficult task this weekend to duplicate that victory.
The Bianconeri have been unable to improve under new management, and despite Gabriele Cioffi’s recent return to the team following Andrea Sottil’s dismissal, they are still without their first league victory of the 2023–24 season following a 1–1 draw against Monza last week.
After that outcome, Udinese became just the third team in history to draw seven or more of their opening ten Serie A games this century. Prior to travelling to Milan on Saturday, they had already drawn four of their previous five away games this year.
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