Serie A heavyweights clash on Saturday evening as AC Milan welcome Juventus to San Siro.

Milan enter the match six points behind Juventus after a dramatic six-goal draw with Cagliari before the international break, while Juventus extended their dominance in the Turin derby to stay in a tightly contested race for the Serie A summit. Milan’s defensive struggles were on full display in their 3-3 stalemate with Cagliari, where they conceded in the opening minutes and in the dying seconds. Inspired by his heroics in the shock Champions League victory over Real Madrid, Rafael Leao bagged a brace, and Tammy Abraham added a second-half goal. However, a late equalizer by Gabriele Zappa denied Milan all three points. With 18 points from 12 matches, Milan find themselves seventh in the standings, eight points adrift of leaders Napoli but holding a game in hand. Even with a win over Juventus, Milan’s tally at this stage would be their lowest in five years, adding pressure on head coach Paulo Fonseca.

In Europe, Milan remain well-positioned for a Champions League playoff berth, with upcoming fixtures against Slovan Bratislava, Red Star Belgrade, Girona, and Dinamo Zagreb. However, a loss on Saturday could leave them further adrift of the Serie A top six. Despite conceding just two goals in their last seven league meetings with Juventus, Milan’s vulnerable defense—currently ranked eighth in Serie A—faces a stern test. Juventus, meanwhile, maintained their stronghold in the Derby della Mole with a 2-0 win over Torino, courtesy of goals from Timothy Weah and Kenan Yildiz. The victory kept Juventus just two points off the top of the table, with six teams separated by a mere two points in a thrilling title race. Thiago Motta’s Juventus have kept four clean sheets in five away matches this season but will aim to avoid the defensive lapses that saw them concede four goals in a chaotic Derby d’Italia against Inter. A win at San Siro would not only enhance their Scudetto ambitions but also deal a significant blow to Milan’s hopes. Milan’s attacking options have been boosted by the return of former Juventus striker Alvaro Morata, who recently represented Spain in the UEFA Nations League. His 16-year-old understudy, Francesco Camarda, shone for Italy’s U19s during the break. Tammy Abraham is also available, though Luka Jovic remains sidelined alongside Alessandro Florenzi and Ismael Bennacer.

Rafael Leao has rediscovered his form after a brief spell out of the lineup, completing the most dribbles in Serie A this year. The Portuguese winger is just one goal shy of reaching double figures for a third consecutive calendar year. Juventus, however, are without top scorer Dusan Vlahovic due to a thigh injury, while Arkadiusz Milik won’t return until 2024. Timothy Weah or Kenan Yildiz could step in as a false nine, supported by Francisco Conceicao and Teun Koopmeiners. If Yildiz scores, he would become the seventh-youngest player to net six Serie A goals for Juventus, surpassing Alessandro Del Piero. Midfielder Manuel Locatelli, recalled to the Italy squad after improved performances, is expected to start against his former club. However, Juve may miss Douglas Luiz, Nico Gonzalez, Bremer, and Juan Cabal alongside their injured strikers.

Milan’s shaky backline may struggle to contain Juventus’ resilient attack. Despite missing key players, the Bianconeri have shown grit under Thiago Motta, while Fonseca’s Milan remain prone to critical errors. Juve’s unbeaten run could well extend on Saturday.

Best Tip: BTS (Both teams to score)

Correct score: 2-2