After improving their European prospects in midweek, AC Milan will aim to get back on track in Serie A when they host Genoa on Sunday evening.
Milan kept in touch with the Champions League's top eight by winning on Wednesday, while their improving visitors head to San Siro on the back of a five-game unbeaten streak.
Match preview
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Posting a fourth Champions League win on the spin, Milan edged out Red Star Belgrade in their penultimate home fixture of the league phase, as Rafael Leao's superb first-half strike and a late Tammy Abraham finish secured victory over the Serbian champions.
Though his side moved to within one point of an automatic qualifying spot for the last 16, coach Paulo Fonseca was far from pleased, questioning the attitude of some players and threatening to replace them with youngsters from the club's primavera.
Last week, Milan lost 2-1 to local rivals Atalanta BC in the league, leaving them 12 points adrift of La Dea in the title race and surely relying on cup competitions in their search for silverware.
The Rossoneri return to continental action in January, when they will meet Girona and Dinamo Zagreb, but first they have three Serie A matches to tick off before completing a disappointing calendar year.
Before tackling Hellas Verona and Roma, they must host Genoa, who Milan have dominated in recent seasons: the second-city side have scored at least twice in eight of the clubs' last 10 league meetings, while losing just one of the last 13.
Having also kept a clean sheet in five of their seven Serie A home matches so far - despite doubts about Fonseca's defence - the hosts are therefore expected to prevail when a familiar face returns to San Siro.
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Although Patrick Vieira was unable to make much impact at Milan before moving to Arsenal, where his playing career really took off, the 1998 World Cup winner went on to lift several Scudetti for Inter a few years later.
Now in the latest managerial role of an itinerant coaching career, Vieira has made an impressive start to life in Genoa, who have inched away from the relegation zone since he took over from Alberto Gilardino.
Under the Frenchman's watch, the Grifone have increased their average passes, shots taken and shots conceded per game - most pertinently, they are picking up more points.
Stretching back to the end of Gilardino's reign, Genoa are unbeaten in five matches, keeping three clean sheets in the process; before heading to Milan, they have even won both of their last two away games without conceding a goal.
The Ligurian club shipped three in these teams' most recent meeting, when a late strike helped them snatch a point from May's six-goal San Siro thriller, and they would surely shake hands on another draw this weekend.
Team News
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Further reducing his options behind Milan's lone striker, Paulo Fonseca will be without Ruben Loftus-Cheek on Sunday evening due to a thigh injury, while key man Christian Pulisic is still sidelined by a calf problem.
Alvaro Morata also picked up a knock against Red Star, so Tammy Abraham is on standby to deputise up front; Ismael Bennacer, Luka Jovic and Alessandro Florenzi are all unavailable.
Revived since last month's stellar showing at the Bernabeu, mercurial winger Rafael Leao has been involved in three goals in his last four league appearances - just one fewer than throughout his first nine this term.
Meanwhile, Genoa boss Patrick Vieira will bring an old friend back to Milan this weekend, as veteran striker Mario Balotelli returns to one of his many former clubs.
Most likely to start as a substitute, with top scorer Andrea Pinamonti leading the line instead, Balotelli could play a Serie A match at San Siro for the first time in more than eight years.
Elsewhere, Vieira can call upon Johan Vasquez after the Mexican defender served a suspension in the recent 0-0 draw with Torino, but Koni De Winter, Jeff Ekhator, Caleb Ekuban and Ruslan Malinovskyi are all ruled out by injury, along with ex-Milan forward Junior Messias.
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Thiaw, Hernandez; Fofana, Musah; Chukwueze, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Leali; Sabelli, Bani, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Badelj, Thorsby; Zanoli, Miretti; Pinamonti
We say: AC Milan 1-0 Genoa
Although Genoa have shown signs of improvement, they still lack options across the final third, meaning Milan can continue their trend of keeping Serie A clean sheets at San Siro.
The hosts are not all singing from the same hymn sheet - and their coach is apparently treading on thin ice - but they possess enough nous to get the job done.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
