Having impressed in pre-season, AC Milan make their return to competitive action on Saturday evening, when Torino visit San Siro.
Both clubs are under new management for the upcoming Serie A campaign, with Paulo Fonseca particularly seeking a fast start to life in his new post.
Match preview
© Reuters
Despite bringing the Scudetto back to Milan two years ago, and taking the Rossoneri to within a whisker of a Champions League final, Stefano Pioli's reign was bound to end following an inconsistent 2023-24 campaign that ultimately ran out of steam.
His side ended last season with just one win from nine games in all competitions, prompting calls for change to turn into a deafening chorus.
With ex-Roma coach Paulo Fonseca now in place and legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic calling the shots in the boardroom, the Lombardy giants are intent on narrowing the gap to city rivals Inter Milan, whom they finished no fewer than 19 points behind last term.
Fonseca has already led his team to victory in high-profile friendlies against Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona this summer, and they wrapped up their pre-season schedule with a 3-1 win over Monza in Tuesday's Trofeo Berlusconi.
His Lille side not only kept the most clean sheets in Ligue 1 last season (22), but also scored the second-most goals behind all-conquering Paris Saint-Germain, so a Rossoneri revival could be on the cards in 2024-25.
Precedent is certainly in favour of the Portuguese coach making a successful start on Saturday, as Milan have won each of their last four Serie A openers and are unbeaten in 28 league games against Torino on home turf.
© Imago
In fact, Torino's last top-flight away win over Milan was way back in March 1985 - but they did beat the Rossoneri 3-1 in Turin as recently as May.
Former boss Ivan Juric has since departed with some bitter words for the club's hierarchy, despite overseeing an impressive period of stability during his stay.
The Granata finished just short of European qualification last term, recording an impressive tally of 18 clean sheets in the process - the club's best such total for nearly 50 years.
Defensive rock Alessandro Buongiorno followed Juric through the exit door, though, and new coach Paolo Vanoli takes on the challenge of keeping Toro inside the top 10.
Once Antonio Conte's assistant with Italy and Inter, Vanoli led Venezia to promotion through last season's Serie B playoffs, and having won his first competitive game in charge of Torino - last week's 2-0 Coppa Italia victory over Cosenza - he now heads for Milan in hope of causing an upset.
- D
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Replacing MLS-bound Olivier Giroud as Milan's focal point up front, Alvaro Morata arrives at San Siro following his best scoring season to date: netting 21 goals in 48 games for Atletico Madrid last term.
Joining Spain's Euro 2024-winning skipper in the final third, Christian Pulisic should overcome a minor ankle problem that prevented him from playing in the recent Trofeo Berlusconi.
However, two of Morata's fellow new boys - Strahinja Pavlovic and Emerson Royal - may have to make do with a place on the bench, while Alessandro Florenzi and back-up goalkeeper Marco Sportiello are long-term absentees.
Torino's Perr Schuurs is still not back from his ACL injury, so summer signing Saul Coco should step into the void left by Italy defender Alessandro Buongiorno, who joined Napoli.
Nikola Vlasic has not yet returned from the injury that ruled him out of the Euros, so either Antonio Sanabria or recent arrival Che Adams should support main marksman Duvan Zapata up front. The latter has contributed to nine goals against Milan since 2015 - only fewer than Paulo Dybala during that time.
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Gabbia, Tomori, Hernandez; Bennacer, Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao; Morata
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Vojvoda, Coco, Masina; Bellanova, Ricci, Linetty, Ilic, Lazaro; Sanabria, Zapata
We say: AC Milan 2-0 Torino
With a few tactical tweaks, Milan could have the squad to make a sustained title challenge, and they are set to continue their San Siro dominance of Torino.
Several forward options - including new boy Alvaro Morata and last summer's signings Luka Jovic and Samu Chukwueze - can make an impact, while finding the net is often more of a challenge for the Granata.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
