Following their convincing win over Serie A leaders Napoli, Scudetto holders AC Milan will try to strengthen their position in the top four when they host Empoli at San Siro on Friday.
Team Form
AC Milan
After a disappointing run of four winless games, including losses to Fiorentina and Udinese, AC Milan returned in style with a remarkable 4-0 win against Napoli on Sunday.
Although Milan’s hopes of retaining their top-flight title have been long gone, they are currently sitting in third place in the table with only one point above Roma in fifth. Therefore, their primary objective is securing a place in the next season’s Champions League.
Milan’s upcoming league fixtures against Empoli, Bologna and Lecce seem favourable, and manager Stefano Pioli will undoubtedly aim for maximum points from this stretch of games. They will then end the month with a crucial match away against Roma.
AC Milan Serie A Form: W L D L W
Empoli
Empoli ended their nine-game winless streak in Serie A, which included four consecutive defeats, by securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Lecce on Monday night.
Francesco Caputo’s converted penalty just after the hour mark proved the decisive goal for the home side, who successfully prevented their opponents from registering a shot on target.
With their current position of 14th place in the league table and a comfortable 12-point lead over the relegation zone, Empoli is well-placed to secure their top-flight status for next season.
However, the team should be active; a top-10 finish is still a realistic possibility. They are only seven points behind Torino in 10th place with ten games left to play.
Empoli Serie A Form: L L L L W
Squad Report
AC Milan
AC Milan will face some injury concerns before their upcoming match, as three key players were absent during their last game against Napoli. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Junior Messias, and Pierre Kalulu all missed the match due to thigh and calf injuries, respectively.
Their availability for the next match is yet to be confirmed, and they will undergo further assessment ahead of kickoff on Friday.
Empoli
Empoli will be without defender Lorenzo Tonelli for their next match due to a suspension after he was sent off from the substitutes’ bench for dissent in their previous game against Lecce.
On the bright side, Empoli will welcome their first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario back to the starting lineup. He has been out of action for some time with a concussion but is now deemed fit to return.
AC Milan’s expected starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Hernandez; Tonali, Bennacer, Krunic; Diaz, Giroud, Leao
Empoli’s expected starting lineup:
Vicario; Ebuehi, Ismajli, Luperto, Parisi; Bandinelli, Marin, Akpa Akpro; Baldanzi; Piccoli, Caputo
Head to Head
AC Milan and Empoli have faced each other 19 times since 1997, and the Rossoneri have emerged victorious in 12 encounters.
On the other hand, Empoli has managed to win only 3 matches, while 5 games ended in a draw.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Friday, April 07
Time: 07:00 pm UTC
Venue: San Siro, Milan
Prediction
The upcoming match between AC Milan and Empoli promises to be exciting, with both teams eager to build on their recent victories. However, given AC Milan’s strong position in the league table and impressive record against Empoli, they will be considered the favourites to emerge victorious in Friday’s contest.
