Parma-Milan Preview: Lunch for Three

With Juventus crashing out of the Champions League yet again this week, it feels like that much more motivation to get back there ourselves so that we can show them how it’s done… again. Certainly, earning a Champions League spot is the primary focus for Milan right now. But standing in our way are six individual matches, and we must take all three points in each one to guarantee we keep fourth. This week’s unlucky target is Parma. And having been given the lunchtime slot, Milan are asking for lunch for three.

A healthy defense is a happy defense

We are meeting Parma at a point when they are in 14th place with nine wins, eight draws, and 15 losses. They are coming off back to back goalless draws against Torino and then away to Sassuolo last week. For that match, D’Aversa lined up Sepe; Gazzola, Iacopani, Gagliolo, Dimarco; Rigoni, Scozzarella, Barilla; Siligardi, Ceravolo, and former Milan favorite Kucka. Ceravolo actually had a penalty saved in that match, a regret he no doubt will not allow to happen again. While D’Aversa will have Alves and Siligardi back from injury, he is still missing Inglese, Biabiany, Ciciretti, Sierralta, and Grassi.

Gattuso’s squad will be back nearly to full strength, with Gigio, Romagnoli, Calabria, and Paqueta back in the squad. Only the long term injured Bonaventura is not at his disposal. Although he didn’t call up Montolivo, who apparently isn’t even worth the hotel room overnight anymore. While Bertolacci is also rumored to be out of the squad come June first, he apparently runs fast enough and hard enough to at least earn a hotel room. With Paqueta coming back from his injury in record time, Gattuso still may be careful and start him from the bench.

The fans were not consulted about letting Kucka leave

This is a big test for Milan. Not just because Parma are a team that is better than their place on the table implies, but because lunchtime games are tough for us. It seems that having such a young squad, a lunchtime game interferes with their lunch and napping schedule or something. That and we don’t have a great away record, either. But with the Champions League qualification in sight, just six matches away, let’s hope our young ones can grow up, focus, and get the three points. Certainly Milan fans, some of us waking up at say, 3:30am to watch this game, are hoping  for lunch for three.

This post inspired by the music of John Coltrane & Don Cherry’s “Focus on Sanity”

Serie A Week 33

Parma vs. Milan

Saturday, April 20 • 12:30 CST (3:30am EDT)

This match can be seen LIVE on ESPN2 in the U.S.