The recent flip at the top of Serie A as well as the drama of five teams competing four fourth place has seen Milan become increasingly obsolete in the conversation about the league. In fact, despite having finally found some consistency, that they are ninth place and not really in that conversation are the main talking points surrounding the team anymore. Genoa, too, have slipped into that midtable mediocrity where no one really cares about them anymore. So, with all the other teams playing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, this match is more of an afterthought to the weekend, like those leftovers in the refrigerator that no one cares about. Just a Monday night at the Marassi.
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| Milan need to continue their recent consistne form. |
Of course, anyone who assumes this match will be dull has not watched Genoa-Milan before. Last year, for example, in October, both goalkeepers were sent off in stoppage time and our striker ended up playing in goal. Or you could go back in time to incidents such as the time tear gas delayed our match at the Marassi, or the tragic and shameful event in 1995 when Milan fans killed a Genoa fan and the match was actually called off that day. Does any of that sound boring to you? Even Milan-Genoa rarely disappoints. This match happens to be scheduled exactly one year to the day of the intense 3-3 draw at San Siro last year. We could only hope for a boring Monday night in Genoa.
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| No Balotelli, No Party. |
Meanwhile, Genoa hope to return to winning ways. Their last match was a 1-0 loss to Como. For that match, former Milan player Patrick Vieira lined up a 4-1-4-1 featuring: Leali; Norton-Cuffy, De Winter, Johan Vásquez, Aarón Martín; Frendrup; Thorsby, Masini, Kasa, Ahanor; and Ekhator. Vieira is missing Miretti, Malinovskyi, Ekuban, Onana, former Milan youth player Hugo Cuenca, and Cornet to injury. He will have Otoa returning from suspension. Milan will potentially face our former Junior Messias on Monday night, but one former Milan player we will not see is Mario Balotelli, who, while still on the Genoa roster, has not played at all this calendar year.
For Milan, Conceição has been managing the injuries incredibly well, but apparently, not playing for seven days is problematic to his methods. In his press conference on Sunday, he announced three new injuries: Tammy Abraham, Bondo, and Sottil will all miss this match. Luka Jović returned to training after struggling with his back problems again, and will be available for selection. Emerson Royal also finally returned from his injury, although he may not be called up for this match, as having not played for so long, he is not fully match fit.
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| We'll try to keep Maignan on the pitch this time. |
Milan are nine points off of the three-way tie for the fourth place spot, with this game in hand. Therefore, a win in Genoa could put us only six points behind the pack, or two points behind eighth place Fiorentina. While there is some solace in closing that gap, the season is still considered largely a disaster. While some like to blame the players or the managers exclusively for the results, most people recognize that the failures rest squarely on the shoulders of management.
That will not stop Conceição and the players from finishing the season in the best way possible, however. With the team finally having time to gel and the manager finally having time to work, Milan are hitting their stride at the best possible moment to put a positive end to this disastrous campaign. And, despite getting second billing in scheduling from the league, that starts with a potentially difficult and exciting Monday night at the Marassi.
Milan Primavera Obliterate Udinese Primavera 4-0
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| Comotto and Bonomi celebrate after Milan scored four goals against Udinese Primavera. |
Guidi's boys have their confidence back, and on Sunday, they demonstrated that confidence with four unanswered goals against Udinese Primavera. The 4-0 win over Udinese is their second win in a row after some poor results, and helps them inch closer back to a top six Scudetto playoff spot. A goal from Sala in just the second minute put Milan Primavera up 1-0 at the half. Then Perucci pounced on defensive errors to score in the 61st minute, and Comotto, returning from suspension, scored a brace, the first in the 64th minute, and a header just two minutes later. Three goals in just five minutes. Brief highlights are available. Milan Primavera remain in seventh place, one point behind Verona Primavera.
This post inspired by the music of Marko Bosnjak's "Poison Cake"
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Campionato Primavera 1 Week 37
Reviewed by Elaine
on
4:30 AM
Rating:
