Cesena vs. AC Milan: Key Issues That Will Shape Serie A Game

Milan travel away to yet another recently promoted side when they take on Cesena at the always tricky Dino Manuzzi Stadium, which has very atmospheric stands and adds the 12th man quite well to a modest squad that needs all the breaks they can get if they want to achieve salvation.

With the Rossoneri coming off a 2-2 draw against Empoli, coach Filippo Inzaghi must have his team playing to their capabilities while reducing defensive miscues. 

Unfortunately, Milan have some turmoil at the top as well. The first issue with the club comes from a recent report in the Italian media.

According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Silvio Berlusconi said that Inzaghi must follow his advice if he wants Milan to do well. This type of distraction could be suicidal for the club, as Berlusconi must allow his coaches to work within their ideologies.

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It's unclear how Inzaghi's tactics differed from Berlusconi's vision, but the best guess is that the president wants the Rossoneri to play the ball on the ground more.

Too often, Milan gave away possession sloppily by just heaving the ball downfield. This long-ball approach didn't allow the team to pick up any semblance of chemistry or fluidity on the pitch. 

Berlusconi has long been an admirer of the metaphorical "champagne football," which is designed to not only be successful but aesthetically pleasing. To play this type of football, the right players are needed.

So far, Milan doesn't have the right midfield to play the style Berlusconi wants, and it all goes back to not spending as much as they did in the golden age. The midfield hasn't been able to connect a few passes in a row and doesn't have the required technique to feed the strikers in an open position regularly.

The issues on the pitch will be what most fans focus on. Fernando Torres should start once again, coming off his debut from the first minute in a Rossoneri jersey. Torres seemed to turn back the years against Empoli, showing plenty of technique on the dribble and scoring a world-class header in open play. 

Torres will go up against another weak defensive unit that should allow plenty of lanes for a striker of his experience to exploit. Exactly who will surround him on the flanks still remains to be seen. Cesena's goalkeeper Nicola Leali should expect to see a barrage of shots from Milan's strikers.

The Juventus-owned Leali is on loan at Cesena and is one of their strong points in the formation. He has wonderful reflexes and is widely regarded as the future of Italy in that particular position.

Milan's midfield received another blow last week as Marco van Ginkel was subbed out in the first half against Empoli and suffered ligament damage to his ankle, an injury that could keep him out for the next month.

In the end, this is a match that is a must-win for Milan. Their recent skid of picking up only one point in the last two matches after winning their opening two rounds in Serie A isn't a cause for worry just yet, but they cannot afford to lose many points against provincial sides if they really want to make a serious push to get into the top three.