AC Milan vs. Genoa: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream and TV Info

AC Milan host Genoa on Wednesday in an attempt to finish the season with some dignity.

It will be the first game since the Rossoneri entered a mandatory training retreat at Milanello, where the players have been forced to spend a few days—or weeks—in captivity.

"We have to play with heart, and with respect for the people who come to see us," coach Filippo Inzaghi told Milan Channel (h/t Football Italia) on Tuesday. "We have to give a good response tomorrow."

Inzaghi is hoping to get a good reaction from his team, but the players seemed to turn on the coach in the immediate aftermath of the 2-1 loss to Udinese at the weekend.

The fans, meanwhile, will most likely continue their own protest at San Siro. Even during the derby, the ultras on the southern end kept up banners with a cry for help: "Save AC Milan." Another bad performance could make it unbearable to play at home for the remainder of the season.

And Genoa are no pushovers. The Grifoni have won three of their past four games, launching them into seventh place and back into the Europa League conversation.

Match Information

Date: Wednesday, 29 April

Time: 7:45 p.m. UK/2:45 p.m. EST

Venue: San Siro

Live stream: beIN Sports Connect (U.S. and Canada)

Predicted Formations

There should be some changes to the team, even if the 4-3-3 formation stays the same. After all, this is a midweek game. 

Diego Lopez is the main man in net. Expect to see Ignazio Abate at right-back and Mattia De Sciglio starting in his old left-back position for the first time since January, as well as Adil Rami in the heart of the defence for a partnership with fellow Frenchman Philippe Mexes. 

Udinese vs. Milan	2-1
Inter vs. Milan	0-0
Sampdoria vs. Milan	1-1
Palermo vs. Milan	1-2
Milan vs. Cagliari	3-1

The midfield should remain in tact. Barring any injury, top midfield performers Nigel de Jong and Giacomo Bonaventura will start all of the remaining six matches of the season. The third midfield position will most likely rotate between Marco van Ginkel and Andrea Poli. Expect Poli to take his turn on Wednesday.

Up top is a crapshoot. The only mainstay is Jeremy Menez, Milan's top scorer with 16 goals. The surrounding cast will be up to Inzaghi.

After scoring the lone goal against Udinese, Giampaolo Pazzini could keep his spot at the tip of the attack. It seems increasingly unlikely that Mattia Destro will remain at Milan beyond this season, but the same could be said about Pazzini, whose contract expires in June. Destro has a €16 million buyout clause, which may be too much for a player who has scored just twice in 10 appearances for Milan.

Finally, Keisuke Honda could reclaim his spot on the right wing as the Japanese returns to full fitness. He has missed the past month of action with a sprained ankle.

Genoa vs. Cesena	3-1
Palermo vs. Genoa	2-1
Genoa vs. Parma	2-0
Genoa vs. Cagliari	2-0
Genoa vs. Udinese	1-1

On the other side of the field is one of their own: Milan loanee M'Baye Niang will likely start against his parent club, and a goal against the Rossoneri would prove a lot of people wrong. 

Standout forward Diego Perotti will not join Niang in attack. The 26-year-old is out for the rest of the year with a muscular injury, according to the club's official site (h/t Football Italia). Filling out the front three should be Iago Falque and Leonardo Pavoletti.

Juraj Kucka, Andrea Bertolacci and Tomas Rincon should start in midfield, while Giovanni Marchese, Sebastian De Maio, Nicolas Burdisso and Facundo Roncaglia round out the four-man defence. Mattia Perin will stay in goal. 

Player to Watch

Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

It has to be Niang. The 20-year-old did not score once for Milan in Serie A. In just 11 games with Genoa, he has scored four goals and assisted two others. He is a bigger man and has every motivation to stick it to his parent club and coach Inzaghi, who only started the Frenchman once in the first half of the Serie A season.

"I can give a great deal to this team, and Genoa can give a lot more to me," Niang told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia) last month. 

Odds (via Odds Shark)

Genoa: 16-5

Milan: 5-6

Draw: 13-5

Prediction: Milan 1 Genoa 2