Frosinone vs. AC Milan: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
AC Milan travel to Frosinone this Sunday with the morale boost of a midweek win over Sampdoria that ensured their safe passage to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, though Sinisa Mihajlovic's job is still very much on the line.
In his post-match press conference following the midweek win, Milan's coach told reporters (h/t Football Italia) that rumours about his future didn't faze him, saying: "I only think about working. I have a strong character, and these rumours are like water off a duck's back for me."
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Unfortunately, Milan have won just once in their last five league games in a poor run of form that has only been soothed by the cup run; Mihajlovic needs a win at Frosinone to safeguard his position with the club until after the winter break.
The win is a distinct possibility. Roberto Stellone's Ciociari are currently tucked just inside Serie A's relegation zone with four wins from 16 league games so far this season, meaning the threat of an immediate return to Serie B continues to hover over them.
Date: Sunday, 20 December
Time: 5 p.m. GMT (12 p.m. ET)
Venue: Stadio Comunale Matusa, Frosinone, Italy
TV Info: BT Sport 2 (UK)
Live Stream: Bet365.com
Form Guide
Palermo 4-1 Frosinone
Frosinone 0-2 Chievo
Frosinone 3-2 Verona
Inter 4-0 Frosinone
Frosinone 2-2 Genoa
Sampdoria 0-2 Milan (Coppa Italia round of 16)
Milan 1-1 Verona
Carpi 0-0 Milan
Milan 3-1 Crotone (Coppa Italia fourth round)
Milan 4-1 Sampdoria
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Milan will travel to Frosinone without Slovakian midfielder Juraj Kucka, who is suspended after picking up five yellow cards in league action. Without his energetic presence, Mihajlovic will have a slight dilemma as to who to select in his central midfield pairing.
The most obvious options are Riccardo Montolivo and Andrea Bertolacci, who started his first game in almost two months against Sampdoria on Thursday night. However, if Mihajlovic wants to add a more dynamic option, Andrea Poli could also be considered.
Mario Balotelli remains an injury doubt and thus is unlikely to return to action until after the winter break. In his continued absence, M'Baye Niang and Luiz Adriano will compete to join Carlos Bacca up front in Milan's 4-4-2 system.
Niang played well during midweek, scoring Milan's opener before Bacca notched the second as the Rossoneri reached the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. As a result, the duo may continue as Mihajlovic's strike partnership of choice this Sunday.
Defensively Milan will also be boosted by the potential returns of both Alex and Luca Antonelli.
Alex missed the cup clash with Sampdoria but should be fit enough after a full week's rest to resume his place in central defence with Alessio Romagnoli. Antonelli has been unavailable for Milan's last four matches, but—assuming he is fit—he should take the left-back berth Mattia De Sciglio has occupied in recent weeks.
Stellone's Frosinone often line up similarly to Milan in a 4-4-2 formation, but they will probably opt for a more reactive strategy to counteract the gulf in individual quality between them and Mihajlovic's men. According to WhoScored.com, only Carpi have had less possession on average in Serie A this season, and Frosinone won't be able to compete in this area with Milan.
With Raman Chibsah out, Mirko Gori and former Milan man Paolo Sammarco will be responsible for congesting space centrally and shielding the defence, while Luca Paganini and Danilo Soddimo provide pace and incision out wide.
Stellone will be unable to call upon experienced right-back Aleandro Rosi, however. The on-loan Roman has a knee problem that will probably see Albanian international Arlind Ajeti make his debut for the club.
In Nicola Leali, Frosinone have a young goalkeeper Milan may find hard to beat, while Federico Dionisi will look to test the away side's defensive line at every given opportunity.
Frosinone (4-4-2): Nicola Leali; Arlind Ajeti, Modibo Diakite, Leonardo Blanchard, Daniel Pavlovic; Luca Paganini, Mirko Gori, Paolo Sammarco, Danilo Soddimo; Daniel Ciofani, Federico Dionisi
Milan (4-4-2): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Ignazio Abate, Alex, Alessio Romagnoli, Luca Antonelli; Alessio Cerci, Andrea Bertolacci, Riccardo Montolivo, Giacomo Bonaventura; M’Baye Niang, Carlos Bacca
Players to Watch
Nicola Leali (Frosinone)
Over the last two years, Leali has proven himself to be one of Italy's finest young goalkeeping prospects. The Juventus shot-stopper spent last season on loan with Cesena, who were eventually relegated to Serie B, before joining Frosinone at the start of this season.
Now firmly a member of the Azzurri's next generation, Leali is in the reckoning alongside the likes of Atalanta's Marco Sportiello, Genoa's Mattia Perin and Milan's own Gianluigi Donnarumma for the long-term national team vacancy that will be left when Gianluigi Buffon hangs up his gloves.
Buffon’s eventual retirement will leave the No. 1 jersey open at Leali’s parent club Juventus, too, and as Bleacher Report's Sam Lopresti pointed out: "If he continues developing, he will...be the most cost-effective way for Juve to fill the void when Buffon ends his playing career."
The 22-year-old hasn't been particularly sensational in what has been another difficult campaign playing for a relegation candidate, but his Squawka statistics stack up well when compared with his opposite man this weekend, Donnarumma, and their fellow 'keeping prospects.
If Frosinone are to keep their third clean sheet of the season against Milan on Sunday, Leali will no doubt have something to do with it.
Riccardo Montolivo (Milan)
Assuming he starts, it will be worth watching Riccardo Montolivo this weekend to see if he can shake off a frustrating display against Verona in Milan's last league fixture.
Montolivo was substituted towards that game's latter stages following a series of lazy, misplaced passes that erred far from the deep-lying midfielder's usual accurate distribution.
At the start of this season, he was considered a reserve before breaking into the team with a steady performance in the Milan derby, though his latest showing will have Milanisti wondering if the team captain has come full circle.
It's unfair for a player to be written off on one bad game, however. After all, Montolivo has been one of Milan's better players this season, with WhoScored judging only Giacomo Bonaventura to have had a more positive impact.
With Kucka and Nigel de Jong suspended, Poli out of practice and Bertolacci just back from injury, Milan may need Montolivo to be at his assured best this weekend.
Key Battle
Leonardo Blanchard (Frosinone) vs. M'Baye Niang (Milan)
A lifelong Juventus fan, Leonardo Blanchard made headlines when scoring Frosinone's equaliser against his beloved Bianconceri to earn a stunning point earlier on this season.
Afterwards, per Paolo Bandini of the Guardian, the 27-year-old exclaimed with a joyful simplicity: "Life is incredible." However, the hardened centre-back is more comfortable doing his utmost to snuff goals out than put them in, and this Sunday he will have to be alert to an in-form Niang.
Milan's French forward was in fine fettle against Sampdoria on Thursday night, threatening throughout and getting on the scoresheet for the fourth time in his last five appearances.
Niang is likely to partner Bacca up front, and his pace, movement and bodacious flicks and tricks should test the more experienced Blanchard's defensive resolve.
Odds
Frosinone: +450
Milan: -129
Draw: +282
All odds kindly provided by Odds Shark
