If you believe in conspiracy theories about hot or cold balls at draws, the Milan-Roma pairing won’t surprise you. More than 140 thousand fans in two matches together, excitement, an epic confrontation between clubs and their American owners, excellent advertising for the Europa League. And as a result, there are not too many teams from the same country in the semi-finals. Everything fits together.
Broadcast of the match
Europa League. Quarterfinals. The first match
11 April. 22:00. Milan. “Giuseppe Meazza”
“Milan” – “Roma”
Referee: Clément Turpin (France)
Command status
Daniele De Rossi replaced Jose Mourinho at Roma just after the league defeat to AC Milan in January. The results are still remarkable – 26 points and 24 goals scored in 11 rounds of the league (only Inter scored and scored more during this time) while losing only to the league leader. In the Europa League – Feyenoord’s victory in the penalty shootout and the defeat of Brighton.
I am now in awe of De Rossi’s work. And his unbreakable connection with the club further underlines his success. This was especially emphasized by the victory on Saturday in the Rome Derby. The first for the team in five of these, even the first goal scored in five of these. A corner was scored by defender Mancini, a hard-fought victory with 37 per cent of possession in the second half.
However, problems have been observed recently. The 4-0 win over Brighton was almost a Pyrrhic victory. After him, “Roma” played poorly in Florence and barely scraped out a draw there in the 95th minute, lost in Brighton, played poorly in Lecce, scraping 0:0 with 10:27 on shots on goal, and at home against Sassuolo. (1:0). There was no flash in the derby either.
The fierce battle for qualification to the Champions League continues, including through the Europa League, and De Rossi’s season will only be assessed after his final whistle.
Milan is just now getting into shape. Won seven victories in a row in all tournaments. In the last four matches he scored 11 goals. Came into second place, also with a six-point handicap over Juventus. In February there was a lot of talk about the end of the Stefano Pioli era, perhaps even immediately. Now they are happy with him, and management says he will stay.
True, not all of his recent matches have impressed. Only the last two are against outsiders Verona (3:1) and Lecce (3:0, the first defeat in the league since January). Against the same “Empoli” they managed to get only 1:0 at home, there were problems in Florence, although the “devils” created a lot there and deservedly won. And Slavia had a player sent off in the middle of the first half in both matches.
Pioli will also be assessed only at the end of the season. And a season without trophies and with elimination from the Champions League already in the group stage may not be enough to continue the cadence. But it’s realistic to win a trophy only in the Europa League.
Pioli’s Milan and De Rossi’s Roma play active football. True, we can’t say that they were particularly fans of ball possession. But they really like pressure, interceptions, and quick combination attacks. The matches between them should be very fun and emotional.
Latest team matches
Milan
Milan – Empoli 1:0 (league)
Slavia Prague – Milan 1:3 (Europa League)
Hellas Verona – Milan 1:3 (league)
Fiorentina – Milan 1:2 (league)
Milan – Lecce 3:0 (league)
Roma
Fiorentina – Roma 2:2 (league)
Brighton 1:0 Roma (Europa League)
Roma – Sassuolo 1:0 (league)
Lecce – Roma 0:0 (league)
Roma – Lazio 1:0 (league)
Personnel
Milan, as always, has personnel problems in the center of defense. Tomori is disqualified, Kalulu has been injured for a long time. Kjær, Gabbia and Thiaw are vying for two seats. On the right, Calabria and Florenzi compete, but on the left, Theo Hernandez is very important. Since the beginning of February, this defender has scored two goals and four assists. Of these, three assists were in the Europa League.
Opportunist Adli, despite two assists on Saturday, must go to the reserves. Loftus-Cheek served his suspension on Saturday, meaning he rested. Pulisic played as a No. 10 in a 4-2-3-1 formation, breaking his career record for goals in a season in all competitions (13), and will now return to the right wing. Chukwueze played well there on Saturday and will now help as a substitute.
Olivier Giroud scored on Saturday for the first time since the first match against Slavia on March 7th. Rafael Leau scored for the second match in a row on Saturday and now has five goals and three assists in all competitions in the last 50 days.
Roma has dilemmas on the defensive flanks. Celik, Karsdorp, Spinazzola, Christensen, Angelino. All of them, except the last one, are not in the best shape. In the center Ndika is disqualified, so Mancini and Llorente are the favourites. Although there may be surprises like the long-injured veteran Smalling or young Huysen.
In the center of the field and in attack in the 4-3-3 formation there are usually no surprises. Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini, Dybala, Lukaku and El Shaarawy. Although the last three haven’t scored in over a month, with a 4-0 win over Brighton. During this time, Dybala only scored an assist. Just on Saturday, on a corner kick. However, Lukaku has seven goals in the Europa League this season – second place.
Beauvais, Baldanzi, Aouar, Zalewski and the long-injured Abraham are in reserve. Azmun is injured.
Milan: Magnan, Calabria, Thiaw, Gabbia, Hernandez, Reynders, Bennacer, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leau, Giroud
“Roma”: Svilar, Celik, Mancini, Llorente, Angelinho, Cristante, Paredes, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Dybala, Lukaku, El-Shaarawy
Figures and facts
- In the last seven head-to-head matches, Milan won five times and drew twice. He is unbeaten in his last nine – six wins, three draws. This season he played against Roma twice (both times in the league) and won twice – 2:1 away in September, 3:1 at home in January
- At the San Siro, Milan have not lost in their last six head-to-head matches – four wins and two draws. In each of these matches he scored at least two goals
- In the last eight and in 11 of the last 12 head-to-head matches on all fields in all tournaments, both teams scored. In the last eight, a total of 29 goals were scored. Only one of them scored less than three
- Milan qualified for the Europa League from the Champions League. In the 1/16 finals of the LE he beat Rennes 3:0 at home and 2:3 away, and in the 1/8 finals he beat Slavia Prague with 4:2 at home and 3:1 away
- Roma have been playing in the Europa League since the start of the season. In the group it lost to the same Slavia, but was ahead of Sheriff and Servette, in the 1/16 finals it beat Feyenoord in a penalty shootout after two 1:1, in the 1/8 it knocked out Brighton with 4:0 at home and 0:1 away
- For the first time since 2006, Milan won seven matches in a row in all competitions. Seven last. He’s also undefeated in his last eight. The last defeat took place in the Europa League in Rennes in February – 2:3. Roma have won just two of their last five, both 1-0 at home. Her other results during this time were two draws and a defeat
- At home, Milan have not lost in their last eight matches – six wins and two draws. Roma have not won their last three away matches – two draws and a defeat. True, right before this, her results on the road were three wins and a draw. Its last away defeat came against Milan in the league in January – 1:3
Prediction: Milan – Roma 2:1
Mourinho has not coped well with Milan lately, looking downright weaker. But now De Rossi is in charge. Although his “Roma” has lost some ground lately. Especially in attack, where Dybala and Lukaku disappeared. She holds up well on defense. But will he be able to survive away against Leau, Giroud, and Pulisic, who are in brilliant form?
Both teams must score. The score 3:2 or even 4:3 is quite possible. Be that as it may, in general, Milan’s victory with a difference of one goal looks the most logical.
