HELLAS VERONA v AC MILAN: MATCH PREVIEW

An afternoon that will conclude a demanding week and a very long cycle of closely contested matches. Hellas Verona v AC Milan, on Matchday 29 of the Serie A scheduled for today at 15:00 CET, is the last game before the league break. We face a team in great shape, on a challenging field like the Bentegodi. This is our Match Preview.

LATEST FROM MILANELLO
Upon returning from Prague, the team stayed at Milanello to immediately resume training the following morning. Yesterday - Saturday 16 March - was the final training session to fine-tune the last details ahead of the match. With the Round of 16 of the Europa League now behind us, and having learned about our opponents in the quarter-finals, it's time for one last effort in the league before the break. The exertions of cup matches might lead the coach to make some changes to the lineup, considering that many players rested in Prague: some of them might find a place in the starting XI. After serving suspensions against Empoli and Slavia, Alessandro Florenzi is available again. The condition of Mike Maignan, who left the field in the 21st minute due to a knee contusion on Thursday, needs to be evaluated: ready to replace him, as it happened in the Europa League, is Marco Sportiello. Three players are on yellow card warning for us: Musah, Loftus-Cheek, and Hernández, along with coach Pioli.

Coach Pioli didn't hold a press conference, but after the post-match at the Eden Aréna, he shared his thoughts on the Verona match: "Those who didn't play in Prague will be ready to contribute. We leave on Saturday and play on Sunday, it's important to rest and immediately focus on the Verona match. Then we'll have the break to recharge our energies."

LATEST FROM HELLAS VERONA
Two significant wins without conceding a goal, and now a two-point margin in the standings above the relegation zone: this is the legacy of the last two Serie A fixtures for Baroni's team, at home against Sassuolo and away at Lecce's Via del Mare. The hectic finale against Lecce will deprive the Veronese of the French forward Henry, who was sent off; however, the return of Dawidowicz from suspension is crucial. The Polish defender is expected to return to the heart of the defense alongside Magnani. In the 4-2-3-1 formation, the five-man midfield line behind the striker seems set: Serdar-Duda, with Lazović-Folorunsho-Suslov ahead of them. The battle for the striker position is between Swiderski and Noslin. Overall, it's an extremely positive moment for Hellas Verona, who have only lost one of their last 5 matches.

"We have to go full throttle," Marco Baroni stated in the press conference. "Facing these teams is always difficult, perhaps it's their best moment, and we'll have to play our best game. We have great respect because they have players who can decide matches with a single play, but we'll have to defend collectively, not individually."

PRE-MATCH NUMBERS

• AC Milan's six consecutive victories against Hellas Verona represent the third-longest winning streak of the Rossoneri against a single opponent in Serie A: after nine against Siena and seven against Lucchese.
• AC Milan could register three clean sheets in a row in Serie A for the first time since February 2023 (against Torino, Monza and Atalanta in that case).
• Rafael Leão (seven assists in 2023/24) is just one assist away from equalling his record of successful passes in a single Serie A season: eight both in 2021/22 and 2022/23. Additionally, he has been involved in six goals (three goals, three assists) in his last five appearances against Verona in Serie A.

WHERE TO WATCH HELLAS VERONA v AC MILAN
In Italy, the match will be broadcast by DAZN. To watch Hellas Verona v AC Milan in a different country, you can consult the "AC Milan on TV" webpage, clicking on the heading "Abroad". On the Rossoneri channels, Milan TV will provide live matchday coverage starting from 14:00 CET and continuing up until shortly before kick-off. After full-time, there will be interviews and Coach Pioli's press conference. Also not to be missed is the coverage on acmilan.com, the AC Milan Official App and our official social media profiles.

LATEST FROM SERIE A
Maurizio Mariani from Aprilia will be the referee of the match. There have been 18 previous encounters with the Rossoneri, two already in this season and both at San Siro: the 4-1 against Torino and the 0-1 against Juventus. The overall balance is 11 wins, 2 draws, and 5 defeats.

Matchday 29 of the Serie A started on Friday with Empoli 0-1 Bologna. Four games were played on Saturday: Monza 1-0 Cagliari, Udinese 0-2 Torino, Salernitana 0-1 Lecce, and Frosinone 2-3 Lazio. Sunday will kick off with Juventus v Genoa at 12:30, Hellas Verona v Milan at 15:00, Atalanta v Fiorentina, and Roma v Sassuolo at 18:00, Inter v Napoli at 20:45.

Here is the current table: Inter 75; AC Milan 59; Juventus 58; Bologna* 54; Roma 48; Atalanta 47; Napoli 44; Fiorentina and Lazio* 43; Monza* 42; Torino* 41; Genoa 33; Lecce* 28; Udinese* 27; Hellas Verona and Cagliari* 26; Empoli* 25; Frosinone* 24; Sassuolo 23; Salernitana* 14. (* = one game more)

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