SALERNITANA v AC MILAN: OPPONENT REVIEW

With the convincing victory over Monza last weekend behind them, AC Milan continues their pursuit of the top of the table away to Salernitana on Friday 22 December at 20:45 CET. The clash, despite the low ranking of the Campania side, is not to be underestimated: the team has technical skills that have been obscured by the difficult and disappointing results of late. Filippo Inzaghi's squad are currently last in the standings having won 8 points in the 16 games played and have to turn their path around to pull off a small sporting miracle.

Only 2 of the 30 squads that had only picked up 8 points at this point in the year managed to avoid relegation at the end of the season: Hellas Verona last season and Salernitana in 2021/22 who put in an impressive effort to stay up in the final game of the season. The Granata comeback requires immediate action to turn the tides around: Salernitana has lost 11 of their last 17 games in the league (1W, 5D), including the 3 most recent games. They haven't registered 4 losses in a row since the November to December period in 2021 when they still had Stefano Colantuono in the dugout.

THE GRANATA CONCEDE AND DON'T CAPITALISE ON CHANCES
Salernitana's position in the table sums up the huge difficulties they have had this season under Paulo Sousa and the newly in-charge Filippo Inzaghi. The Granata have the worst defence of the league with 34 goals conceded, 4 in the last game against Atalanta, as well as the second-worst attack with only 12 goals scored from active play, behind Empoli on 10. These numbers testify to the issues throughout their game, starting with managing matches. They usually start badly and finish worse: they are the side that has conceded the most goals in the first 15 minutes of games (7) and the last (11). Added to this is an element of misfortune, confirmed by the fact they have hit the woodwork 9 times in the current season, less only than Napoli and Frosinone (10 each).

Bad luck, yes, but also a little cynicism that is well expressed by the conversion rate of 6.98%, the second lowest in the league after Empoli (5.81%). The Campani difficulties have been aggravated by a submissive attitude. The Granata are the side with the least recoveries made from deep (76) and the least chances created from the same position (6, none of which ended in a goal). The picture is completed by the fact they have made 4 errors leading to an opposition goal: only Cagliari and Udinese (5 each) count more in the current Serie A season.

CANDREVA-DIA, TARNISHED LEADERS SEEKING REDEMPTION
In a difficult moment, Salernitana only has its technically skilled and charismatic leaders to cling to. Antonio Candreva could be the one to save them, always central to the Granata's game. As well as contributing to each of the last 3 league goals scored by the squad (1 goal 2 assists), the winger boasts the most assists for the Campania club (3), chances created for his teammates (27), shots on target (13), and crosses made (88). More than his undisputed skills in attack, he holds a decent record against AC Milan with 3 goals and 4 assists.

Also called upon in the hopes of redemption is the Granata top scorer, Boulaye Dia (4 goals), who has had some physical issues preventing him from turning the season around so far. The Senegalese player is just one goal away from reaching the milestone of 50 total goals across the top 5 European Leagues (24 with Reims in Ligue 1, 20 with Salernitana in Serie A, and 5 with Villarreal in La Liga). He also had the highest conversion rate of all the players to have scored at least 15 goals last year in the top 5 European leagues: 33.3%, ahead of Elye Wahi and Erling Haaland. Now, to save Salernitana, it will necessarily have to return to these kinds of international averages.

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