Napoli and AC Milan will go head to head in a fierce Serie A encounter at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, Italy.
This match will showcase a highly anticipated clash between two Italian giants Napoli and AC Milan with the kick-off set on October 29, 2023, at 7:45pm.
AC Milan team news
Unfortunately for Milan, their preparations have been marred by injuries and suspensions in the days leading up to the match.
Samuel Chukwueze has returned early from Nigeria duty due to a hamstring injury, which will keep him out of action for a month.
Meanwhile, Ismael Bennacer and Mattia Caldara are still on the road to recovery.
Rade Krunic and Pierre Kalulu are likely to be called up, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is experiencing some discomfort, so there is a chance he may not be used.
Antonio Mirante is expected to replace Mike Maignan in goal, while Davide Calabria, Malick Thiaw, and Fikayo Tomori are set to retain their positions in the defensive line.
Alessandro Florenzi will likely come in for Theo Hernandez at left-back.
Yunus Musah, Yacine Adli, and Tijjani Reijnders are the expected midfield trio, considering the current uncertainties surrounding Krunic and Loftus-Cheek.
In addition, Pioli is expected to field Christian Pulisic, Olivier Giroud, and Rafael Leao as his attacking trio, while Noah Okafor will be a viable substitution after recovering from a cut sustained in a car accident.
However, there are uncertainties regarding the selection of Simon Kjaer over Thiaw and the potential use of Tommaso Pobega instead of Musah in preparation for their upcoming Napoli game.
Napoli FC team news
Just recently, the Italian champions secured a 3-1 victory against Hellas Verona in Serie A, propelling them to fifth place in the standings, five points adrift of leaders Inter Milan.
Meanwhile, Napoli’s main concern revolves around the absence of Victor Osimhen, their star player who will be sidelined for a few weeks due to a thigh injury suffered while representing Nigeria on international duty.
The Nigerian striker has been impressive this season, scoring six goals and reaffirming his status as one of the world’s top strikers valued at over £100 million.
In addition to his success on the field, Osimhen also received the Best Striker award for the 2022/23 Serie A season.
However, his relationship with the Italian champions has recently deteriorated due to conflicts with manager Rudi Garcia.
The club’s social media mockery has further added to the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Reports suggest that Liverpool are interested in signing Osimhen, especially with the possibility of the Saudis reigniting their bid for Mo Salah in January.
Nevertheless, Chelsea are also vying for Osimhen’s signature, as they desperately need a goal-scorer to improve Mauricio Pochettino’s prospects at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal have also shown interest, with Mikel Arteta recognizing the need for a clinical No.9 to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title.
Aside from the uncertainty surrounding Osimhen’s availability against AC Milan, Napoli will also be missing Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Juan Jesus due to injury issues.
Napoli v AC Milan head-to-head
As of now, Napoli are in 3rd place in the Serie A standings, while Milan holds the 2nd position.
Napoli have been performing well in the Italian league, winning two home games at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
On the other hand, Milan are also in good form in Serie A and has won four away games.
Overall, Napoli and AC Milan have played against each other 37 times since 2008, with Napoli winning 13 matches and AC Milan winning 11.
What’s next?
AC Milan are set to confront PSG in the upcoming UEFA Champions League group stage match, which will take place on Wednesday, October 25 before their face-off with Napoli.
On the other hand, Napoli will first engage in a matchup against Union Berlin in the Champions League before hosting AC Milan in the Serie A.
Napoli v AC Milan lineup
AC Milan’s possible lineup:
Mirante; Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori, Florenzi; Musah, Adli, Reijnders; Pulisic, Giroud, Leão.
Napoli’s possible lineup:
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Natan, Olivera; Zielinski, Lobotka, Cajuste; Politano, Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia
Napoli are going head to head with Milan on 29 October 2023 with kickoff set at 7:45 pm at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona stadium, Naples City, Italy.
