AC Milan return to the San Siro for a match against Verona after their disappointing Champions League performance against Feyenoord. Sergio Conceicao's side must take advantage of the Verona game to get their confidence back ahead of the big rematch.
Milan's away problems continued in the Netherlands, where Feyenoord beat them with a single goal scored in the third minute of the game. The fact is that the Rossoneri controlled the game, but without any success in attack. They accumulated only 0.57 xG and created almost no major chances.
Their motivation must be huge because they have a match against one of their favourite rivals. The matches with Verona usually mean guaranteed three points, and Milan need them badly right now. The team is four points away from the Top 6, and we are sure that their real goal is to even reach the Top 4.
Verona, on the other hand, are dangerously close to the bottom of the standings, with only three points separating them from the relegation zone. Verona stand out for their poor defensive play, having conceded the most goals of any team in Serie A (53 in 24 rounds). That's good news for Milan, who often struggle in attack and lose points because they can't convert their ball possession into goals.
How the bookies view it: The Rossoneri with a huge advantage
Bookmakers see a serious advantage for the Rossoneri and it could not be otherwise with the form of the visitors and the statistics between the two teams. You can pick AC Milan at 7/20, the draw at 15/4, and Verona at 17/2.
Recent head to head: The three points always end up in the same place
As previously mentioned, Milan have a huge advantage in H2Hs, and the stats are almost frightening. Verona have just two wins in their last 15 meetings with Milan. In contrast, the Rossoneri have 11 wins in the same span. Verona's last win dates back to 2017, and since then the three points almost always went to their opponents.
Players to watch: Reijnders to punish Verona again?
It would be a surprise if Sergio Conceicao doesn't opt to give at least a few of his key players a rest. We expect to see rotations, but important figures like Tijjani Reijnders are likely to be on the pitch from the start. The Dutchman is the one we plan to trust, for two main reasons. Firstly, he has been Milan's top scorer this season and secondly, he scored the winning goal against Verona in the reverse leg in December.
Probable line-ups
AC Milan: Maignan, Walker, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Hernandez, Fofana, Musah, Pulisic, Reijnders, Felix, Gimenez
Hellas Verona: Montipo, Daniliuc, Coppola, Dawidowicz, Tchatchoua, Niasse, Duda, Bradaric, Suslov, Sarr, Mosquera
Anything else catch the eye?
It should certainly be noted that Verona have improved their performance in recent months, especially away from home. They lost only one of their last five away games, courtesy of Napoli. But we must not forget the fact that they are the team with the weakest defence in Serie A.
Milan have scored the fewest goals of the top teams this season – just 35 in 23 games. But against Verona, they usually perform more than well. Historically, the visitors don't have a single win at San Siro. We expect this statistic to increase, as AC Milan should be able to win convincingly, even with a changed lineup.
This Serie A match between AC Milan and Hellas Verona will be played on Feb 15, 2025 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best AC Milan vs Hellas Verona prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
