Supercoppa: Napoli v Milan opener, Leao in stands, changes for both | OneFootball

The 2025 Italian Super Cup kicks off in Riyadh, with the first semifinal between Napoli and Milan immediately capturing the attention of fans.

Super Cup, Napoli-Milan raises the curtain on the competition: Conte reunites with Politano, Allegri revolutionizes the Rossoneri, Leao in the stands

The match, exclusively on Italia1 and streaming on Sportmediaset.it from 7 PM with the pre-match coverage, promises an intense duel between Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri, protagonists of an always thrilling tactical rivalry.

The stakes and the context of the match

After the home draw against Sassuolo, Milan is looking for immediate redemption in Saudi Arabia, ready to replicate last year’s success in Riyadh. Napoli, coming off defeats to Benfica and Udinese, wants to change course away from the Maradona and avenge the loss suffered in the league against the Rossoneri.

At stake is not only a place in the final against the winner of Bologna-Inter, but also the first trophy of the season, useful for sending a clear signal in the title race. Statistically, this is the 179th meeting between Napoli and Milan: the Rossoneri lead the historical record with 71 wins to 53, but Allegri is at a disadvantage in head-to-heads as a coach against Conte, with five wins out of nine encounters.

Lineup choices: Allegri revolutionizes Milan

The Rossoneri coach will have to do without Gimenez, Gabbia, and especially Leao, who will watch the match from the stands. This scenario opens the door to significant changes:

Attack: Nkunku joins Pulisic, offering the possibility of greater dynamism and athletic freshness.

Midfield: Jashari takes Modric’s place, with the former Ballon d’Or winner set for a rest to recover energy ahead of a possible final. Loftus-Cheek is expected to get the nod over Fofana, while Estupinan is favored over Bartesaghi on the left.

Defense: Tomori, De Winter, and Pavlovic will form the back three in front of Maignan.

Probable Milan lineup (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Jashari, Rabiot, Estupinan; Nkunku, Pulisic.

Napoli: Conte reunites with Lobotka and relies on Politano and Spinazzola

Conte must do without long-term absentees De Bruyne and Anguissa, but gets Lobotka back in the playmaker role. On the flanks, Politano and Spinazzola will operate, while up front Neres and Elmas will support Hojlund. In defense, Juan Jesus will be joined by Di Lorenzo and Rrahmani. Lukaku, recently rejoining the squad, is ready to return even if only for a few minutes after a long layoff.

Probable Napoli lineup (3-4-3): Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus; Politano, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Neres, Hojlund, Elmas.

Where to watch Napoli-Milan in the Super Cup

The match is scheduled for Thursday, December 18 at 8 PM Italian time at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh. Live TV coverage is on Italia 1 and streaming on Sportmediaset.it, with pre-match coverage starting at 7 PM. The referee appointed for the semifinal is Zufferli.

With these tactical innovations and the main protagonists at full strength, Napoli-Milan promises to be a spectacular semifinal, with both teams ready to fight for the first trophy of the season with intensity and ambition.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.