Serie A preview: Torino vs. AC Milan – Team news, opposition insight, stats and prediction | OneFootball

AC Milan are back in Serie A action on Saturday evening as they take on Torino way from home, hoping to right the wrongs of a few nights ago.

Milan’s early exit from the Champions League has left just one major mission to try and salvage the season which is to get into the top four, and they cannot afford to drop many more points if they are to achieve that aim.

Sergio Conceicao spoke in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, and stated that each game from here on out was effectively a Champions League final, clearly an attempt to show that his team must care more for individual games.

Game date: Saturday, February 22 Kick-off time: 18:00 (CET) Venue: Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino Referee: Simone Sozza (VAR: Paterna)

Team news

There has been no shortage of fall-out after Milan were dumped out of the Champions League in the play-off round by a Feyenoord side who, with respect to them, had sold their star striker, had a caretaker manager in charge and 10 injured players.

The reaction that followed was understandably strong. The major incident in that game was Theo’s red card and it has led to suggestions that his time at Milan will end in the summer, given his contract situation too.

Meanwhile, there has been speculation about the future of Conceicao and several other players too, with talks of a ‘revolution’ planned in the summer. The club were even forced to put out a statement from Christian Pulisic denying rumours of a heated argument with the coach.

That sets a rather bleak scene coming into the game against Torino, which is the first in a crucial trio of games. A trip to face Bologna and then a home clash with Lazio come next week, which will be huge in the top four push.

Milan were without eight players for the game against Feyenoord as Alessandro Florenzi, Emerson Royal and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were injured, while Luka Jovic, Alex Jimenez, Warren Bondo and Riccardo Sottil are not in the UEFA squad list.

The good news is that the latter four will be available for the trip to face the Granata, however Kyle Walker has picked up a slight muscular problem and will not be risked. There could be a potential debut for Bondo, who has recovered from an injury.

It seems Conceiaco is still yet to decide parts of his team, nevertheless, the backline seems pretty secure. Mike Maignan in goal, Alex Jimenez on the right to replace the absent Walker, then Fikayo Tomori, Strahinja Pavlovic and Theo Hernandez – who will not be punished by the club.

Then, in midfield is where the doubts form. At present, Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders will partner together in the midfield. Then, Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao and Joao Felix and Rafael Leao will start ahead of them.

Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images

Alternatively, the Portuguese may opt to bring Musah back into the starting XI to give the side slightly more balance.

Regardless of which midfield starts, Santiago Gimenez will remain as the starting striker, there are no doubts.

Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Jimenez, Tomori, Pavlovic, Theo; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Felix, Leao; Gimenez.

The opponents

Torino finished in ninth place last season and Ivan Juric departed, with Paolo Vanoli hired as his replacement. The latter coached Venezia last season and earned them promotion to the top flight, so there was optimism about what he would bring.

The summer transfer window saw Duvan Zapata signed permanently from Atalanta for €8.6m, Saul Coco from Las Palmas for €7.5m, Sebastian Walukiewicz from Empoli for €5m and Guillermo Maripan from Monaco for €2m.

Che Adams, Alberto Paleari and Antonio Donnarumma joined on free transfers, while Adam Masina came from Udinese and Marcus Pedersen arrived on an initial loan deal from Feyenoord.

There were two big sales above all: Alessandro Buongiorno went to join Antonio Conte at Napoli for €35m, and Raoul Bellanova headed to Atalanta for €20m.

During the winter window, Cesare Casadei was signed from Chelsea for €13m and striker Amine Salama joined from Stade Reims on loan. Mergim Vojvoda went to Como for €2.5m.

Torino are having a steady season so far but have won just six of their 25 league games, with ten draws and nine defeats. It means that they are in 12th position, eight points above the drop zone but 14 points off the European places.

After starting with three wins and two draws, the Granata went on a dreadful run of one win in 10 games up to mid December. Since beating Empoli on December 13 they have won just once, against Cagliari on 24 January.

Nonetheless, there are still some impressive results in there, such as 1-1 draws with Juventus, Fiorentina and Atalanta in games they would have been expected to lose. However, their most recent result was a 3-2 loss to Bologna that came via a late own-goal.

There are a number of injury problems for Vanoli to deal with, starting with the long-term absentees Perr Schuss, Duvan Zapata and Emirhan Ilkhan, who all have knee issues.

Alieu Njie is expected to miss a couple more months with a broken ankle, while Ivan Ilic has muscle problems and Adrien Tameze is being kept out by a calf injury.

Milinkovic-Savic should start in goal for Toro, and there should be no shocks there considering how good he has been this season. Ahead of him, Walukiewicz will start at right-back, next to him should be Maripan and Coco, whilst Biraghi is expected at left-back.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Milan will have a keen eye on the midfield, with Cesare Casadei and Samuele Ricci both expected to start this game – both players have been previously considered by the Rossoneri, with the latter a heavy target for the summer.

Ahead of them, Lazaro and Karamoh should attack from the flanks, either side of Vlasic. Che Adams, could lead the line, but Paolo Vanolo raised doubts about his condition, so Sanabria could lead the line.

Predicted Torino XI (4-2-3-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Walukiewicz, Maripan, Coco, Biraghi; Ricci, Casadei; Lazaro Vlasic, Karamoh; Adams.

Head to head

There are only three teams that Milan have played more across all competitions in their 125-year history than Torino, and those are Roma, Inter and Juventus. The record stands at 77 wins, 67 draws and 55 defeats in 198 games.

The two sides met in the first game of the season at San Siro and Milan were left needing a dramatic late comeback to get a draw. A Malick Thiaw own-goal and a Zapata header had Torino 2-0 up, then Morata and Okafor scored to snatch a very late draw.

In this fixture last season it was a nightmare for the Rossoneri. Duvan Zapata, Ivan Ilic and Ricardo Rodriguez had Juric’s side 3-0 up after just 46 minutes, and a penalty from Ismael Bennacer in the 55th minute proved to be a mere consolation.

Milan have just one win in the last six games away from home against Torino, and rather remarkably that was the 7-0 victory in the 2020-21 campaign.

Key facts and stats

➤ After a 2-2 draw in the reverse match on MD1, Torino and AC Milan could draw both their Serie A meetings in a season for the first time since 2017/18.

➤ Torino are unbeaten in 10 of their last 11 home games against AC Milan in Serie A (W4 D6); the only away win for the Rossoneri was a 7-0 victory back in May 2021, the Granata’s joint-heaviest Serie A defeat.

➤ Torino have won their last two home league games against AC Milan and only twice in their history in Serie A they achieved at least three home wins in a row against the Rossoneri: three between 1976 and 1977 and four between 1947 and 1949.

➤ After a streak of seven games without defeat (W1 D6), Torino lost their most recent league match against Bologna; the Granata could lose at least two games in a row in Serie A for the first time since November 2024 (three in that case, against Roma, Fiorentina and Juventus).

➤ AC Milan have won their last two league matches without conceding goal; the Rossoneri could win three consecutive league matches without conceding in Serie A for the first time since February 2023 – that was also the last time they recorded three consecutive clean sheets in the competition.

➤ Since Sérgio Conceição’s first league match with AC Milan (on 11 January against Cagliari), the Rossoneri have picked up the joint-most points in Serie A: 14 (W4 D2 L1), level with Roma, Juventus and Inter.

➤ AC Milan have the most direct attacks (61) in Serie A this season; on the other hand, only Monza and Venezia (both 20) have fewer than Torino (26).

➤ Among debutant Serie A players this season, Torino’s Ché Adams has been involved in the joint-most goals: 10 (seven goals and three assists), level with Artem Dovbyk. He made his debut in Serie A in the reverse match against AC Milan on MD1.

➤ After scoring against Empoli and Hellas Verona, Santiago Giménez could become the first AC Milan player to score in each of his first three Serie A matches in the three points for a win era among those in their debut season in the competition.

➤ Milan’s Rafael Leão is the only player with at least five goals and at least five assists in each of the last five Serie A seasons (since 2020/21); considering the ‘top five’ European leagues, only four other players have achieved this in the period: Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Son Heung-Min and Vincenzo Grifo.

Ones to watch

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic sticks out for the hosts, simply because of how good he has been this season. He averages around four saves per game and has only conceded 28 times, proving a key part of the Toro defence.

The double pivot of Samuele Ricci and Cesare Casadei will also be decisive in any result Torino get we must say. Both have a substantial amount of quality and if given the chance, they will dictate play – Milan must be careful.

Youssouf Fofana needs to have a huge game for the Rossoneri here you feel. Whilst the midfielder has not been terrible recently, his levels have fallen slightly and with the opposition’s midfield strength, he needs to be at his best.

It is also becoming a theme, but, we must see something from Theo Hernandez. After the incident in midweek, he has a lot to prove, and Milan now will have to see more from the Frenchman if he is to even start to try to earn a renewal.

Prediction

This is a Milan side that needs three points desperately. Conceicao has already stated how every game is a Champions League final from here on out, and this must be proved this weekend. If it is not, the Diavolo could begin to tumble even faster than they are now.

Torino 1-2 Milan