AC Milan vs Napoli – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

AC Milan and Napoli clash in a crucial Serie A encounter on Sunday at the San Siro, with both teams entering the contest sharing high ambitions for the season.

The defending champions Napoli arrive in Milan sitting atop the Serie A table with a perfect record, while the Rossoneri are looking to build on their recent resurgence under Massimiliano Allegri.

The Rossoneri can leapfrog the hosts at the top of the standings with a win.

AC Milan vs Napoli – Match preview and team news

AC Milan team news

AC Milan received a major boost ahead of this crucial fixture as Rafael Leão returned to full training and is expected to be available for selection. The Portuguese winger has been sidelined since the season opener with a calf injury but could make his Serie A debut for the campaign against Napoli. The only confirmed long-term absentee is Ardon Jashari, who suffered an injury during training and faces approximately eight weeks out.

Massimiliano Allegri has praised Adrien Rabiot’s impact following his arrival from Marseille, calling him “fierce, determined, decisive” and noting he appears “even better than he was at Juventus”. The French midfielder has been instrumental in Milan’s improved defensive solidity, with the team keeping clean sheets in five of six matches this season.

Napoli team news

Napoli will be without Alessandro Buongiorno, who sustained an adductor injury during the recent 3-2 victory over Pisa and is expected to miss approximately one month. Amir Rrahmani is set to return to the starting lineup in his place after recovering from his own injury concerns.

Romelu Lukaku remains sidelined with a hamstring injury that has kept him out since August and is not expected to return until December. Nikita Contini is also out injured.

The good news for Antonio Conte is that Alex Meret has returned to training after his recent muscle issue; he started the last game against Pisa and is expected to start in goal again this week. Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay continue to impress in midfield, with the Belgian playmaker adapting well to Serie A football after his summer move from Manchester City.

Form

AC Milan

Allegri’s side has shown remarkable defensive improvement since their opening-day defeat to Cremonese. The Rossoneri have won three consecutive Serie A matches, including impressive victories against Lecce (2-0), Bologna (1-0), and Udinese (3-0). They also secured a commanding 3-0 Coppa Italia victory over Lecce in midweek.

Milan’s defensive transformation has been striking – they have conceded just two goals in six matches across all competitions and currently boast the best defensive record in Serie A alongside AS Roma. The team appears more balanced under Allegri, no longer looking “split” when losing possession.

Napoli

The defending champions have maintained their excellent form from last season’s title-winning campaign, extending their unbeaten Serie A run to 16 matches. Conte’s side has secured maximum points from their opening four league fixtures, defeating Sassuolo (2-0), Cagliari (1-0), Fiorentina (3-1), and Pisa (3-2).

Following defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League, Napoli bounced back with character against Pisa, coming from behind to win 3-2 in a thrilling encounter. The victory demonstrated their resilience and attacking quality, with Rasmus Højlund continuing to impress since his debut goal against Fiorentina.

Predicted lineups

AC Milan: Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Ricci, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Gimenez, Nkunku

Napoli: Meret; Spinazzola, Rrahmani, Beukema, Di lorenzo; Gilmour, Elmas, Mctominay; De Bruyne, Politano, Hoijlund

How to watch AC Milan vs Napoli?

UK fans can watch the game on DAZN.

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