Will the viola be able to take the sting out of the revitalized Milan attack?
Is the turmoil at Milan finally over? The club and its supporters would sure like to think so. After all, the rossoneri are currently fourth, a mere five points off the pace (though to be fair, Juventus have yet to play). They've won two in a row and are unbeaten through four.
But declaring the crisis at Milan finished may be a bit hasty. They could only draw against newcomers Cesena and Empoli, and a victory over Chievo isn't exactly surprising. Pippo Inzaghi is going to need to prove his side can hang with the big boys for us really to believe they're back in the running.
Alas, this match against Fiorentina is unlikely to provide a true test. The viola were meant to be challenging for the top three this season. Instead they're finding it challenging to bag three goals. They have five from seven games, to be exact, and although they've also conceded just five, the lack of firepower leaves them way down in 11th.
Key Player - Juan Cuadrado
The Colombian just put pen to paper on a contract keeping him at Fiorentina until 2019, but it may have been due to the fact that his performances at the moment aren't exactly prompting many suitors to pony up lots of cash. Cuadrado has one goal in five starts, and that one was the second in the 3-0 victory over Inter. But he played brilliantly in that game, and that's what Fiorentina are going to continue to need from their key man, if they have any hope at all of resurrecting their season.
Key Matchup - Milan's attacking trident vs. Fiorentina's backline
Revolutionary, I know. But after doing so well to keep out the goals this season, Fiorentina's defense reverted to type last week, when faced with an actual decent attack from Lazio. Now, they're going up against the team with the most goals on the season, and they'll need to keep a special eye out for the red-hot Keisuke Honda. Of course, Fiorentina could just take the Parma approach, and hope that the 5-4 win lands in their favor.
AC Milan Injuries and Suspensions
Riccardo Montolivo (injured) Pablo Armero (in doubt)
With Nigel de Jong back from suspension, expect an even stronger Milan side than the one that beat Verona last week. He'll replace Michael Essien, while the rest of the team is likely to remain unchanged, with Fernando Torres keeping his spot in the starting XI.
Fiorentina Injuries and Suspensions
Mario Gómez, Giuseppe Rossi (injured); David Pizarro (in doubt)
As always, the viola are missing their best forwards, and so will be hoping to pull a goal out of their ... well, you know where.
Match Date / Time
Sunday, October 26 at 8:45 p.m. local, 3:45 p.m. ET
Venue
Stadio San Siro, Milan
How to Watch
TV: Premium Calcio (Italy); BT Sport 1 (UK); beIN Sport, RAI International (USA and Canada)
Online: Premium Play, Sky Go Italia (Italy); beIN Sport Connect (USA and Canada)
from SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/12F1WUp
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