Anteprima: The AC Milan Women vs Juventus Women

This is it

The first Big Game of the season for the AC Milan Women. They’ll take on Juventus at the San Siro for a crucial clash for the top of the table.

Here’s a brief overview of what you need to know before the match.

The Formation

The Rossonere will most likely line-up in a 4-3-1-2 or a 4-1-3-2, which are their preferred formations. Milan usually lines up in that formation before switching to a 4-4-2 during the latter half of games.

Wyscout

The former two formations allow Milan to take full advantage of their attack, as the close proximity between the players makes it easier to change positions. That will allow for fluid movement between the players both in midfield and in attack and will allow them to create several opportunities to score.

The switch to the 4-4-2 in the second half will allow the team to defend and attack in numbers with relative safety as the structure dictates that the defenders stay back and the attackers remain forward — with the midfielders and wingers supporting both sets of players.

This will allow Milan to maintain their lead in games and to remain defensively solid to the end. We saw this in the match against San Marino, where the Rossonere scored three goals in the first half of the match while keeping a clean sheet as well.

Juventus, on the other hand, will most likely line-up in a 4-1-4-1. The 4-1-4-1 will give them both tactical flexibility and fluidity. This will allow the Bianconere to unleash the full force of their attacking talent, spearheaded by Barbara Bonansea and Cristiana Girelli (who was last season’s capocannoniere).

The formation will also allow Juve to be defensively solid, as they boast a strong back four protected by the four midfielders lying in front of them. The Bianconere have a strong backline that is comprised of Sara Gama and Linda Sembrant, who are among the two best centre-backs in the world. Lisa Boattin is also quite a strong fullback, as she’s been able to hold her own against the likes of FC Barcelona during important fixtures.

Juve will also have Laura Giuliani in goal for them. Giuliani is one of the top ten goalkeepers in the whole entire world. Scoring against her will be tough, so Milan need to be potent and catch her off-guard if they hope to put any goals past her.

All four of them will be looking to shut out Milan’s offense and to prevent them from scoring.

However, though Juve seems to be the stronger side on paper, they also have a few vulnerabilities as well.

The Bianconere’s Vulnerability

For once in their lives, Juventus actually look mortal. The team haven’t looked as sharp and clinical in front of goal. They’ve also conceded goals from open play, which is rare for them.

They let Empoli score three goals against them, with two of those goals scored during the run of play. Normally, when Juventus concedes, they concede from set plays. An example of this would be during the last time the two teams met, as both of Milan’s goals against the Bianconere came from set-pieces.

The Bianconere haven’t looked sharp and clinical in front of goal either. This was most evident during the game against San Marino, where they only scored two goals against the league debutantes. Compare that to Milan, who managed to score five goals against the team from the Republic, or Empoli, who managed to score a whopping ten goals against them.

Milan have looked like the sharper side, while the Bianconere are still struggling to find their form. The fact of which gives Milan a slight advantage, as it means that they will most likely be more clinical in front of goal.

Juventus will also have two players who are returning from injury at their disposal. The players are the previously mentioned Sara Gama, along with fellow defender Cecilia Salvai. While that may seem like an advantage for Juve, it will also raise questions about the players’ match fitness and their ability to play for a full 90 minutes.

Though one shouldn’t downplay the importance of Sara Gama’s return, as it means that Juve will not only have their best defender back but their team captain as well. Gama will be crucial for them as she tries to inspire her side to win this important clash.

Still, the Bianconere have shown that they are vulnerable. If the Rossonere are to win this game, then they must take advantage of these weaknesses.

And with dead-ball specialists like Linda Tucceri Cimini and forward Natasha Dowie being in fine form, they just might have what it takes to do so.

The importance of the match

The match between Milan and Juve will no longer just be about the Rossonere gaining vital points in their bid for Champions League qualification. Now, it has become a clash to see who will top the table.

Prior to this game, it was Fiorentina who were on top of the league standings, with Milan in second on goal difference, and Juve in third.

Then, the Viola lost their match against Sassuolo 3-1. The loss was then followed up by the news that Fiorentina’s star forward, Tatiana Bonetti, would be leaving the team.

Bonetti’s rumored destination is Atlético Madrid, and losing her will be a huge blow for the Viola. The team will become quite vulnerable after losing one of their best players. They will also lose her just as the transfer window closes, which means that they won’t have any time to replace her.

This move means that both Milan and Juve will be leading the race for the scudetto in Serie A Femminile. Therefore, winning Monday’s match will be crucial for the Rossonere, as doing so will allow them to remain atop of the table.

While it’s too early to declare Milan the scudetto winners, this match could be instrumental in their bid to claim silverware this season.

Therefore, it is crucial that they do everything in their power to win this important game.

And we’ll be cheering for them every step of the way as they do so.

Finalmente

When: See above

Where: At the San Siro baby!

How to watch: You’ll be able to watch the match on Sky Italia, TimVision (Italy only), Juventus TV, and the official AC Milan app.