Matchday 22 for the Rossoneri is here. Stefano Pioli's AC Milan will face a decent and motivated side that is coached by young manager Thiago Motta: Spezia.
The red and black faithful have been able to collect 48 points so far in the Serie A league standings after 15 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses. They are second behind Inter (50 points) who also have 21 games and are missing one match. In case of a win for the red and black side of Milano, they will be able to be first, even if it's temporary.
AC Milan have the second best attack in the league with 46 goals scored. The defence, however, has conceded 23 times. Tonight, they face Spezia, definitely a decent side who boasts a victory last year against Il Diavolo. This year, they also managed to win versus Napoli.
Spezia are currently sitting in 16th place with 19 points after 5 wins, 4 draws, and 12 losses: a record that does not give justice to the talent that the squad has and what they are capable of.
To beat the opposition today, Stefano Pioli will have to rely on all of his stars who are available: Theo Hernandez, for example, must give continuity to his high-level performances and contribute to the attack in order to help Rafael Leao and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The former Real Madrid full-back is experiencing a fiery start to the 2022 year and the fans will surely hope to see another world-class show at the San Siro this time.
Brahim Diaz is another weapon for Stefano Pioli. But, the playmaker must really show what he is capable of doing against Spezia as everyone expects more from him. In order to keep a spot for himself as a starter, he must soon repay the continuous trust that the coaching staff is giving him.
The head coach, in his latest press conference, said the following about the former Manchester City talent: "If the performances drop, there is another ready to take over. If you want to play for Milan and do it as a starter you have to be ready to keep the high level up."
Therefore, it is clear that Brahim Diaz must redeem himself and show his strength in this game in order to gain some momentum as Milan will face Juventus in the match after this one on January 23.
In the defence, Pioli will have to continue on relying on Matteo Gabbia and Pierre Kalulu who have done well for themselves in the last two games. Alessio Romagnoli has just tested negative for Covid-19, but he will obviously not be available in such a very short time.
In short, there is quality and there are the tools to be able to snatch the three points at home against Spezia. But, it will not be easy. Every Milan player must be totally concentrated and motivated as they should try to avoid any mistakes and not lose the ball in their own half. Otherwise, life will be hard for the Rossoneri men as the other team will be looking to exploit any lack of concentration, counter-attacking opportunities or set-pieces from dangerous position.
Spezia have some very strong players who can cause a lot of danger up front such as: Emmanuel Gyasi and Daniele Verde.
The visitors should play with the following lineup:
4-3-3: Provedel; Amian, Erlic, Nikolaou, Reca; Maggiore, Kiwior, Bastoni; Gyasi, Manaj, Verde
As for AC Milan, this is the probable formation that Pioli could use:
