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AC Milan-Juventus: no room for error for Ronaldo and company

2021-01-05T14:13:43.022Z


On the ground of the leader of Serie A, the Old Lady, who already has a considerable delay, must absolutely win to relaunch in his quest for a 10th title in a row.


The shock Wednesday (8:45 p.m.) between AC Milan, undefeated leader of the Italian Championship, and Juventus Turin, nine-time defending champion, looks like a turning point for the Bianconeri, forced to go clear at the start of 2021 after losing their way too many points in the first third of the championship.

This trip to San Siro, at the end of the 16th day of Serie A, is crucial for Juve's Andrea Pirlo (5th) who, already ten points behind the Rossoneri, would be in a bad position in the event of defeat.

In the probable absence of Alvaro Morata (muscle discomfort in a thigh), Cristiano Ronaldo, in great shape Sunday against Udinese (4-1), will again be the main asset of a team struggling to find regularity since the start of the season.

For captain Leonardo Bonucci, Sunday's victory should only be a “starting point.

We must recover points, places in the standings, now more than ever, ”he urged on his Instagram account.

The Turinese will also be deprived of defender Alex Sandro, who tested positive for Covid-19 after the victory against Udine.

"It is clear that between him and the rest of Juventus there is a chasm at the moment in terms of performance and level"

La Repubblica

Everything will therefore no doubt depend on the performance of Ronaldo, decisive in the face that Juventus displays.

Biting when the Portuguese shine, the Old Lady becomes arbitrary as soon as he is less in sight or missing (three draws without him in the league against Crotone, Hellas Verona and Benevento).

"It is clear that between him and the rest of Juventus, there is a chasm at the moment in terms of performance and level," La Repubblica noted on Monday the day after CR7's new demonstration against Udinese.

With 14 goals (including six doubles), the Portuguese leads the way in the scorers standings, one of his goals to become the top scorer in three different leagues (after England with Manchester United and Spain with Real Madrid ).

Sensitive to records of all kinds, Ronaldo is also eyeing the 767 goals awarded to Pelé in official matches (the Brazilian has scored a total of more than 1,200 during his career).

The Portuguese have to date 758, including 102 with Portugal.

If Juventus can rejoice in his insatiable appetite and his dazzling form at almost 36 years old (in February), coach Andrea Pirlo would probably like to depend less on his star, author of 50% of the league goals.

Alvaro Morata has certainly established himself as a valuable partner, but there are few alternatives to this duo “Moraldo”.

Paulo Dybala has so far been transparent and Aaron Ramsey not very decisive.

The Turinese are also considering an offensive reinforcement in January, the names of Fernando Llorente and Olivier Giroud having circulated.

Will the Turin experience be enough against the ardor of Stefano Pioli's young team?

Because this Milan never ceases to surprise.

Unsinkable team with steel morale and which succeeds, even when the facts of the match are against it, like Sunday against Benevento (2-0) at ten against eleven for an hour.

Even without Ibrahimovic, AC Milan shines

When Juventus Turin still depends so much on the flashes of Ronaldo, AC Milan have learned to live and win without their star, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who seems to have communicated his boundless confidence to a young team without complexes.

Even without "Ibra", injured since the end of November, Milan continued to flawlessly and preserved an unexpected first place at a good third of the season.

However, the former PSG striker weighed heavily on his team's offensive record at the start of the season, with ten goals scored in just six matches played.

His injury had therefore logically raised some concerns about the cruising speed of the Milanese.

But the seven matches played since (five wins, two draws) have only strengthened the confidence of his young partners.

“The pressure and the responsibility, I take it on my shoulders.

They just have to work, believe and follow "

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Stefano Pioli has remained faithful to the system designed for Ibrahimovic, replacing him position for position with Ante Rebic then Rafael Leao.

The young Portuguese (21), sometimes criticized for his irregularity, responded, with a nice goal on Sunday (unbalanced lob) which ensured the victory of a Milan reduced to ten against Benevento (2-0).

And without the number one goalscorer, the whole team - from attackers to defenders - sets out to storm the opposing goal with already 13 different goal scorers this season (only Atalanta has done better with 14, against 8 for Juventus) .

The youngest team in average age, with players without a record but without complexes, Milan seems inhabited by the confidence instilled by the Swedish giant, himself transcended by this new role of tutor since his return to Lombardy in January.

“The pressure and the responsibility, I take it on my shoulders.

They just have to work, believe in it and follow it, ”pleaded the 39-year-old Swede in November who, even away from the field until mid-January, again urged his partners at the end of December to dare to dream of the title.”

An ambition to dethrone Juve at the end of the season that Milan coach Pioli refuses to mention for the moment.

"We should not think that match after match, our ranking will not be looked at until April.

Against Juve, it will not be a decisive match, nor a passing of the baton.

For me Juve, Inter and Napoli remain the strongest. "

A modesty that will be hard to resist a success this Wednesday evening ...

Read also

  • Serie A standings

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2021-01-05

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