AC Milan welcome Como 1907 to the magnificent San Siro on Saturday, March 15, determined to salvage an underwhelming season.
They’re on course to record their worst Serie A finish since that atrocious 2014/15 campaign under Filippo Inzaghi.
The Rossoneri were clueless under summer hire Paulo Fonseca, an appointment the Milan faithful never quite got behind.
He was dismissed after 24 matches, managing only 12 wins in that short tenure.
In came Sergio Conceicao, who led the club to the Supercoppa Italiana and raised hopes that he could stem the slump.
Unfortunately, Milan took a nosedive under the Portuguese tactician. Many believe he is sitting on a ticking time bomb.
At the moment, Milan sit in ninth place with three consecutive 2-1 losses.
Key players like Christian Pulisic, Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez, Fikayo Tomori, and Rafael Leao are all underperforming.
Every matchday, calls for the Milan hierarchy to leave the club get louder.
The first team desperately needs to string wins together, and they should back themselves to beat Como.
Easier said than done against a Como side punching above their weight. Pundits predicted they would struggle in the top flight and were in danger after a poor start.
However, they started to pick up points thanks to their stellar recruitment and the tactical nous of Cesc Fabregas.
The ex-Arsenal and Chelsea playmaker has earned praise for his work at the club. Youngsters like Nico Paz and Assane Diao are thriving in Serie A.
Como have shot up to 13th on the table at the time of writing, but they cannot rest on their laurels with 11 league matches left.
A morale-boosting victory over the 19-time champions will lift their spirits as they bid to secure a comfortable mid-table finish.
The stage is set for an epic encounter between two sides gunning for maximum points.
Fans can catch the action live by purchasing AC Milan vs Como tickets from Seatsnet.com to bask in the boisterous atmosphere of the historic San Siro.
Match Preview
Milan need something to give in the coming games. Tension at the club is at an all-time. The fans have been angry at the board since they dismissed their icon, Paolo Maldini.
The legendary defender masterminded their last Scudetto win with his astute squad building.
Transfer dealings have been diabolical since his departure, and the managerial hires are equally woeful.
A win here and there could bring a more positive feeling, but Milan couldn’t hit a victory if it were the broad side of a barn.
At the moment, the Rossoneri are on a three-game losing streak in Serie A.
They have only one win in their last six games across all competitions, a run that has seen them crash out of the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Feyenoord.
Milan have a Coppa Italia semi-final meeting with arch-rivals Inter Milan that the fans are absolutely dreading.
Because if the Nerazzurri find their groove against this listless Milan team, it could be a drubbing.
First, they have to navigate a meeting with Como. Milan scraped past Como in the reverse fixture at the gorgeous Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
Diao opened the scoring, beating Maignan at his near post, but Milan responded through Hernandez and partner-in-crime Leao to take the three points they deserved.
They need to recreate that performance to stand a chance on March 15.
Como have claimed scalps against Roma, Fiorentina, and Napoli. They made life difficult for Lazio, Juventus, and Atalanta.
They will not fear a Milan side that sits only four points above them on the table.
At the time of writing, Como have two wins in their last three games, and the only loss in that streak was against resurgent Roma.
A game Como will feel they threw away as they led and were in it until Marc-Oliver Kempf received his marching orders in the 63rd minute.
Como can take down another giant. It could be the spark they need to push into the top half of the table during the run-in.
Head to Head
Milan and Como have faced off three times in Serie A, and the latter are yet to manage a win over the Rossoneri. They will need to play out of their skin to secure any result.
Before that Milan 2-1 win earlier this season, they met twice in the 2002/03 campaign. The Rossoneri claimed a 2-1 win away and a comfortable 2-0 victory at the San Siro.
Como will be desperate to turn the tide and make history. However, given the way Milan dominated this fixture, they are firm favourites to extend their unbeaten run.
Best XIs
Milan
Maignan is one of numerous Milan players struggling to hit their usual levels, but he should get the nod between the sticks.
With Strahinja Pavlovic receiving a red card against Lazio, Malick Thiaw will likely partner Matteo Gabbia in central defence.
Hernandez and Alejandro Jimenez have been the full-back pairing for Conceicao.
Milan might rotate, but they will likely line up with Youssouf Fofana and Yunus Musah in the engine room.
Rafael Leao, Tijjani Reijnders and Christian Pulisic will support Santiago Gimenez in the centre-forward position.
(4-2-3-1): Maignan; Hernandez, Thiaw, Gabbia, Jimenez; Musah, Fofana; Leao, Reijnders, Pulisic; Gimenez.
Como
French goalkeeper Jean Butez is Como’s starting guardian. The 29-year-old will have Ivan Smolcic, Edoardo Goldaniga, Alberto Dossena, and Alex Vale protecting him.
Como have one of the most exciting midfield pivots in the league, with Manchester City starlet Maximo Perrone screening the defence and former Lyon star Maxence Caqueret conducting proceedings.
Gabriel Strefezza, Paz, and Diao provide an exciting attacking trio to create chances for former Milan man Patrick Cutrone.
(4-2-3-1): Butez; Smolcic, Goldaniga, Dossena, Valle; Perrone, Caqueret; Strefezza, Paz, Diao; Cutrone.
Ticket Info
Fans can watch live Serie A games by buying tickets from the official channels. The tickets are also available at Seatsnet.com, a trusted secondary marketplace for fans.
How to Watch
Serie A is on TV in the United Kingdom (UK) on TNT Sports, OneFootball and Premier Sports. TNT Sports and OneFootball have coverage of Serie A, and Premier Sports has the Coppa Italia.
