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Played
March 20, 2012 7:45 PM GMT
Juventus Stadium — Torino
Referee:‬ D. Orsato‎
Attendance:‬ 41000‎
 

Juventus - AC Milan Preview: Coppa Italia final place the prize as Conte's men lead from the first leg

The Turin side hold all the cards going into the return fixture set in Juventus Stadium after a 2-1 first leg victory at San Siro back in early February

By Adam Scime


PROBABLE LINEUPS

JUVENTUS


Storari
Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini
L'steiner, Padoin, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie
Borriello, Del Piero


AC MILAN


Abbiati
 Bonera, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Antonini
Aquilani, Van Bommel, Nocerino
Emanuelson
Ibrahimovic, El Shaarawy



Juventus have one foot in the Coppa Italia final after a 2-1 win at San Siro in the first leg and should be full of confidence after their convincing 5-0 triumph over Fiorentina in Serie A.

Coach Antonio Conte looks set to go back to a 3-5-2 formation with Giorgio Chiellini recovering from injury to line-up alongside Leonardo Bonucci and Martin Caceres, who scored both goals for the Old Lady in the first leg, while Andrea Barzagli is still nursing a calf injury. Meanwhile Stephan Lichtsteiner, suspended for the club's next Serie A match versus Inter, and Paolo De Ceglie are pushed up into midfield.

Bianconeri talisman Alessandro Del Piero is in contention for a place in the starting XI as striker Marco Borriello, playmaker Andrea Pirlo and goalkeeper Marco Storari are almost certain to face their former team from the starting whistle.

Needing to overturn the aggregate deficit, Rossoneri boss Massimiliano Allegri welcomes back centre-back Philippe Mexes while veterans Clarence Seedorf and Gennaro Gattuso could also make appearances at some point. However, although defender Alessandro Nesta and attacking midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng are back in training, neither is likely to participate on Tuesday.

Italy international Alberto Aquilani, who has made three substitute appearances in a row for the club, should be handed a first XI berth against his former team-mates while Robinho, Stephan El Shaarawy and Maxi Lopez are all vying for a spot in attack alongside star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.


DID YOU KNOW?
  • Juventus' 5-0 win over Fiorentina on the weekend ended a run of four consecutive draws in the league.
  • The Bianconeri are tied with Roma for the most Coppa Italia trophies (nine), but have not won the competition since 1995.
  • Del Piero's only goal this season has come in the Coppa Italia, during the quarter-final win over Roma
  • AC Milan were the last side in this fixture to score three goals in a single match, when they won 3-0 back in May 2010.
  • Aquilani, now on loan at Milan from Liverpool, played on loan at Juventus last season, making 34 appearances for the Turin club.
  • In three competitive meetings this season, Allegri's side have failed to defeat Juventus, drawing one and losing two so far.


Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
Head to Head
Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Apr 21, 2013 Juventus 1 - AC Milan 0
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Italy - Coppa Italia ‎(ITAC)‎ Jan 9, 2013 Juventus 2 - AC Milan 1
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Nov 25, 2012 AC Milan 1 - Juventus 0
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Italy - Coppa Italia ‎(ITAC)‎ Mar 20, 2012 Juventus 2 - AC Milan 2
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Feb 25, 2012 AC Milan 1 - Juventus 1
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Last Five Matches
Juventus
May 18, 2013Sampdoria 3 - Juventus 2ITA1
May 11, 2013Juventus 1 - Cagliari 1ITA1
May 8, 2013Atalanta 0 - Juventus 1ITA1
May 5, 2013Juventus 1 - Palermo 0ITA1
Apr 28, 2013Torino 0 - Juventus 2ITA1
AC Milan
May 19, 2013Siena 1 - AC Milan 2ITA1
May 12, 2013AC Milan 0 - Roma 0ITA1
May 8, 2013Pescara 0 - AC Milan 4ITA1
May 5, 2013AC Milan 1 - Torino 0ITA1
Apr 28, 2013AC Milan 4 - Catania 2ITA1
Odds
Returns: Juventus £510.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Draw £85.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Milan £32.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Team News
Available Squads
1Marco AmeliaGoalkeeper
-Djamel MesbahMidfielder
77Luca AntoniniDefender
5Philippe MexesDefender
4Thiago SilvaDefender
10Alberto AquilaniMidfielder
10Clarence SeedorfMidfielder
4Sulley Ali MuntariMidfielder
8Urby EmanuelsonMidfielder
92Stephan El ShaarawyMidfielder
18Zlatan IbrahimovicStriker
32Christian AbbiatiGoalkeeper
25Daniele BoneraDefender
76Mario Alberto YepesDefender
8Antonio NocerinoMidfielder
8Gennaro Ivan GattusoMidfielder
18Filippo InzaghiStriker
10Maxi LópezStriker
Players to Watch
Giorgio Chiellini
Giorgio Chiellini
Position: Defender
Squad Number: 3
Games Goals YC RC
0 0 0 0
The Juventus side's star defender returns to the starting XI after sitting out the past few games and his ability to shut down Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Rossoneri's attacks will be pivotal to the Bianconeri's chances of earning a place in the domestic cup final.
Alberto Aquilani
Alberto Aquilani
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 10
Games Goals YC RC
2 0 2 0
Creativity will be something Milan need if they want to open up coach Conte's rigid defence and Aquilani will be required to not only put his foot on the ball in midfield and control the tempo, but also find some incisive passes to try and put Juventus on the back foot.
Prediction
AC Milan will feel aggrieved as their last clash in Serie A with Juventus had plenty of controversy regarding Sulley Muntari's 'ghost goal' after his effort appeared to have crossed the line before Gianluigi Buffon's save. However, with the Bianconeri holding a significant away victory already, the Scudetto holders will have to come out and attack and that could play into the hosts' hands.
Editor's Prediction
Milan 2
Results
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Mattia Destro Mattia Destro
Striker
Roma
5 0
Thiago Ribeiro Thiago Ribeiro
Striker
Cagliari
3 0
Francesco Lodi Francesco Lodi
Midfielder
Catania
2 1
Rodrigo Palacio Rodrigo Palacio
Striker
Inter
2 0
Fredy Guarín Fredy Guarín
Midfielder
Inter
2 0