The five key battles that could win or lose the game for Milan against Genoa | OneFootball

AC Milan will take on Genoa at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Monday night, hoping to continue their positive recent form.

It is the fourth-last game in what has been a troubled Serie A campaign for Milan, who sit ninth in the table with virtually no chance of achieving a European spot in the league. However, the Coppa Italia final is on the horizon and the aim is to build form ahead of facing Bologna.

Genoa vs. Milan: five key battles

We start with the big news regarding the line-up: Luka Jovic has recovered from lower back pain and will return to the side after missing the trip to Venezia. He has four goals in his last five appearances and is hoping to earn a multi-year extension from the club, having earned the trust of Sergio Conceicao in view of the season finale.

There is an added sub-plot when it comes to his opponent Koni De Winter. Not only has he been a big part of the main strength of Patrick Vieira’s side – the defensive record (least goals conceded in the top half) – but his performances have earned him links with the Rossoneri in view of the summer transfer window.

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While Genoa have been much better at the back under their new coach, they have struggled more up front. Andrea Pinamonti is their top scorer with eight league goals but he has not found the net in his last nine Serie A games. It is his longest drought in a single top flight season since 15 consecutive games without a goal between October 2019 and June 2020.

His compatriot Matteo Gabbia will be hoping to make that drought extend to double-digit games. Since the change to a 3-4-3 formation the Italian centre-back has become the literal anchor of the side, showcasing both his defensive qualities and benefitting from having cover on each side.

Moving to the midfield, Youssouf Fofana has had a recent resurgence. The Frenchman has already provided six assists in the league this season and considering the last 20 seasons (since 2005-06), only one central midfielder has managed at least seven assists in his debut season in Serie A with Milan: Hakan Çalhanoglu in 2017-18 (Alberto Aquilani also had six in 2011-12).

As the more defensive-minded player in the double pivot, he will be tasked with keeping track of Genoa’s attacking midfielder, and he is a familiar name: Junior Messias. The Brazilian was of course a big part of that Scudetto-winning side in 2021-22 and then eventually found himself on the margins. He has three goals in 33 games with Genoa, having battled some injuries.

Christian Pulisic scored the only goal in the only match played in his career at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris against Genoa (1-0 on 7 October 2023). The American continue to be the most consistent performer  in the front three, and could become the first Milan player to score more than 10 goals in the first two Serie A season played with the Rossoneri since Luciano Chiarugi (1972-73 and 1973-74).

The left-back for the Rossoblu should be Aaron Martin, a 28-year-old Spaniard who has made 32 starts in the league. No player in the team has more which shows how Vieira views his importance, while he has four assists in Serie A demonstrating that Milan will have to keep an eye on his overlapping and underlapping runs.

We end with another duel in the midfield, and probably the most fascinating of the five. Morten Frendrup will come up against Tijjani Reijnders, and there are two sub-plots. The first is the tussle between the Dane and the Netherlands as two players who have been among the best in their position this season in Serie A, with the former leading a lot of defensive metrics and the latter a lot of the attacking ones.

Then, there is the possibility that they could even be playing together next season. Frendrup is understandably in demand given how impressive he has been, and Milan are among the teams that are reportedly keen on him. There has even been the suggestion on the morning of the game that he would be keen on the move to the Rossoneri.