Parma vs AC Milan: Preview, predictions, team news

Both Parma and AC Milan will look to earn their first win of the 2024/25 Serie A season this weekend as the newly promoted side prepare to host the Italian giants on Saturday.

Parma topped Serie B last season, earning their place in Serie Afor the first time since 2021. Fabio Pecchia’s squad might have collected a hard-fought point against a solid Fiorentina team in their opening league fixture, but facing AC Milan will be a much tougher test. The home crowd will be behind them, though, for a boost against the 19-time Serie A winners.

Milan also only earned a point last weekend in what was a late-game comeback against Torino, led by Alvaro Morata and Noah Okafor. The disappointing result is not how Paulo Fonseca’s men wanted to kickstart their fresh campaign, especially after ending last season 19 points behind Inter Milan. Now, they must bounce back against last year’s Serie B winners.

Here’s 90min’s guide to Parma vs AC Milan at the Stadio Tardini.

Parma vs AC Milan H2H record (last five games)

Current form (all competitions)

Parma’s backline will get a boost with the return of Enrico Del Prato from suspension. The 24-year-old made 35 appearances in his team’s Serie B winning campaign last season, and will need to be at his best to stop the the attacking prowess of Milan.

Several players remain a doubt to feature in the match due to injury, including Hernani and Gabriel Charpentier. Adrian Benedyczak is still recovering from ankle surgery.

Parma predicted lineup vs AC Milan ( 4-2-3-1 ): Suzuki; Coulibaly, Del Prato, Circati, Valeri; Estevez, Bernabe; Man, Sohm, Mihaila; Bonny

Milan will be without new signing, Alvaro Morata, after the former Atletico Madrid man suffered a muscle injury to his left leg. The striker scored in his debut to kickstart his side’s comeback victory against Torino, but will now be sidelined for at least three weeks.

Expect Theo Hernandez, along with new signings Strahinja Pavlovic and Youssouf Fofana, to feature in Paulo Fonseca’s XI after Milan struggled defensively last weekend. Emerson Royal could also get the nod over Davide Calabria should the manager want to make three changes at the back.

AC Milan predicted lineup vs Parma ( 4-2-3-1 ): Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Fofana, Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao; Jovic

Even without Morata up top, Milan should still find great success against a Parma side that scored zero goals against Serie B’s Palermo in the first round of the Coppa Italia just two weeks ago. As long as Fonseca shores up his backline, the 19-time Serie A winners should comfortably defeat the newly promoted Parma.

Prediction: Parma 0-2 AC Milan

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