Ronaldo-inspired Juventus meet Milan
Cristiano Ronaldo-powered Juventus head for Serie A leaders AC Milan tonight with little room for error in their push for a 10th consecutive Serie A title.
Andrea Pirlo’s side are 10 points behind unbeaten Milan, having played a game less.
Inter Milan lurk just one point behind their city rivals with a chance to pull ahead against mid-table side Sampdoria.
“Against Juventus it’s not decisive nor a passing of the baton,” insisted Milan coach Stefano Pioli.
“Juve have won the last nine titles and aren’t far behind us.”
But a failure to take three points would weigh heavily on Pirlo’s team who currently sit fifth.
It will be a clash of styles between Milan and the champions, who have relied heavily on Ronaldo this season, with the Portuguese scoring 14 of their 29 goals, including six braces.
He scored twice in Juventus’ 4-1 win over Udinese on Sunday.
Without the 35-year-old, Juventus have struggled for victories, being held three times in his absence by Crotone, Hellas Verona and Benevento.
Juve will also be without injured forward Alvaro Morata, their second best scorer after Ronaldo, with defender Alex Sandro also out after testing positive for coronavirus.
Milan have remained solid despite missing injured top scorer Zlatan
Ibrahimovic since late November, winning five and drawing two in his absence.
The 39-year-old Swede scored 10 goals in six games played before picking up a muscle problem.
Including Ibrahimovic, 13 different players have scored for Milan.
Pirlo revealed that the club “were a little short” among strikers and were looking at bringing in an additional forward during the transfer window.
FIXTURES
(kick-offs Thai time) Cagliari v Benevento (6.30pm), Sassuolo v Genoa, Crotone v Roma, Lazio v Fiorentina, Torino v Verona, Sampdoria v Inter Milan, Bologna v Udinese, Atalanta v Parma (all 9pm), Napoli v Spezia (midnight), AC Milan v Juventus (2.45am, Thu)