Juventus vs Milan: Only a top four spot left to play for
Juventus and Milan will now hope to secure a top four spot as the two teams lock horns in Turin on Sunday evening.
With Inter having won the Scudetto last weekend, reigning champs Juventus now are fighting for a place in the Champions League. Although they still have a shot at winning the Coppa Italia on May 19th, it’s been a very disappointing debut season for Andrea Pirlo. Meanwhile, his former team, Milan, are desperately trying to hang on to a top four berth as well as they’ve really suffered a fall from grace. At the end of 2020, Milan were unbeaten and looking good to win their first Scudetto since 2011. Now Stefano Pioli’s men are in danger of missing out on the Champions League once again, with Milan’s last appearance taking place in 2013.
In short, getting into the top four is the least either of these two teams can do considering at one point they were both Scudetto contenders. They still have to worry about Napoli, who are also looking to make a late push; at this point, the Partenopei currently sit in second. However, with Atalanta now seeming to have hit a slight wobble, it’s feasible that one, or both of Juventus and Milan could both qualify for the Champions League – but it’ll be mean that the small Bergamo outfit would have to be knocked down into fifth spot.
It’s going to be a very interesting last few weeks in Serie A, but Milan will be extra motivated for this upcoming match. Why? Because Juventus are the team who ended their unbeaten run in Serie A, so naturally getting one over on an out-of-sorts Bianconeri would be some extra sweet revenge. A win for the Rossoneri would also see them jump back into second spot, as Napoli have already played their match, cruising to a comfortable 4-1 over Spezia on Saturday.
Following his comments on Weston McKennie, it will be very interesting to see if the Texan-born midfielder features in Pirlo’s line-up here. Specifically, Pirlo discussed his fitness and professionalism, and some members of the American press were miffed about it as the former Juventus midfielder noted that the player had “lost weight and now is more professional than when he arrived”. It’s likely the USA press could have seen Pirlo’s words as a bit over the top as perhaps they didn’t think that McKennie, who is only 22, ever had a weight or professional issue to begin with. The 2006 World Cup winner has failed to consistently field the same starting XI, and in fact, has used over 30 different line-ups over the course of the season. One can only wonder if that has come back to haunt him as Juventus have struggled to achieve consistency this term across different competitions.
Meanwhile, Pioli will also be missing Samu Castillejo, who’s banned for this game. Although Zlatan Ibrahimovic hasn’t scored for quite some time – with the veteran netting just once in his last seven matches for Milan. However, the Rossoneri have given him a contract extension that will keep him at the Stadio San Siro until his 40th birthday, and he is the team’s top goal-scorer, so he will lead the line as per usual. Pioli will hope that all the ruckus surrounding Gigi Donnarumma’s contract won’t prove to be an unwelcome distraction for the 22-year-old, who’s been again linked with a move away from the club. Juventus have been mooted with making a move, but with the Bianconeri possibly not qualifying for the Champions League, one can bet that Mino Raiola will be closely monitoring that situation and looking to steer his client elsewhere where he not only can get more money but also feature in Europe’s highest level club competition.
This game will be really crucial for both sides, as there are four teams with a realistic shot at featuring in the Champions League, and only three spots. From a neutral perspective, it’s safe to say that many fans honestly would be quite disappointed if Juventus weren’t in the the tournament next season, especially as the Bianconeri are really keen on proving they should be counted as a “big” European side. And given that Ibrahimovic is nearing the end of his career, it’s be a shame not to see the veteran Swedish strike have one more run-out – and potential shot- at winning the trophy that’s eluded him all this time. Napoli are doing their part to secure a place for themselves in the meantime. Will Juventus and Milan be able to do likewise, while, of course, taking note of Atalanta, who’s not going to give up on their top four berth without a dogged fight? Will Milan get revenge on Juventus for ending their unbeaten run this season? Or will Pirlo be able to again get the better of his former side as he hopes to try to at least salvage little remains of a very disappointing debut campaign?
