Supercoppa Italiana | Semi-Finals

Jan 3, 2025 at 7pm UK

Kingdom Arena

Juventus vs AC Milan

Match preview

For the second time, a four-team Supercoppa Italiana mini-tournament will kick off in 2025 with silverware on the line, with both Juventus and Milan making their debut in the new format.

Juve have the best record in the competition's history, having lifted the trophy nine times - losing the final eight times - and qualified for this year's edition by winning the Coppa Italia.

Now they will be looking to book a date with either their victims from last season's Coppa final, Atalanta BC, or Scudetto holders Inter Milan in Monday's final.

Thiago Motta's men, who face Milan in the league later this month, have endured a frustrating Serie A campaign so far. Last week's 2-2 draw with Fiorentina, in which Khephren Thuram scored a brace, extended their unbeaten run to 18 league games but left them outside the top four.

When Motta took over from Max Allegri in the summer, Juventus added some big-money signings to an ageing squad, but little has changed in terms of results.

The Bianconeri have drawn 21 top-flight matches in 2024 - just one short of the Serie A record held by Perugia - but are in danger of missing out on a return to the Champions League.

While Juve are well placed to reach the knockout stages of UEFA's elite competition, having already secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia, Motta will be aware that winning a trophy is the minimum requirement.

Paulo Fonseca, who joined Milan at the same time as Motta, achieved a similar level of success, but has now been shown the door by the Rossoneri's under-fire owners.

American investment firm RedBird Capital, advised by playing legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic and headed by Gerry Cardinale, have been besieged by fan protests in recent weeks, and Fonseca has been the scapegoat.

With Milan eighth in Serie A - five points behind Juventus but with a game in hand - he made way for fellow Portuguese Sergio Conceicao, whose successful spell at Porto ended in acrimony.

The former Inter man inherits a side 13 points adrift of the Nerazzurri and 14 behind leaders Atalanta BC, with plenty of work to be done if they are to salvage a campaign that has been below par.

In the midst of a disappointing domestic campaign, Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has stood out - playing a part in 11 goals so far - and his strike secured a 1-1 draw with Roma in the Rossoneri's final game before Christmas.

Before returning to Serie A business, Milan's trip to Saudi Arabia will give the Conceicao giants an immediate chance to add the Supercoppa Italiana to their list of seven lifted trophies.

Recent Performance

Juventus form (all competitions):DWDWWD

AC Milan form (all competitions):WLWDWD

Team News

Juventus head into 2025 with an improved injury list, with only Arkadiusz Milik, Bremer and Juan Cabal still sidelined, while Jonas Rouhi and Timothy Weah have both returned to training and Douglas Luiz has recently returned from his latest lay-off.

However, former captain Danilo has been left out of Thiago Motta's squad for the Supercoppa Italiana as the Brazilian defender nears a mid-season move to Napoli.

Leading Juve's attack, top scorer Dusan Vlahovic could link up with winger Francisco Conceicao, who will face his father on Friday - the Porto loanee was previously managed by Milan's new boss in Portugal.

Meanwhile, former Milan midfielder Manuel Locatelli and defender Pierre Kalulu will face their old club at Al-Awwal Park as the Rossoneri's new era begins.

Sergio Conceicao could make a number of changes to Paulo Fonseca's final line-up, with Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic both close to returning from injury.

While Noah Okafor, Samu Chukwueze and Alessandro Florenzi are all ruled out, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah should return to bolster Milan's midfield options.

Possible starting lineup

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic

AC Milan possible starting lineup:

Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Thiaw, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Morata, Jimenez; Abraham