Coppa Italia Preview: AC Milan vs Roma

  • FIy999 2025/02/04 05:31
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Meeting in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, AC Milan and Roma will aim to shake off their Serie A woes and secure a semi-final spot on Wednesday.


preview


A month on from their five-goal thriller in Riyadh, Milan and city rivals Inter Milan met for a more conventional Derby della Madonnina on Sunday, with the Rossoneri aiming to beat their old foes for the third time this season.


Indeed, Sergio Conceicao's side came within a whisker of doing just that, having held onto a lead earned by Tijjani Reijnders deep into stoppage time, only for Stefan de Vrij to pop up with a last-gasp leveller.


Therefore, Milan remain far behind in the Serie A standings, with a 16-point deficit to second-placed Inter - they sit eighth, facing a fight to salvage European qualification from an inconsistent campaign.


Having come back from two goals down to win last month's Supercoppa Italiana final, the Rossoneri already have some silverware in the bag, but they are now intent on improving a sub-par record in Italy's national cup.


Beaten by local rivals Atalanta BC in last season's quarter-finals, the Lombardy giants' sole Coppa Italia success in almost half a century came almost 22 years ago.


They entered this year's edition at the last-16 stage due to their commitments in the Champions League - where last week's defeat to Dinamo Zageb dropped them into the playoffs - and Samuel Chukwueze bagged a brace during December's 6-1 demolition of bogey team Sassuolo.


After Juve and Inter, Milan (24) and Roma (22) have reached the semis more often than any other club, and it was the second-city side that won their most recent clash at this stage - Milan triumphed in both legs 2-1 back in 2004.


Roma actually prevailed in their most recent Coppa contest against the Rossoneri, played 18 years ago; however, the capital club have not progressed past the quarters since 2017.


At the very end of last year, the Giallorossi held Milan to a 1-1 league draw, with Reijnders netting the opener before Paulo Dybala equalised at San Siro.


That result was part of a revival produced by interim coach Claudio Ranieri, who took over his boyhood club amid chaos on and off the pitch. After inching up to ninth thanks to some improved results, they then secured Europa League progress by beating Eintracht Frankfurt.


Roma's new-found resilience was truly put to the test on Sunday, when Serie A leaders Napoli paid a visit to Stadio Olimpico for the Derby del Sole.


Their former full-back Leonardo Spinazzola scored against his old club to put the Partenopei on track for an eighth straight win, but with time running out, Angelino strode into the box and fired home a late leveller.


Ranieri's men are now unbeaten in seven Serie A matches, after losing seven of the previous nine - albeit they have still won just once on the road all season.


AC Milan possible starting lineup:

Maignan; Walker, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Musah, Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Abraham, Leao


Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Rensch, Hummels, Ndicka; Saelemaekers, Kone, Paredes, Pellegrini, Angelino; Dybala, Dovbyk



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