Serie A | Gameweek 24

Feb 8, 2025 at 5pm UK

Stadio Carlo Castellani

Empoli vs AC Milan

Match preview

Setting up a last-four clash with arch-rivals Inter or Lazio, Milan's 3-1 win over Roma on Wednesday put them through to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, with Tammy Abraham scoring twice against his parent club at the San Siro.

The victory followed an intense league clash with Inter three days earlier, as the Rossoneri went in search of their third Derby della Madonnina win of the season.

Sergio Conceicao's men were determined to halt the Nerazzurri's title challenge and came within a whisker of repeating their January success in the Supercoppa Italiana, but after holding a slender lead into injury time, they conceded a last-gasp equaliser.

The result leaves Milan well behind their old rivals in the Serie A standings, and they face a battle to salvage European qualification from an inconsistent campaign.

Although tough-talking coach Conceicao has vowed to tighten up a leaky defence, the Lombardy giants have conceded at least one goal in each of their last six league games, having kept clean sheets in four of the previous five.

Ahead of a trip to Tuscany at the weekend, Milan have also lost their last two away games - to Juventus and Dinamo Zagreb - and nothing less than three points will satisfy an increasingly frustrated fan base.

After a 3-0 defeat in the reverse fixture in November, Empoli have failed to find the net in any of their last four meetings with this week's visitors, losing seven of their last eight.

In fact, the Tuscan club have yet to record a top-flight win over Milan at the Stadio Castellani, coming up short on 32 previous occasions.

Recent form does not bode well for Roberto D'Aversa's men either, as they remain winless in 2025, having suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Juventus last time out.

Despite taking the lead through ex-Juventus man Mattia De Sciglio - before being awarded a penalty which was subsequently overturned by the VAR - Empoli conceded twice in a three-minute spell just after the hour mark, and twice more in injury time.

The Azzurri have picked up the fewest points - just two - and conceded the most goals (18) over the last eight rounds, leaving them one point above the relegation zone and facing yet another fight for survival.

At the Castellani, they have managed just one league win all season, scoring just five goals, so beating Milan will be a tall order.

Recent Performance

Empoli Serie A form:LDLLDL

AC Milan Serie A form:DDWLWD

AC Milan form (all competitions):LWWLDW

Team News

After both made an impact from the bench in midweek, Milan should give more minutes to new signings Joao Felix, who scored on his debut, and Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez.

The latter has scored 65 goals in 105 appearances in all competitions during his time at Feyenoord and will be competing with Tammy Abraham to lead the line following the departure of Alvaro Morata at the end of the season.

With a Champions League play-off against Gimenez's old club on the horizon, Sergio Conceicao may consider making changes. Two new signings - Riccardo Sottil and Warren Bondo - will be available, but the injured trio of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Emerson Royal and Alessandro Florenzi remain sidelined.

Meanwhile, Ola Solbakken, Pietro Pellegri, Nicolas Haas, Saba Sazonov and Tyronne Ebuehi are all on Empoli's ever-lengthening injury list, while three other potential starters are doubtful.

Tino Anjorin, Jacopo Fazzini and Albanian defender Ardian Ismajli all face fitness tests, but centre-back Mattia Viti has returned to training.

Although Alberto Grassi and Giuseppe Pezzella are both back from suspension, Youssef Maleh will serve a one-match ban following his late red card against Juve.

Milan loanee Lorenzo Colombo, who will partner Inter's Sebastiano Esposito up front, has scored five goals in 23 Serie A appearances this season and needs just one more to equal his personal best.

Possible starting lineup

Empoli possible starting lineup:

Vasquez; Goglichidze, Viti, De Sciglio; Gyasi, Henderson, Grassi, Cacace, Pezzella; Esposito, Colombo

AC Milan possible starting lineup:

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