At 2:45 AM on August 18, the first round of the 2024/25 Serie A season will see AC Milan host Torino at the San Siro. Last season, Milan finished second, with former coach Pioli leaving the San Siro amidst ridicule, and Portuguese Fonseca becoming the new helmsman of the Rossoneri. Torino, relying on a steady defensive performance, ranked ninth, but poor offensive capabilities led to head coach Juric’s departure after 122 matches. Vanoli, who just led Venezia back to Serie A, became Torino’s new manager.
Last season was marked by continuous pressure from their city rivals Inter Milan, putting AC Milan through a period of mental frustration, neither desired by management nor anticipated by fans. Therefore, AC Milan’s management has been determined to use this summer transfer window to introduce several powerful new players. Currently, over 50 million euros have been invested, including 13 million euros for Morata from Atletico Madrid. Although losing Giroud, the Spaniard surpasses his predecessor in all aspects. After tough negotiations, Emerson was acquired from Tottenham for 15 million euros. Pavlovic, the “hexagonal” player, was brought in from Red Bull Salzburg for 18 million euros. Also, Fofana’s signing is imminent. Notably, Salernitana, who performed well last season at Bologna, has returned from loan, further enriching the team’s midfield options. Among the departures, De Ketelaere was bought out by Atalanta for 22 million euros. Krunic signed with Fenerbahce for 3.5 million euros, and Simic joined Anderlecht for 3 million euros.
Torino continues its strategy of minor adjustments, with the only significant signing being Zapata purchased from Atalanta for 8.5 million euros. Additionally, they signed central defender Coke from Las Palmas for 7.5 million euros, and Machina from Udinese for one million euros. However, they lost the key defender Buoncristiano, who brought in 35 million euros and moved to Napoli under Conte. From the current transfer operations, Torino’s squad configuration has slightly declined compared to last season, particularly on defense, which will be a significant test for new manager Vanoli’s adjustment skills.
During the break, AC Milan arranged six friendly matches, achieving three wins, two draws, and one loss. They even defeated Champions League winners Real Madrid and Premier League champions Manchester City. Although friendly match results should not be taken too seriously, defeating such strong opponents under equal conditions raises expectations for Fonseca’s leadership. At least they hope to overthrow Inter Milan’s dominance over Serie A and the city. In the final pre-season friendly, AC Milan beat Monza 3-1, with goals from Salernitana, Reinders, and Jovic. Fonseca’s training of the team is gradually showing results.
Although Torino only arranged four friendlies, new manager Vanoli has given the team a refreshed spirit. They drew 0-0 against Lyon and won 3-0 against Metz. In the recently concluded Coppa Italia match, Torino beat Cosenza 2-0, with Zapata scoring a goal. With their distinctive defensive philosophy and improving offensive capabilities, Torino may expect greater breakthroughs.
Looking at the schedule, AC Milan’s first five rounds of opponents are Torino, Parma, Lazio, Venezia, and Inter Milan, gradually increasing in difficulty, perfect for a post-managerial change Milan to find their rhythm. Torino’s first five opponents are AC Milan, Atalanta, Venezia, Lecce, and Verona, getting easier as they go along, which might put pressure on the team early in the season, causing them to lose games they shouldn’t.
Before the game, AC Milan manager Fonseca indicated that new signing Pavlovic, due to limited training time with the team, may not play in this match. The possibility of Reinders starting is also slim. Jovic, who performed excellently in the friendlies, may secure a starting position. After completing the signing of Fofana, AC Milan will close their transfer activities, focusing next on clearing surplus players.
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