Prediction: AC Milan vs Fiorentina

Verdict: Draw

Best odds:

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

AC Milan and Fiorentina find themselves locked in a fierce battle for European spots, making their Saturday night showdown at San Siro a pivotal fixture in the Serie A race.

Remarkably, Fiorentina arrive in Milan with a points advantage over their hosts for the first time since December 2017, adding extra intrigue to an already high-stakes encounter. With just four points separating the two teams, the Viola will be eager to widen the gap, while Milan seek to close the distance and reinforce their own continental ambitions.

AC Milan

Stepping away from their struggles in the league, Milan played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter Milan on Wednesday.

Although the Rossoneri extended their unbeaten run against their city rivals to four matches, they fell short of securing a win, as Tammy Abraham’s opener was canceled out by a thunderous equalizer from former Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu.

Under-pressure coach Sergio Conceicao had his captain to thank for keeping the tie level ahead of the second leg later this month, with ‘Magic’ Mike Maignan producing several crucial saves at San Siro.

Before facing Inter again in their fifth and final Derby della Madonnina of the season, Milan must attempt to salvage their faltering Serie A campaign, as they sit ninth in the standings—nine points behind the crucial top-four spots.

As a result, they must battle past rivals such as Juventus, Lazio, Bologna, Roma, and this week’s opponents to secure a valuable European berth.

Following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to title-chasing Napoli, the Rossoneri have now suffered four losses in six league matches under a single manager for the first time since 2019, during Marco Giampaolo’s brief tenure.

Like the current Lecce boss, Conceicao’s stint in Milan appears short-lived, with the club’s board, guided by special advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic, already planning another coaching change for the summer.

Milan have won each of their last four home meetings with Fiorentina, but even a morale-boosting victory this week would still leave them a point behind their visitors with only seven rounds remaining—making Champions League qualification seem out of reach.

Team News

Still searching for his ideal attacking setup, Sergio Conceicao must decide between Santiago Gimenez and Tammy Abraham to lead the line on Saturday, with the English forward’s goal against Inter giving him a slight edge to start.

Rafael Leao and Alex Jimenez were deployed out wide in midweek, but the latter is now suspended, offering opportunities for Riccardo Sottil or Samuel Chukwueze – alternatively, Christian Pulisic could shift over to the right.

Although Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Emerson Royal remain unavailable, U.S. international Yunus Musah is expected to recover from the illness that kept him out of Wednesday’s derby and compete for a spot in midfield.

Fiorentina

After securing a 2-1 victory in October’s reverse fixture, Fiorentina now have the chance to complete a league double over Milan for the first time in 24 years, as they look to maintain pressure on both Rome clubs positioned just ahead of them in the standings.

Either side of the international break, the Viola have overcome a key rival in the top-four race, bouncing back from a poor spell of form that had threatened to derail their domestic ambitions.

They first swept aside long-time adversaries Juventus before defeating Atalanta BC two weeks later, with star striker Moise Kean netting the decisive goal by dispossessing an opponent at halfway, sprinting clear, and finishing clinically.

Having already amassed 51 points, another victory at San Siro would see Fiorentina reach their highest tally at this stage of a season since 2016—a campaign in which they ultimately secured fifth place.

With a Conference League quarter-final spot already secured, Raffaele Palladino’s men still have plenty at stake, as they seek to go one step further in UEFA’s third-tier competition and finally bring home the trophy.

The Tuscan outfit will face Slovenia’s NK Celje in the first leg of their last-eight tie next week, but first, they aim to take down Milan for a second time this season.

Team News

After missing the clash with former club Atalanta due to a minor knee injury, Fiorentina wing-back Robin Gosens is hopeful of returning to San Siro, where he previously played for Inter.

The Viola remain without Andrea Colpani, but aside from his absence, Palladino should have a fully fit squad at his disposal.

Leading the line once again, Moise Kean is set to mark his 200th appearance in one of Europe’s top five leagues. The Italian forward will be targeting his 20th Serie A goal contribution of the season, having already scored 16 times and provided three assists.

Conclusion

Only one of the last 14 league meetings between these teams has ended in a draw, but another stalemate seems likely this weekend, with Milan set to falter once more.

Fiorentina have found their rhythm, recording back-to-back clean sheets and claiming full points against two top-four rivals, putting them in a strong position to earn at least a draw at San Siro.

Verdict: Draw

Best odds:

Bookmaker: Olympusbet