Milan seek fifth straight win in showdown with Juventus
Soccer Football - Serie A - AC Milan v Napoli - San Siro, Milan, Italy - September 28, 2025 AC Milan players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo
An early clash of Serie A heavyweights sees leaders AC Milan visit a fourth-placed Juventus side who are wrestling with injuries and inconsistency ahead of Sunday's showdown.
Former Juve boss Max Allegri's Milan have bounced back from an opening-day home defeat by Cremonese, piecing together four straight league wins that suggest a team finding their rhythm.
That streak, capped by a resilient victory over champions Napoli, has been driven by a tighter defence and improved balance in midfield, allowing Milan to grind out a 2-1 win despite being reduced to 10 men for over half an hour.
Milan's situation mirrors what Napoli experienced last year. Free from the demands of a European campaign, the Rossoneri can keep their best players fresh for Serie A - a luxury many believed was crucial to Napoli's title run.
In Turin, Milan will again face a test of how far they have adapted with a new midfield-centric lineup as they face unbeaten Juventus, who trail the leaders by one point after five games.
Allegri may be forced into defensive adjustments after Fikayo Tomori came off towards the end of the Napoli game with what looked like a groin injury but the coach otherwise has the bulk of his squad available for the meeting with his old club.
Igor Tudor's Juve side might find themselves at a potential crossroads after back-to-back Serie A draws, with their situation complicated by mounting fitness concerns.
Left-back Juan Cabal is unlikely to feature after being forced off in Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Villarreal in the Champions League, while midfielder Khephren Thuram and centre-back Gleison Bremer missed the Spanish trip and remain doubtful.
DISAPPOINTING VIOLA FACE STERN TEST AGAINST ROMA
Fiorentina, one of the early disappointments of the season with three points from five matches, face a stern test on Sunday at home to an AS Roma side thriving under Gian Piero Gasperini.
The capital club are third after collecting 12 points and have surpassed expectations in the opening rounds.
Fiorentina head coach Stefano Pioli conceded his team have fallen short of expectations in the early stages of the season.
"I’m disappointed with the performances, but I know what it means to be the coach of Fiorentina and to start like this, but we move forward with confidence and energy," he said.
"There are delicate moments in all seasons, you have to go through defeats, mistakes, but I’m sure we have a responsible group and that I have a lot of quality at my disposal."
Fifth-placed Inter Milan on Saturday welcome Cremonese, one of the surprise packages of the Serie A season so far.
The promoted side are seventh and remain unbeaten, having matched Inter's points tally of nine.
Inter manager Cristian Chivu will be without leading striker Marcus Thuram, sidelined by a thigh injury suffered in Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League win over visitors Slavia Prague, but he otherwise has a full roster.
At the start of the season it would have looked like a match suited for Inter to rotate the lineup but Cremonese’s impressive form suggests it will be far from straightforward.
Striker Rasmus Hojlund appears to be enjoying a resurgence at Napoli, with the Danish striker netting three times in his first five outings and embracing life on the Campania coast.
Sunday's meeting with second-bottom side Genoa in Naples could give the 22-year-old a chance to further boost his confidence, though manager Antonio Conte may see the match as an opportunity to rest some of his key players.
