Vincenzo Montella’s AC Milan will have another opportunity to close in on the top four, when they host Giovanni Martusciello’s Empoli at the San Siro on Sunday afternoon.

 

During last week’s dramatic 2-2  derby draw, that saw the Rossoneri go two down in the first-half against the Inter, Milan showed immense grit and determination to pull level in the 96th minute through a Cristian Zapata header, after Italian defender Alessio Romagnoli had managed to get one back. The draw had kept the gap between the city rivals to two points, with the rossoneri at sixth.

 

But Inter’s disappointing 5-4 defeat at the hands of Fiorentina provides Milan with another golden opportunity to steer five points clear of their fierce rivals, as they host 17th placed Empoli.

 

The Tuscan based outfit are currently five points clear of the relegation zone and their last outing was a hard-fought 2-1 win over Fiorentina in last week’s Derby dell'Arno thanks to goals from Omar El Kaddouri and Manuel Pasqual.

 

Empoli'as previous victory was in late January, which was a close 1-0 win over Udinese. Apart from that, they’ve won just six games in the league this season, all of them coming against sides from lower half of the Serie A.

 

The last meeting between the two sides yielded an impressive 4-1 win for Montella’s men, who scored three times after being pegged back at 1-1 early in the game.

 

Empoli’s struggles this season have been mainly down to their inability to score goals and they have the worst attack in the league,scoring just 20. They’ve scored fewer goals than bottom three Palermo, Pescara and Crotone and their highest goal-getter is Levan Mchedlidze, who has scored just five goals in the league.

 

The comeback against Stefano Pioli’s men again proved how determined and hungry a side Milan are, but it also shows how other players can score for them, when the likes of Carlos Bacca, Suso and Gerard Deulofeu are mis-firing. They have the ninth best goalscoring record in the Serie A, with Carlos Bacca top with 13.

 

The biggest news for Milan, heading into the game is the availability of skipper Riccardo Montolivo, who hasn’t played football since injuring his knee in a game for Italy against Spain in October. Vincenzo Montella confirmed that while Montolivo could be back, the Italian also confirmed that Andrea Bertolacci is still not fit to feature until next week. He said: "Riccardo Montolivo could be in the squad for Empoli, unlike Andrea Bertolacci, who should be back in the group next week." 

 

Luca Antonelli is continuing his recovery from a thigh-injury and won’t be available for selection. After having missed the Inter game through suspension, Chelsea loanee Mario Pasalic will be back in the frame on Sunday.

 

As far as the visitors are concerned, they will be without Rade Krunic, who is serving a one-game ban, while Vincent Laurini and Marcel Buchel are major doubts for the game.

 

 

AC Milan: Donarrumma; De Sciglio, Romagnoli, Zapata, Vangioni, Pasalic, Locatelli, Sosa; Suso, Bacca, Deulofeu

 

Empoli: Skorupski; Veseli, Bellusci, Barba, Pasqual; Diousse, Mauri, Croce; El Kaddouri; Thiam, Mchedlidze

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Kaustubh Pandey