Supercoppa Italiana: Are AC Milan Due for a New Manager Bounce?

Juventus vs AC Milan

AC Milan come into 2025 with a new manager after they replaced Paulo Fonseca with fellow Portuguese Sergio Conceicao, and the latter will make his head coaching debut when the Rossoneri take on the Bianconeri in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals at Al-Awwal Park in Saudi Arabia on Friday.  AC Milan qualified for this short tournament because they were the runners-up in the 2023-24 Serie A campaign, and they will take on Juventus, who qualified after winning last season’s Coppa Italia.

Both teams are undefeated in their last three Serie A matches with two draws and one win. Juventus settled for a 2-2 draw against Fiorentina last Sunday, while AC Milan shared the spoils with AS Roma after a 1-1 result last time out. The winner of this contest will take on the winner of the other semi-finals match between Inter Milan and Atalanta.

 

Talking Points

Too many draws for Juventus

Juventus are on a frustrating run of results since more than half of their December games ended in draws. The Bianconeri recorded a 1-1 draw against Lecce, three 2-2 draws against Bologna, Venezia, and Fiorentina, and commendable victories over Manchester City (2-0), Cagliari (4-0), and Monza (2-1). If Juve won more, they would’ve been in the Top 4 of the Serie A table.

The 2-2 draw against Fiorentina summed up the team’s frustrations because they were so close to winning. Khephren Thuram’s brace put Juve up 2-1, but the Bianconeri conceded a late goal from Ricardo Sottil, who fired a fierce effort at Michele Di Gregorio’s near post when the ball fell to his lap in the 87^th minute.

Thiago Motta’s side remains undefeated, but they have drawn 11 of their 18 Serie A league matches this season, a record number of stalemates across Europe’s top five leagues.

Juventus plan to strengthen their squad in the winter transfer window, and they’re linked to a potential move to acquire Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United amid contract talks with their star striker, Dusan Vlahovic, who leads the team with seven league goals. The Serbian international’s current contract runs until the end of the 2025-26 season, so Juventus are fighting against time to secure his long-term commitment.

 

AC Milan get Pulisic boost

Sergio Conceicao will kick off his AC Milan stint under slightly better circumstances, as Christian Pulisic is expected to be back in the mix against Juventus on Friday. The American midfielder has missed the last four games due to an ankle injury.

Tijjani Reijnders has done an admirable job filling in for Christian Pulisic, as he already has five league goals. Don’t be surprised if Sergio Conceicao will have Reijnders and Pulisic playing together in the final third, although the latter might come off the bench this weekend.

Meanwhile, Rafael Leao is considered questionable to play in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-finals. The Portuguese forward missed the 1-1 draw against AS Roma after sustaining a hip injury in the team’s 1-0 win against Hellas Verona.

 

History

Juventus and AC Milan have already faced off this season, sharing the spoils at San Siro after a goalless draw in November. These two sides didn’t score in their previous league meeting at the Allianz Stadium last April. Manuel Locatelli was the last guy to score for either side when he scored the marginal goal for Juve in the 1-0 result last October 2023.

Juventus and AC Milan are two of the winningest teams in the Supercoppa Italiana, with nine and seven trophies, respectively. The Bianconeri last won it in 2020, while the Rossoneri last won it in 2016. Inter Milan are the defending champions after winning last season when the competition implemented the four-team format for the first time (as opposed to the usual two-team format).

 

Betting Tip

The Supercoppa Italiana 2025 odds expect a close encounter between Juventus and AC Milan, with the former having a slight advantage. The Bianconeri are priced at 2.38 to win, while the Rossoneri aren’t far behind at 2.88, and a draw after 90 minutes is pegged at 2.99 in the 1X2 market.

SBOTOP football fans shouldn’t expect many goals and Supercoppa Italiana 2025 highlights from this fixture, given the trend of their recent meetings across all competitions. Besides our recommended bet, bettors can also go for options like Under 2.50 at 1.70, Under 2.00 at 2.40, or even Total Goal 0-1 at 2.74. Moreover, a Correct Score of 0-0 – the result of their last two Italian top-flight matches – can give you a decent payday of 8.60 your bet.

   

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