AC Milan will begin the defence of their Scudetto title this Saturday when they welcome Udinese to the San Siro for the first match of the 2022/23 Serie A season.
Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) (Milan)
Key Statistics
AC Milan are unbeaten in their last 16 league matches.
The hosts have won 14 of their last 20 league games.
They have kept seven clean sheets in their last ten home league matches.
Milan opened their last three SA title defences with 2-2 draws.
Udinese have won just one of its last six league openers (D2, L3).
The visitors have won just one of their last four league games (D1, L2).
They are unbeaten in their last five away league games (W3, D2).
Head to head
In their last ten head-to-head meetings, AC Milan have four wins while Udinese have one win.
Latest performances in all competitions
AC Milan: W-W-W-L-W
Udinese: W-L-L-W-L
AC Milan
AC Milan will look to begin their new season with a win when they welcome Udinese to the San Siro this Saturday.
The current Scudetto holders won their first title since the 2010/11 season last term thanks to six wins in their last six games and a sturdy defence that kept five clean sheets in those last six games.
Despite their off-field issues that has seen them fail to successfully sell the club and sign the players that they want, they have successfully added Belgian forward Divock Origi from Liverpool and his national team counterpart, Charles De Ketelaere, to their squad this summer.
They will hope that these additions can help them successfully defend their title this season and make it back-to-back Scudetto wins.
With four wins from five pre-season games, they will feel ready to face Udinese and will fancy their chances of getting a deserved win in this game.
Possible AC Milan starting line-up
Mike Maignan, Davide Calabria, Pierre Kalulu, Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernandez, Rade Krunic, Ismael Bennacer; Brahim Diaz, Rafael Leao, Alexis Saelemaekers; Ante Rebic.
Injured: Divock Origi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Doubtful: Olivier Giroud, Junior Messias, Sandro Tonali
Suspended: None
Udinese
After a summer of change that has seen former Udinese player Andrea Sottil replace Gabriele Cioffi as manager, Udinese will look to begin the new season positively when they travel to Milan on Saturday.
The visitors finished in 12th place last season, as they won eleven of their 38 games, drawing 14 times and losing 13 times. They scored 61 times and conceded 58, ending the season with one of the worst defences in the league.
This season they will hope they can keep things tighter at the back as they try to push for a top seven finish and qualify for a place in Europe. However, given their underwhelming pre-season form, they do not look like they are prepared to take on a Milan side that have been almost unbeatable at the San Siro in recent times.
But having strengthened this summer, they will be hoping that their new signings can fire them to the heights they want to climb this season.
Possible Udinese starting line-up
Marco Silvestri; Nehuen Perez, Jaka Bijol, Adam Masina; Brandon Soppy, Roberto Pereyra, Walace, Jean-Victor Makengo, Destiny Udogie; Gerard Deulofeu, Beto.
Injured: Tolgay Arslan
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
AC Milan 2-1 Udinese
