Both had to settle for a point on the opening matchday, but Serie A giants AC Milan and promoted Parma will both seek victory when they meet on Saturday.
While Milan visit Stadio Tardini following a dramatic late comeback against Torino, their hosts held Fiorentina to a draw upon returning to Italy’s top flight.
Building his reputation as Milan’s go-to ‘supersub’, Noah Okafor once again sprang from the bench and saved his side last week, when the Rossoneri were perhaps fortunate to come out of their league opener with a draw.
Trailing Torino by two goals heading towards stoppage time, first new signing Alvaro Morata prodded them back into the contest from close range, then Okafor stepped up to equalise during the fifth added minute.
New boss Paulo Fonseca therefore breathed a big sigh of relief, as with many fans sceptical about his appointment earlier this summer he could not afford to start with a home defeat.
The ex-Roma coach is ultimately intent on narrowing the gap to city rivals Inter Milan, whom the Rossoneri finished no fewer than 19 points behind last season, so the pressure is already on to beat promoted opponents this weekend.
Over the past 12 years, they have always produced at least one win from their first two league fixtures; and throughout the last 40 years, only one Milan manager has failed to win either of his first two matches in charge – that was Fonseca’s immediate predecessor Stefano Pioli, who later went on to claim the Scudetto.
Historically, at least, the second-city club’s dominance over Parma suggests Fonseca should have few problems in getting off the mark – even though Morata is now injured – as Milan are unbeaten in the teams’ eight most recent meetings, winning six.
Indeed, Saturday’s hosts have conceded at least one goal in each of their last 16 Serie A meetings with Milan, at an average of 2.4 per game.
Undoubtedly the underdogs again on this occasion, Parma may nonetheless believe that they can cause an upset, taking advantage of the very first time that Emilian club has ever started a Serie A season with back-to-back home games.
After topping Italy’s second tier last season, last week’s top-flight comeback produced a point against ambitious Fiorentina, as Dennis Man’s first-half strike was cancelled out by a trademark Cristiano Biraghi free-kick.
That represented a fine start to the Crociati’s first Serie A season since 2021, and head coach Fabio Pecchia will be expected to keep them afloat come May, having impressively averaged two points per game in last term.
Though they recently suffered a first-round exit from the Coppa Italia, at the hands of Serie B side Palermo, last week’s result should boost confidence before the visit of a true Calcio giant.
Team News
After Alvaro Morata appeared as a substitute against Torino – still lacking fitness following his exertions in Spain’s triumphant Euro 2024 campaign – and scored a crucial goal, Milan’s main summer signing will miss Saturday’s game due to a thigh injury.
Therefore, either Luka Jovic or Noah Okafor should start this weekend – although the latter may be best deployed during the second half. Since the start of last season, no player has scored more Serie A goals as a substitute than Okafor, with six of his seven strikes coming after leaving the bench.
Meanwhile, new arrivals Emerson Royal and Youssouf Fofana could both be involved at some stage, but French defender Pierre Kalulu has now left San Siro for Juventus.
Parma may still be without Hernani (calf) and Gabriel Charpentier (flexor) strain too, but captain Enrico Del Prato is back in the hosts’ squad following suspension.
Last week’s scorer Dennis Man – who recorded 17 Serie B goal involvements in 2023-24 – will again link up with Ange-Yoan Bonny in the final third. The latter set up Man’s goal against Fiorentina and now has eight assists to his name dating back to the start of last season.
Perhaps expecting another busy shift on Saturday evening, Japan international Zion Suzuki saved six shots on the opening matchday – more than any other goalkeeper.
Parma possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Coulibaly, Del Prato, Circati, Valeri; Bernabe, Estevez; Man, Sohm, Mihaila; Bonny
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Fofana, Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze, Pulisic, Leao; Okafor
We say: Parma 1-2 AC Milan
Even without Alvaro Morata, Milan boast plenty of attacking options and should score at least once at the Tardini; Parma may suffer their first Serie A defeat of the season, but they should push their illustrious visitors close.
