Several players needing bounce-back performances: The five key battles in Genoa vs. Milan

By: Oliver Fisher

AC Milan will make the trip to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to face a Genoa side in good recent form in a Sunday matinee.

For Milan, it is a familiar feeling of having to bounce back at the weekend after a midweek defeat. The Bournemouth loss was followed up by a win over Udinese, then the collapse against Bologna preceded the derby win.

The most recent setback against Ferencvaros on Thursday has left another bitter feeling, so now Ruben Amorim must galvanise his team again. It will not be an easy one by any stretch though, given Genoa have won four of their last five under Daniele De Rossi, and three in a row.

Speaking of needing a bounce-back, Adrien Rabiot was disappointing in the loss against the Hungarian side. Nonetheless, the Frenchman has bagged five goals and three assists in his first eight league appearances this season. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was the last to get as many in the first nine Serie A games back in 2022-23, with 10 contributions (three goals and seven assists).

Rabiot has been involved in a goal in each of his last five appearances, and the last Milan midfielder to do better in Serie A was Kaka in 2004 (seven). His opponent today will be Morten Frendrup, someone that Milan have been repeatedly linked with over the years. The Dane remains Genoa’s metronome in midfield, and the shield in front of the back three.

Summer signing Milutin Osmajić has been Genoa’s main threat in quite a low-scoring side, with four goals to his name in Serie A. He is keeping Lorenzo Colombo out of the side, though the Italian has provided a couple of assists for the Montenegrin when they have been fielded together in a front two.

After a disastrous performance against Ferencvaros, Koni De Winter will be hoping for a much better outing this afternoon. The Belgian has been in the headlines for rejecting a Belgium call-up meaning he will stay over the break, and he will aim to channel that same display against Marcus Thuram in the derby.

In addition to Rabiot, the other player to establish himself as a major threat for Milan is Diego Moreira. The Belgian has been directly involved in seven goals (four goals and three assists) in his first six Serie A appearances for the Rossoneri, and that came after a bit of a slow start too. He was decisive in the derby, with two assists and a beautiful free-kick goal.

He is expected to have quite a free-ranging role on the right, but what will be very important is getting players around Goncalo Ramos to try and unlock the Portuguese. So, Moreira will likely come up against the left-sided centre-back Johan Vasquez, someone who has become a mainstay in the Genoa side having entered his fifth season there. He does have three bookings in his first nine games, so that could be something to target.

Speaking of Goncalo Ramos, the concerns about his scoring form (or lack thereof) are beginning to grow into full-blown panic. He still has only two Serie A goals to his name so far, one of which was a penalty, and his overall involvement in the Rossoneri’s attacking play seems to be fluctuating between very little and non-existent.

Amorim and the team must get him firing, or it will continue to look like €70m+ spent very badly. Today will not be an easy duel for the former PSG man either as he faces Leo Ostigard, someone who will be well up for the physical battle. As we have seen, Ramos can get frustrated when he faces players who man-mark him, so he will have to be smart and sharp with his movement, ideally getting some more service too.

With an honourable mention going to Christian Pulisic vs. Alessandro Marcandalli, we had to end by mentioning Stephan El Shaarawy. He scored 21 goals in 83 league appearances for Milan, becoming a fan favourite during his time. The winger has also become the main creative force for the Grifone, having provided an assist in each of his last two league appearances.

Given his propensity to cut inside in order to create danger, both Mario Gila but especially Yunus Musah will have to watch the 34-year-old very closely indeed. Milan have been exposed in transition several times this season, and there is no doubt El Shaarawy would love to make a statement against his old club.