The last
time SPAL faced Milan in Serie A, Milan won the Scudetto and SPAL were
relegated. That was 49 years ago, and so very much has changed since then.
However the newly promoted SPAL certainly hopes to change their fortunes this
year, having played in Lega Pro just two years ago. And even if the cards are
stacked against them, they are a club with a long history who are looking to write
more history this season. So we meet again.
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| Can they wreak more midweek mayhem? |
Società
Polisportiva Ars et Labor were founded 1907. But lets just call them SPAL. They
have spent 22 of their seasons in Serie A, the rest in the lower divisions.
Having been through bankruptcy a couple of times, most recently, they made the
jump from Lega Pro to Serie B to Serie A in just two seasons, so cannot be
written off. Their form thus far is D-W-L-L, with their most recent loss being
to Cagliari on Sunday. For that match, Semplici lined up Gomis; Vicari,
Vaisanen, Slamon, Mora, Schiattarella, Viviani, Filippo Costa, Lazzari,
Borriello, and Paloschi. And yes, those are the Borriello and Paloschi you
think they are. Semplici looks to be missing young goalkeeper Meret and forward
Floccari to injury, with Rizzo and Della Giovanna also likely to miss for
fitness.
Montella,
meanwhile, already has one big injury and a total of 11 new players to take to
a top four win in the league, as well as competing in Europa League and the
Coppa Italia come January. No pressure. With rotations that look more like
speed dating and changing tactics along the way, it’s hard to see whether or
not the team is actually gelling, even if results are positive thus far. While
Conti will be out now for six months having had successful ACL surgery,
Antonelli is still in doubt for this match. Then it becomes a question of squad
rotation as to whom Montella will call up midweek.
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| Hello, old friend |
It would
be easy to write off the newly promoted side and rest on our nine points and
current fifth place spot in the league to predict a win here. But with Milan’s
history of the past five years, change in ownership, then bringing in 11 new
players, it’s like walking on loose rocks – it can be easy to lose your
footing. So Milan will need focus, a strong mentality, and a continued
improvement in play to take all three points from this match. It is always good
to see historic teams rise to play in Serie A again, and facing a couple of
exes makes it that much more exciting. So we meet again, SPAL.
This match inspired
by the music of the Hollywood Vampires’ “My Dead Drunk Friends”
Serie A Week 5
Milan vs. SPAL
Wednesday, September
20 • 20:45 CEST (2:45pm EDT)
This match will NOT
be shown LIVE in the U.S.