AC Milan Vs. Roma Prediction: Hot Duel In Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals

Tijani Reijnders and AC Milan players, ready to win at the San Siro (photo: x @acmilan)

JAKARTA AC Milan and AS Roma will duel in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals on Wednesday, February 5, where both teams are trying to bounce back from inconsistent performance in Serie A and secure a place in the semifinals.

This match comes just days after the two teams had a dramatic match in the domestic league. Milan have just played in the Derby della Madonnina against Inter Milan last Sunday, where they almost won before Stefan de Vrij scored the equalizer in the final minutes. The draw kept the Rossoneri stuck in eighth place in the Serie A standings, with a difference of 16 points from Inter who are in second place.

Meanwhile, Roma also had a fierce match against Napoli in Derby del Sole. A goal from former Roma defender Leonardo Spinazzola had put Napoli ahead, but Angelino confirmed a draw for the Giallorossi with an equalizer in the final minute. Roma are now unbeaten in their last seven matches in Serie A, although they still have difficulty winning while playing away.

Milan entered the Coppa Italia this season in the round of 16 due to their involvement in the Champions League. However, the defeat to Dinamo Zagreb last week forced them to go through a playoffs to be able to continue their journey in European competitions. Meanwhile, Roma has never gone further from the Coppa Italia quarter-finals since 2017.

Milan and Roma are among the two most successful teams in the history of the Coppa Italia after Juventus and Inter. The Rossoneri have reached the semifinals 24 times, while Roma 22 times. The last time the two teams met in this event was in 2004, when Milan won 4-2 on aggregate in a two-legged duel.

In their last meeting in Serie A in December 2024, both teams drew 1-1 at the San Siro. The opening goal from Tijjani Reijnders had put Milan ahead, but Paulo Dybala scored a goal back for Roma.

Team Condition

Milan has just made some major changes to the transfer market, bringing in Santiago Gimenez as a new striker. Meanwhile, Alvaro Morata has been loaned to Galatasaray, and former captain Davide Calabria has left for Bologna.

Milan coach Sergio Conceicao will again be able to rely on Youssouf Fofana, who has finished serving an accumulated card sentence. However, the Rossoneri still have to play without the injured Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Emerson Royal, and Alessandro Florenzi. With a busy schedule waiting, including league matches against Empoli and the Champions League playoffs against Feyenoord, Conceicao will probably rotate the players.

In the Roma camp, Manu Kone and former Milan player Stephan El Shaarawy, who suffered a minor injury against Napoli, are certain to be fit for this match. Claudio Ranieri only lost Gianluca Mancini who was absent due to suspension. Matsccas, who was rested in the match against Napoli, is likely to return to the starting XI. Meanwhile, the front line duo of Artem Dovbyk and Paulo Dybala is also expected to fall from the early minutes.

With a fairly balanced meeting record and the inconsistent performance of the two teams in Serie A, this match is predicted to take place tight. Milan has the advantage of playing at the San Siro and better individual quality in some positions, but Roma came with high confidence after being unbeaten in the last seven matches.

Paulo Dybala will be a major threat to Milan, considering he has scored 10 goals against the Rossoneri throughout his career. On the other hand, Milan will rely on Rafael Leao's speed and Christian Pulisic's creativity to penetrate the Roma defense.

If you look at the performance of the two teams lately, the match is likely to end in a thin margin. Milan may be slightly more seeded, but Roma cannot be underestimated, especially if they are able to survive with discipline and take advantage of opportunities effectively.

Estimated Lineup Of Players

AC Milan (4-3-3): Maignan; Walker, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Musah, Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Abraham, Leao.

AS Roma (3-5-2): Svilar; Rensch,xides, Ndicka; Saelemaekers, Kone, Paredes, Pellegrini, Angelino; Dybala, Dovbyk.

Score prediction: AC Milan 2-1 AS Roma