Napoli vs AC Milan – Match preview and team news

Napoli and AC Milan will lock horns in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final on Thursday, at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Romelu Lukaku has returned to full training after 124 days sidelined by a thigh injury sustained during pre-season against Olympiacos. The Belgian striker is available in the squad for the Supercoppa Italiana , although he is unlikely to start immediately, given his extended period of inactivity.

Midfielder Stanislav Lobotka marked his return from injury off the bench during Napoli’s 1-0 Serie A loss against Udinese on December 14 and should be available in Saudi Arabia. However, other key midfield personnel remain unavailable: Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and Billy Gilmour are not expected to return until 2026.

Defender Mathias Olivera has been ruled a doubt due to a muscular strain in his calf sustained during training. Jesus Nunes and goalkeeper Alex Meret are also unavailable. Rasmus Hojlund , the loan signing from Manchester United, has scored crucial goals for Napoli this season, including a brace in the 2-1 victory over Juventus, and is expected to feature in the attack.

AC Milan have suffered a blow with defender Matteo Gabbia sustaining a hyperextension trauma to his left knee during the 2-2 draw with Sassuolo on December 14. However, clinical and instrumental tests have ruled out any long-term serious injuries, offering Milan relief.

Gabbia is unlikely to feature in the Supercoppa semi-final but is expected to be fit for Serie A action against Hellas Verona on December 28.

Christian Pulisic remains Milan’s standout performer this season, having scored seven goals and provided two assists in 10 Serie A matches, establishing himself as the Rossoneri’s primary attacking threat. The American winger’s shooting accuracy stands at 73.33%, with 11 shots on target from 15 attempts.

Following a 2-0 defeat to Benfica in the UEFA Champions League on December 10, Conte’s side were shocked 1-0 away at Udinese on December 14, marking their first league game without a shot on target since January 2024. The defeat placed Napoli third in Serie A , two points behind leaders Inter Milan and one point behind second-place AC Milan .

Massimiliano Allegri’s side is unbeaten in their last two Serie A outings. A 2-2 home draw with Sassuolo was their most recent encounter, as AC Milan sits second in Serie A on 32 points, one point ahead of Napoli but also one point behind leaders Inter Milan .

Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Gutierrez; Lang, Neres; Hojlund.

AC Milan : Maignan; De Winter, Tomori, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Nkunku.

UK fans can watch the match on Premier Sports.

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