AC Milan and Napoli Collide in Supercoppa Italiana Semifinal
Title defence begins for Milan
AC Milan begin their bid for a second consecutive Supercoppa Italiana crown with a semifinal clash against Napoli in the 38th edition of the competition, staged in Saudi Arabia. While Milan arrive as reigning holders, Napoli are seeking to lift the trophy for the first time in more than a decade, adding extra weight to a matchup between two sides deeply involved in the Serie A title race.
Napoli searching for momentum
Napoli’s preparations have been far from ideal, following a 1-0 defeat to Udinese on Sunday which marked their second consecutive loss across all competitions for the second time this season. Despite those setbacks, the Partenopei remain firmly in the Scudetto hunt, with just two points separating the top three teams in Serie A.
The Supercoppa offers an opportunity to reset, especially after a run of five straight wins prior to their recent dip in form. Napoli have lifted this trophy twice from five previous appearances, though defensive fragility has crept in lately, with four matches without a clean sheet preceding a stretch of six shutouts in seven competitive fixtures.
Draws troubling the Rossoneri
Milan surrendered top spot in Serie A to rivals Inter after a 2-2 draw with Sassuolo at the weekend, continuing a worrying trend of stalemates. Five of their last 11 competitive matches have ended level, alongside five wins and just one defeat, a pattern that may concern head coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Their only loss in that run came against Lazio in the Coppa Italia, yet it was defeat in last season’s Coppa Italia final against Bologna that ultimately secured their place in this Supercoppa edition. Defensive starts have been an issue, with Milan conceding three first-half goals across their last two matches, making a solid opening crucial in this neutral-venue encounter.
Head-to-head and tactical outlook
This will be the first-ever meeting between Milan and Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana. Milan have won four of the last eight meetings overall, including a 2-1 victory at San Siro in September, while Napoli will draw confidence from typically tight contests between the sides.
With neither team accustomed to winning by large margins, another narrow and tense encounter appears likely.
Key players and team news
Rasmus Højlund has scored Napoli’s last two goals, with each of his previous five club strikes proving decisive in 2-1 victories. For Milan, Christian Pulisic is in strong form, netting three times in his last four starts and contributing both a goal and an assist in the September win over Napoli.
Napoli report no fresh injury concerns, while Milan’s Matteo Gabbia remains a doubt.
