Serie A Round 12 Preview: AC Milan's Champions League Revival? Juventus Returning to Former Glory

Serie A's 12th round continues on the evening of November 11th, Beijing time. AC Milan finally ended their four-match winless streak by defeating Paris Saint-Germain at home in the Champions League. Fans hope that the Rossoneri can use this victory as a turning point to embark on a path of resurgence. Meanwhile, Juventus has secured three consecutive 1-0 victories, reminiscent of the dominant team from the late 1990s.

Lecce vs. AC Milan - Pioli Starting to Adapt?

Two teams struggling to find victories recently will clash in this round. Lecce was cruelly denied a win by Roma, who equalized and then secured a last-minute victory, extending Lecce's winless streak to six league matches. AC Milan, on the other hand, "generously" handed Udinese their first win of the season, failing to secure three points in three consecutive league matches. Although Milan fans may not want to admit it, the Rossoneri currently share a similar plight with Lecce.

Before their match against Roma, Lecce had gone five matches without a win. Despite this, instead of adopting a cautious approach against a strong team like Roma, they played aggressively and attacked without reservation. Lukaku's missed penalty gave Lecce a glimpse of hope, and they took the lead with just 20 minutes left in regulation time. Predictably, Mourinho responded by bringing on attacking players, and substitute Azmoun equalized in the first minute of stoppage time, assisted by another late substitute, Zalewski. In injury time, Lecce collapsed, and Lukaku redeemed himself by scoring the winning goal.

Even with the loss, Lecce remains five points clear of the relegation zone, giving them some cushion to absorb a defeat. Although Udinese had struggled to secure a win before facing Milan, they had gone four matches unbeaten, showing they are not an easy opponent. Ultimately, Milan's inability to break through led to a penalty and a defeat.

Just when everyone thought Milan would continue to slump, they turned things around against Paris Saint-Germain. Although they fell behind within the first 10 minutes, they equalized just three minutes later, essentially resetting the match with only 12 minutes less to play. Milan then adopted a defensive counter-attacking strategy, scoring the winning goal on a counter-attack. Many Milan fans believe that Pioli's willingness to lower their stance and play defensively was key to defeating PSG, the first strong team Milan has beaten this season. They hope Milan can maintain this pragmatic approach.

Veteran striker Giroud has played the full 90 minutes in the last two matches. Even if he starts again in this match, he is unlikely to play more than an hour. If Milan cannot establish a lead within that time, winning will be very difficult. Last season, Lecce led Milan 2-0 at home only to see Milan equalize, so they will be eager to avenge that result. Given Milan's fatigue from the Champions League, Lecce is expected to attack fiercely. However, Milan's superior quality could see them emerge victorious with a 3-2 win.

Juventus vs. Cagliari - Can the Sardinian Chiefs Keep Fighting?

They're back! The Juventus team that dominated Italian football in the late 1990s is back. After their 1-0 victory over Fiorentina away last round, Juventus has secured three consecutive 1-0 wins and has kept eight clean sheets this season, matched only by Nice in the top five European leagues. Juventus has climbed to second place in the standings, just two points behind Inter Milan. Serie A fans are eagerly anticipating the first league round after the international break.

Although all their recent victories have been by 1-0, the nature of Juventus' matches has varied. For example, against Fiorentina, they played traditional Italian defensive counter-attacking football after scoring early, withstanding 25 shots from the opponent without conceding. This demonstrated their strong defensive capabilities. In contrast, against Verona, Juventus launched a full-scale attack, creating 30 shooting opportunities before scoring the winning goal in stoppage time. These narrow victories are not necessarily Allegri's preferred style, but luck has certainly played a role in their current success.

Cagliari has taken seven points from their last three matches, lifting them out of the relegation zone. Due to their limited strength, Cagliari approached their last two home victories as if they were finals. Coach Claudio Ranieri has instilled a mentality in his players that if they do not win, they will be relegated. This has inspired the players to unleash remarkable energy in adversity.

However, Cagliari has given their all in the last two matches, and facing a strong opponent like Juventus away might lead them to strategically concede this match. Many of Juventus' Italian internationals also need to consider the upcoming national team matches. Failing to qualify for the expanded European Championship would further damage the morale of Italian football. Therefore, another 1-0 victory for Juventus seems to be the most reasonable outcome.

Summary

This round of Serie A offers compelling narratives with AC Milan aiming for a comeback after their Champions League victory and Juventus slowly revealing their old dominant form. With Lecce's aggressive approach and Juventus' strategic planning, fans can expect thrilling matches that could significantly impact the league standings.