AC Milan Faces AS Roma in High-Stakes Coppa Italia Quarterfinal

MILAN, Italy — AC Milan will host AS Roma on Wednesday in the quarterfinal of the 2024-25 Coppa Italia, with the winner advancing to face either Inter Milan or Lazio in the semifinals. The match, set to kick off at San Siro, promises high drama as both teams aim to secure a spot in the next round of Italy’s premier cup competition.

AC Milan, known as the Rossoneri, enter the match with a strong squad but will be without their latest transfer window signings, Joao Felix and Santiago Gimenez, who are expected to start from the bench. USMNT winger Christian Pulisic may also begin the game on the sidelines, with Samuel Chukwueze likely to take his place in the starting lineup. Manager Sergio Conceicao is expected to field a lineup featuring key players such as Rafael Leao and Fikayo Tomori.

AS Roma, under head coach Claudio Ranieri, will rely on star forward Paulo Dybala and striker Artem Dovbyk to lead their attack. Former AC Milan winger Alexis Saelemaekers is also expected to feature against his former club, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the matchup.

The game is a one-off tie, meaning there will be no extra time if the score is level after 90 minutes. Instead, the match will proceed directly to a penalty shootout to determine the winner. Both teams are coming off busy transfer windows, with Roma securing Joao Felix on loan from Chelsea and Milan adding depth with several late signings.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, AC Milan’s Alex Jimenez is expected to start in place of Rafael Leao, who has been dealing with fitness issues. Jimenez, who came on as a substitute in Milan’s recent 1-1 draw with Inter, will look to redeem himself after a costly error in that match.

With both teams eager to advance, the match is predicted to be tightly contested. Analysts favor AC Milan to edge out a 2-1 victory, but Roma’s attacking prowess could make for a thrilling encounter.