Tudor Remains Calm: Juventus-Milan Clash Seeks the Missing Edge

Match Preview

Croatian coach Igor Tudor says there is little difference between Juventus and Milan, expressing satisfaction with his players’ performance. They will host Milan at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday, aiming to rebound after four consecutive draws.

“I don’t know what kind of match this is; Milan are a top-class side with a great coach and players, and we are at home, so we must deliver a great performance,” Tudor said at a press conference.

Unlike Juventus, Milan have won their last five matches across all competitions. What they lack is victory itself; when I analyze, I see excellent displays against Atalanta and Villarreal, where we played better than our opponents. The players have given great effort, and we were close to taking all three points.

“We have been playing the same way for six months; we certainly have a distinctive identity,” Tudor continued. “I demand balance from day one, we try to push in attack and defend well. We choose the right players and aim for the right substitutions during the match; what matters is to see the team perform as it should—sometimes it isn’t perfect for 90 minutes; there is fluidity and limits, but we are working to improve.”

“We need to play a great game tomorrow; I don’t see big differences between us and Milan; the pitch will show who is stronger. They have the edge of playing on Sunday or Monday, and we have to give our best.”

Juventus conceded a late equalizer to Villarreal from a set piece on Wednesday in the Champions League. “We also try to improve our set-piece routine daily; sometimes it works, sometimes not. I love this team because it has an identity and knows what it does with and without the ball,” Tudor said. “It’s not about individual or collective marking, or the number of players. I specifically chose Vlaovic for his aerial presence; what we were missing was someone to shout, ‘The ball is mine.’”

“What matters is that the team has improved in the last two matches; results depend on many factors.”

Gleison Bremer and Khvfrin Thuram were absent in the last match against Villarreal; Bremer did not train on Friday, Thuram trained partly with the group. It remains early to update their fitness, as the team will return to training later today. Tudor concluded: “We’ll see after today’s training session; I can’t reveal anything yet.”

Juventus remain unbeaten in all competitions this season, but they have not won since September 13 when they beat Inter 4-3 in Serie A. The match carries extraordinary significance, not only as a clash between two big clubs but as a crucial milestone in the early title race.

Milan sit top with 12 points from five games (four wins, one loss), while Juventus are fourth with 11 points (three wins, two draws) and no defeats yet. The clash could temporarily reshuffle the standings and give the winner a massive morale boost.

This fixture holds special meaning for Milan’s current coach, Massimiliano Allegri, a historic figure at Juventus who has led the club twice: first from 2014 to 2019, then from 2021 to 2024. In his first spell, he oversaw 271 games, with 191 wins, 39 losses, and 41 draws, scoring 524 goals to 208 against. He won five consecutive Serie A titles, four Coppa Italia, and two Supercoppa Italiana; the team reached the Champions League final twice, losing to Barcelona and Real Madrid.

In his second tenure, he managed 149 matches, with 80 wins, 34 draws, 35 losses, 223 goals for and 140 against. Under his leadership, the club won the Coppa Italia in 2023-2024 against Atalanta.

Allegri vs Juventus

Allegri’s record against Juventus as a coach facing his former club is not favorable: 14 matches, four wins, eight losses, and two draws. He first faced Juventus with Cagliari in 2008-2009 (a 1-0 defeat), then a thrilling 3-2 win in Turin, followed by a 2-0 win the next season with the away leg ending 1-0. With Milan, he lost his first match against Juventus 2-1, then responded with a 1-0 win in the second leg. In ten matches against Juventus, Allegri’s Milan recorded 2 wins, 2 draws, and 6 losses, scoring 15 goals to 19 conceded.

The summit will also be a tactical duel between Allegri and Tudor: Tudor has the edge in head-to-head, with three wins to Allegri’s two. Juve opened the season with a strong run, beating Parma 2-0, Genoa 1-0, then an exhilarating 4-3 win over Inter in the Derby d’Italia, before Borussia Dortmund stunned them with a 4-4 draw in the Champions League, raising questions about their defensive solidity.

Milan began with a shock 2-1 home defeat to Cremonese, but quickly regained balance: 2-0 over Lecce, 1-0 over Bologna, a 3-0 thrashing of Udinese, and a 2-1 win over Napoli in what was one of their strongest matches to date. They progressed to the Coppa Italia last 16 by beating Lecce 3-0 again, setting up a December date with Lazio, with the winner awaiting Parma/Bologna in the next round.

The upcoming clash promises fireworks, with Juventus looking to reclaim top spot on home soil, while Milan seeks to cement their place and send a message to rivals. The contest is more than a battle for three points; it is a psychological and morale duel in the early title race. With Allegri’s experience and Tudor’s ambition, the Allianz Stadium is set for a footballing showcase not to be missed.

Punchline 1: If this game ends in a draw, I’ll file a complaint with the calendar for false advertising — they promised an epic, delivered a nap.

Punchline 2: They say football is a game of two halves; apparently, it’s also a test of patience, like waiting for a software update that never finishes.