Serie A has been at an all-time high for strangeness and entertainment alike -- but two fanbases have found this season particularly unenjoyable. Both AS Roma and AC Milan are in the upper section of the Serie A table, in fifth and seventh place respectively and not so many points out of the hunt for the top three that they couldn’t get back into it -- but have gone sideways for both teams so many times this season already that it’s been hard for fans to see the positives.
AC Milan vs. Roma 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch Serie A online
Two of Serie A’s struggling giants go head to head, with both managers possibly standing to lose their jobs with a loss.
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Injuries, bad breaks, unlucky goals, unfortunate timing, all these and more have been a curse for both teams all season long. As the losses and draws have piled up, so too has the frustration, leaving both teams wanting more but struggling to attain it. In a matchup this big with so much on the line, with both managers’ jobs at stake, we could see one or both teams just say “screw it” and have a huge game looking to prove a points and show everyone how good they really are -- or the doldrums could continue and we could see some pretty lifeless football from either team, or worse, both. Let’s hope for the former scenario for the sake of entertainment value.
What’s at stake -- Both mangers’ jobs
Neither Roma nor Milan have particularly enjoyed proceedings this season, with early successes giving way to sustained runs of mediocrity and frustration. The pressure has been mounting on Rudi Garcia and Sinisa Mihajlovic for weeks, and for both men one more loss is all it might take for the hammer to fall and their jobs ended. Even a draw under the right circumstances could be enough to see things end for either manager -- and in fact, a dull, lifeless 0-0 draw in this game could even see both managers unemployed on Monday.
Key matchup -- Alessandro Florenzi (Roma) vs. Andrea Bertolacci (Milan)
Florenzi has finally been given the freedom to operate as a hard-running playmaker in Roma’s midfield, a role he was seemingly born to play but has rarely been allowed to do during his career. He’s taken brilliantly to the role and has made Roma better for it, and it’s going to be up to the hard-working Bertolacci to keep him in check. He’s the only likely starter in Milan’s midfield who can match Florenzi for pace and work rate, and watching these two fly around all over the pitch trying to one-up each other is going to be a treat.
AS Roma injuries and suspensions
Out: Edin Dzeko, Salih Ucan, Kevin Strootman In doubt: Mohamed Salah, Daniele Rossi, Seydou Keita
AC Milan injuries and suspensions
Out: Diego Lopez, Jeremy Menez In doubt: Kevin-Prince Boateng, Mario Balotelli
Match Date/Time: Saturday, 2:45 p.m. ET, 8:45 p.m. local
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
TV: Sky Calcio 1, Sky Sport 1 HD Italia (Italy), BT Sport Europe (U.K.), RAI International
Online: beIN Sports Connect (U.S.), Sky GO Italia (Italy), BT Sport Live Streaming (U.K.)
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