After two poor seasons that resulted in no European football for AC Milan, the Rossoneri are seeking not to make it a third this time around. So far, under new coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, they currently sit in seventh, still off the European football spots but have shown some signs of improvement under the Serbian tactician.
One key part to their revival was a change between the posts, with 16-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma displacing Diego Lopez after the team had gone three matches sans a win, despite the Spaniard being over double his age. With the exception of a narrow 1-0 loss to Juventus in round 13, the Diavolo have been on the up-and-up over the past month, including a 4-1 thrashing of Sampdoria this past weekend at the San Siro.
As such, their new coach will expect his men to maintain this kind of form as they prepare to welcome minnows Crotone later today for a fourth-round Coppa Italia tie. Due to having finished lower in the table, the Rossoneri had have had to secure their spot in the later stages the hard way, as opposed to teams like Juve, Napoli, Roma, and Inter, who will all start their Coppa Italia tournament in the round of 16.
Winning this trophy is vital for Milan, as it would at least guarantee them Europa League football next season. So far, they were able to ease past lower-tier side Perugia in the third round back in August and nothing short of a win versus Crotone will suffice for the coach, president, nor the team's fans.
In fact, this will be the first of four seemingly "easy" matches the Rossoneri will have before the Christmas break - with Carpi, struggling Hellas Verona, and debutants Frosinone making up the last three league games - and a win against the visitors will earn them a spot alongside some familiar opponents for the next stage of the Coppa Italia.
Still, Crotone, managed by Ivan Juric, should not be taken too lightly. Not only are the Squali presently in second place in Serie B, but also they will be coming into this match having lost just once in their past 14 games. It indeed has been an impressive turnaround for a club that were quite close to being relegated to the Lega Pro last campaign.
Against Sampdoria, young striker M'Baye Niang finally scored his first Serie A goal for Milan, netting a brace in the rout of Mihajlovic's former side. He will be expected to be in the starting XI, possibly alongside Luiz Adriano Other players, such as Keisuke Honda, Mattia De Sciglio, and Philippe Mexes, who have not featured much could also get some game time as Mihajlovic looks to keep his side fresh and avoid injury ahead of the three must-win league games coming up later this month.
Will Milan mark December with a Coppa Italia win and a spot in the round of 16? Or will visitors Crotone pull off an upset?
Which channel is broadcasting Milan vs Crotone in the Coppa Italia on TV or Online?
The match will be broadcast in Italy at 21.00 CET on RAI Due.
However, if you are a Rossoneri fan who lives outside Italy, please visit our Milan vs. Crotone page for viewing times and options for your specific location.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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