TERNANA v MILAN FUTURO: MATCH PREVIEW

December kicks off with perhaps one of the sternest tests of the season for Milan Futuro. On matchday 17, the Rossoneri will take on Ternana, who are one of the favourites for direct promotion. It's a huge opportunity to grow and keep up the form from recent weeks. Let's warm up for the game with our Match Preview.

LATEST FROM MILAN FUTURO
It's the Rossoneri's second straight away game against one of the big sides in the group, and the aim is certainly to improve on the result against Pescara. Following that midweek defeat at the Stadio Adriatico, the reaction has been both admirable and encouraging: first, the good home draw with Sestri Levante and captain Zeroli's brace, then was the big win against Torres in Sassari in the Cup. The objective now is to maintain this form in a tough test, against a top team. After three games in ten days, there will be some heavy legs, but Bonera has rotated the squad in recent weeks. There are no suspensions or players one yellow after from a ban for the game.

Coach Bonera had this to say on the eve of the game: "We’re heading into the game against Ternana with the right mentality. We know it’s going to be a tough match though. They are technically very good, and the squad has been built to win the league and move up a division. Many of their players also have experience in Serie B. We’ve put the game against Torres behind us now and will return to focus on the next round in the Coppa Italia in around 20 days’ time, when we’ll take on Caldiero. Out of necessity, we had to play differently than usual in Sassari due to some absences. In recent days, we’ve been able to get someone back and this will allow us to continue on our journey undertaken so far. We played well on Wednesday, but we can do better; we have both the quality and the ability to do so. Ternana will try to make it difficult for us from the off, but we will look to play our game without any fear".

LATEST FROM TERNANA
Having been relegated from Serie B last season, the Umbrian outfit took a few games to get used to a new league, getting knocked out of the Cup in the first round and losing to Pescara on matchday 1. They were, however, the Rossoverdi's only two defeats of the season to date and they now have the wind in their sails following 15 straight games without a loss and four wins in their last five matches. Ternana are especially strong at home; the defeat to Pescara aside, they have drawn two (Campobasso and Rimini) and won five, all by a margin of at least two goals. With former AC Milan man Ignazio Abate in charge of his first meeting with the Rossoneri, this new-look Ternana squad can count on the goals of ex-Catania player Emanuele Cicerelli, the leading goalscorer in the group with ten goals from 16 matches. Long-time players Damiani and Viviani are out, while Capuano and Corradini are one yellow card away from suspension.

"Milan Futuro are a technically-sound team with some good players, even if they are young," Ternana defender Giuseppe Loiacono said ahead of the game. "They run hard, and we shouldn't underestimate them. We're taking on a talented team, with some good individuals. We need to control the game."

HOW TO WATCH MILAN FUTURO ON TV
In Italy, the match will be shown live on TV on Sky Sport and NOW at 15:00 CET. Don't miss out on coverage via the Rossoneri's Instagram, acmilan.com and the AC Milan Official App.

LATEST FROM SERIE C
It will be the Padua-born Roberto Lovison who will take charge of the game at the Liberati. The 34-year-old official from Veneto has already refereed Ternana this season in the 2-0 win over Vis Pesaro in September, while there is no previous record with Milan Futuro: on a couple of occasions, most recently in 2022/23 against Cagliari, he refereed our Primavera. Assisting Lovison are linesmen Parisi (Bari) and Minafra (Roma 2) as well as fourth official Gianquinto (Parma).

Matchday 17 (group B) began yesterday, Friday 29, with Pineto 1-0 Pianese. Three fixtures on Saturday 30: Vis Pesaro v Lucchese at 15:00, Gubbio v Pescara and Legnago v Carpi at 17:30. Four matches on Sunday 1, when in addition to Ternana v Milan Futuro it will be the turn of Sestri Levante v Perugia and Torres v Ascoli at 15:00 and Campobasso v Rimini at 17:30. Two Monday-night fixtures: Arezzo v Virtus Entella and Pontedera v SPAL, both at 20:30.

Here are the standings: Pescara 36; Ternana (-2) and Virtus Entella 33; Torres 29; Vis Pesaro 26; Arezzo 25; Pianese^ 24; Campobasso* and Pineto^ 23; Rimini and Gubbio 21; Carpi and Perugia 18; Lucchese and SPAL (-3) 17; Ascoli 15; Pontedera 13; Milan Futuro* and Sestri Levante 12; Legnago Salus 9. (* = one game less; ^ = one game more)

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