Abate vs Milan: A New Era for Torino Begins
Sunday night in Turin. Floodlights on, memories stirred, pressure immediate.
At the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Ignazio Abate begins his first Serie A season as Torino coach by staring down the badge that defined his playing career. Across the technical area stands Rúben Amorim, the man charged with dragging AC Milan into a new cycle. One debutant coach in Italy’s top flight. One new project at a European giant. No gentle warm-up for either.
Kick-off is at 7:45pm BST. The stakes feel much later in the season than that.
Torino: Abate’s New-Look Side Leans on Home Fortress
Torino arrive with momentum and a clear identity already taking shape under Abate.
They’ve opened the campaign with a gritty 1-0 win over Carrarese in the Coppa Italia, Giovanni Simeone delivering the decisive goal. It was exactly the kind of strike Abate will want to see more of: ruthless, clinical, and backed by a side that looks comfortable suffering without the ball.
Il Toro are strong at home. They closed last season unbeaten in their final six Serie A fixtures at the Olimpico (four wins, two draws), turning their stadium into one of the more awkward away days in the league. That run is no statistic to pad out a preview; it’s the foundation of Abate’s early reign.
He has a relatively clean bill of health, but not a full deck. Faustino Anjorin and Pietro Pellegri are unavailable, while long-term absentee Duván Zapata remains out. The absences strip some depth from the attack, yet the starting XI still carries bite.
Simeone is nailed on to lead the line, his place earned and undisputed. Behind him, there’s intrigue. Ajax loanee Kian Fitz-Jim is in line for a competitive debut in midfield, bringing technical quality and energy to the centre of the pitch. At the back, Swiss defender Eray Cömert is another likely starter, tasked with shoring up a back line that will be tested by Milan’s new-look attack.
Abate’s side is expected to line up as:
Torino (predicted): Mascardi; Comuzzo, Comert, Coco; Pedersen, Fitz-Jim, Gineitis, Cacciamani; Vlasic, Casadei; Simeone
With that shape, Torino will look to crowd the middle, compress space, and then spring quickly through Nikola Vlasic and Cesare Casadei in support of Simeone. The plan is obvious: lean on their home resilience, attack Milan’s defensive reshuffle, and turn an emotional night for Abate into a statement result.
Milan: Amorim’s First Serie A Test Comes with Problems and Promise
On the opposite bench, Rúben Amorim walks into his first competitive match as AC Milan manager with both excitement and complications.
He must do without his most devastating wide threat. Rafael Leão is out with a muscle strain, stripping Milan of pace and unpredictability on the left. New forward Santi Giménez is also sidelined by an ankle sprain, reducing options in attack just as the new season kicks off.
Yet the spotlight still burns bright on the Rossoneri’s frontline. Club-record signing Gonçalo Ramos is fit and expected to lead the attack, the focal point of Amorim’s system. The Portuguese striker will be asked to occupy Torino’s back three, finish ruthlessly, and set the tone for his Milan career from day one.
Behind him, there is more fresh blood. Mario Gila is ready for his competitive debut, likely slotting into the right side of a three-man defence alongside Strahinja Pavlović. It’s a bold structure for a first league outing, but very much in line with Amorim’s philosophy.
The shape around them is equally intriguing. Samuel Chukwueze, electric in pre-season, is set to continue in an adventurous right wing-back role, where his direct running and dribbling can stretch Torino wide. On the opposite flank, young Davide Bartesaghi offers balance and width.
The real control, though, will be expected to come from the centre. Luka Modrić, the veteran conductor, is set to anchor the midfield rhythm, supported by Adrien Rabiot’s physical presence and Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s ability to break lines from advanced areas. Alexis Saelemaekers should provide industry and movement in the final third.
Milan’s predicted XI:
AC Milan (predicted): Maignan; De Winter, Gila, Pavlovic; Chukwueze, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Loftus-Cheek, Saelemaekers; Ramos
It’s a side built to be aggressive, to press high, and to turn transitions into chances. But it’s also a side that, at this stage, is still learning each other’s movements.
Form Guide: Torino’s Steel vs Milan’s Volatility
Torino’s form is simple to read. They’re solid, hard to beat, and trending upward at home. The win over Carrarese keeps confidence high, and that unbeaten six-game home run from last season still lingers in the minds of visiting teams.
Milan’s form is more chaotic, but not dull.
They finished last season stumbling, losing seven of their final 13 league matches. That collapse made a powerful opening to this campaign non-negotiable. Pre-season only underlined the volatility: a heavy 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, then a wild 4-2 victory over Manchester United. When they click, they score in bunches. When they don’t, they can be exposed.
For Amorim, this match is about more than three points. It’s about proving that Milan’s inconsistency belongs to the past, not his future.
Where the Battle Will Be Won
The pattern is easy to imagine.
Torino will try to drag Milan into a fight, slow the game down, and exploit any uncertainty in that newly assembled back three. The home crowd will feed off every duel, every turnover, every Simeone press.
Milan will want the opposite: speed, verticality, and long spells of controlled possession with Modrić dictating. If Chukwueze can isolate his man and Ramos can find space between defenders, the visitors have the quality to silence the stadium.
Abate knows Milan’s culture, their expectations, the weight of their shirt. Amorim knows he cannot afford a hesitant start. One coach is trying to build a fortress. The other is trying to build a contender.
How to Watch
In the UK, Torino vs AC Milan will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 and is also available via the DAZN streaming platform.
The new Serie A season rarely waits to deliver a storyline. On Sunday night in Turin, it gives us two: Abate against his past, and Amorim against Milan’s future.
