Juventus Turin gegen AC Milan – Italy's timeless classic

Third game, first win in the new year for Italy's record champions Juventus Turin. 2:0 (0:0) was the result on January 18, 2025, in the Italian classic against AC Milan. This timeless clash took place for the 180th time in Serie A. After the home win, Juventus remains unbeaten in the league – and has the next top match ahead against SSC Napoli. The two heavyweights of Italian football delivered a game that showed why football trips and tickets Serie A are highly requested. 

The game was preceded by a transfer saga surrounding Randal Kolo Muani. The 2022 World Cup runner-up and former player of Eintracht Frankfurt had actually been planned as a winter transfer from PSG to Juventus Turin. However, the planned loan did not take place a day before the match, as Paris, according to France's football bible L'Equipe, "had already reached the newly regulated number of loan players."

Too bad, Kolo Muani would certainly have strengthened Juventus' attack. 
 
Because none of the highly-rated Juve forwards, neither the most expensive winter signing in Serie A history, Dusan Vlahovic, nor Timothy Weah, have reached double digits in season goals.

At least: Timothy Weah, the USA-born son of football legend George Weah (who played for Milan and PSG), put Juventus Turin on course against AC Milan with the 2:0 (64'). It was his fifth goal of the season.

21 games unbeaten 

Weah ensured that Juventus remained unbeaten in their 21st season match. But: The "Bianconeri" have only collected 8 wins (with 13 draws!) and, with 37 points, have virtually no chance of winning the title, sitting in 5th place. After matchday 21, Serie A leaders SSC Napoli have a 13-point lead before their direct duel on January 25, 2025, at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona (Tickets).

Even more so, AC Milan in 8th place is trailing its own expectations. After the coaching change from Paulo Fonseca to Sergio Conceição, they won their first title of 2025 on January 6 in Saudi Arabia, defeating Inter Milan 3:2 (after being down 0:2) in the Supercoppa Italiana, but since returning from the desert, the "Rossoneri" have only won one game – 2:1 at Como Calcio. 

Milan started strong but failed to score in the 27th minute despite a double chance from Rafael Leao and Theo Hernández, with the ball not going into Michele Di Grigorio's net.

Goal scorer for Juventus against Milan: "No one knew him"...

The breakthrough for Juventus, which had opened the new football year on January 3, 2025, in Riyadh against Milan (1:2), was finally made by a jewel from their own youth: Samuel Mbangula. 

The left-winger scored in the 59th minute to make it 1:0. "No one knew him, now he's scoring, and Motta appreciates that," cheered the esteemed colleagues of Gazzetta dello Sport. 

So, an "unknown" player saved Juventus, which was able to extend its record against Milan in Serie A.

Out of 180 games in the Italian football elite league, the Turin side has won 69, compared to 53 victories for AC Milan.

In all competitions, Juventus and Milan have now faced each other for the 228th time; in 2003, they met in the Champions League final in Manchester, which Milan won in a penalty shootout.

Milan Manager: Ibrahimovic: Top transfer from the Premier League?

One of the many Italian football celebrities present at the Juventus Stadium alongside Ciro Ferrara (who analyzed for DAZN Italia) played for both clubs: Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The Swedish player, now acting as Milan's manager, who remained titleless during his time at Juventus from 2005 to 2006, spoke on the sidelines of the match about a high-profile new signing. English national player Kyle Walker from Manchester City is reportedly set to join ACM. 

Ibrahimovic commented on DAZN Italia: "Everyone knows that Walker is a great player, he has achieved great things at City. When someone like him is on the market, there is a lot of interest. This is not contrary to our vision, because he is strong, he is a leader, he is dominant in the locker room. Now we're checking if it's possible."