Nine games in eight weeks: Why the hourglass could become Milan’s biggest ally

As the season begins to head towards the decisive stretch, AC Milan have one factor that they can exploit in their favour.

As MilanNews write, this is a stage of the season where the table remains tight and every slip-up weighs double, so wins like the recent ones against Como and Lecce are critical. Massimiliano Allegri is a master at winning by any means, and is approaching the season’s climax in the best possible shape.

A card to play

Milan now look at the league table with greater confidence given the seven-point gap to fifth, especially given a factor that’s far from insignificant: the absence of European or cup competitions.

While Inter will have to share their energy and focus with the Champions League (and Coppa Italia), the Rossoneri can prepare for their matches with a full week of work, a detail that often makes the difference in the spring.

Allegri reiterated this after Lecce, emphasising that ‘working consistently throughout the week allows us to focus on the details and grow as a team’. He also pointed to March as the decisive month, and in just over one month it will arrive.

The upcoming league games thus become an opportunity rather than a risk. With no midweek fixtures, Milan have the chance to maintain consistent results and apply pressure to those ahead, capitalising on any lapses in concentration from rotations for opponents competing in Europe.

Allegri has spoken of a ‘long and very balanced league’, but the message is clear: whoever makes the fewest mistakes ultimately comes out on top.

A lighter schedule

It all starts on Roma on Sunday night in what will be a six-pointer showdown at the Stadio Olimpico, and then there are nine days until another tricky trip to Bologna.

It has been a chaotic start to 2026 for Milan, at least in terms of the volume of games played. The first match of the year away against Cagliari on January 2 started a run of five games in 17 days, and they emerged with three wins and two draws.

Between now and the end of February, things get easier. There is Roma on January 25, Bologna away on February 3, the rescheduled game against Como possibly after that, then Pisa away on 15 February and Parma at home on 22 February.

So, that is five games in five weeks coming up for Allegri’s men, back to the one game per week average therefore. Even in March there are four fixtures despite there being five weekends by quirk of the Gregorian calendar.

On March 1 is Cremonese away, then the derby against Inter is one week later, Lazio away the weekend after and Torino at home to close the month on March 22 before the international break.

In other words, if the notion of having no midweek commitments was a myth for Milan in January, from now until the end of the season it really will be the case. That is music to the ears of everyone expcept the Rossoneri’s rivals.