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AC Milan will hope to leave for Saudi Arabia in midweek with another three points in the bag after the Sassuolo game tomorrow.
After a win against Torino last time out, Milan come into this game in high spirits, but aware of the job they must do tomorrow afternoon. They have struggled against ‘lesser’ teams all season, and if they beat the Neroverdi, it will mean they have finally beaten a promoted team.
Massimiliano Allegri spoke about the need for focus in his press conference, whilst hammering home the fact that the Rossoneri must get top four this season. Considering his team’s performances against teams lower in the league, it is understandable why there is so much focus on this game.
Game date: Sunday, December 14
Kick-off time: 12:30 (CET)
Venue: San Siro
Referee: Valerio Crezzini (VAR: Prontera)
Team news
In Serie A, Milan currently sit on a 13-game unbeaten streak, winning four of their last five games in the league. That number will be expected to increase tomorrow, despite the fact that the Neroverdi have shown themselves to be a solid team so far this season.
The Rossoneri sit, rightly, on top of the league, and after their win against Torino on Monday night, they come into this game in high spirits. However, they will not really be aided by returns for this fixture.
Rafael Leao will be absent once again, as will Santiago Gimenez and Youssouf Fofana, who are both nursing injuries. On a brighter note, Zachary Athekame returned to training in midweek, and Allegri confirmed that he is available for selection.
As a result of the injuries, Christopher Nkunku will start his third game in a row up front, and he will be joined by Christian Pulisic from the start for this game after the American’s tremendous performance in Turin.
In midfield, it seems that Samuele Ricci will be given the nod ahead of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who could leave the club next month. The Italian would be starting his first game since the draw against Parma if it were to be confirmed.
In defence, there are no changes expected, with Allegri not seeing a reason to drop anyone from the back three.
Predicted Milan XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Ricci, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Nkunku, Pulisic.
Bench: Terracciano, Torriani, De Winter, Odogu, Estupiñán, Athekame, Loftus-Cheek, Jashari
Injuries & suspensions: Leao, Fofana and Gimenez.
The opponents
Last season was a successful one for Sassuolo as they returned to Serie A at the first time of asking. There was little reason to doubt the Neroverdi through the season, as they only lost four times before being crowned champions.
Given the strength of their squad already, there was not much need to invest, with key players like Domenico Berardi and Armand Lauriente staying put. However, a few players were brought in, namely Jay Idzes – who has been followed by the Diavolo – as well as Tarik Muharemovic and Fali Cande to sure up the defence.
There are some other familiar faces in the team too, with Andrea Pinamonti returning from loan, whilst Arijanet Muric and Nemanja Matic joined. Additionally, former Milanista Aster Vranckx join on loan from Wolfsburg.
So far this season, they have been really strong, earning an eighth-placed spot after 14 Serie A games, which has included wins against Atalanta, Lazio and Fiorentina. So, Fabio Grosso’s side will not be pushovers, and he stated as much in his pre-match press conference.
Domenico Berardi will miss the game through injury, but the visitors still will have a strong team to call upon at San Siro. Grosso is expected to stick to the 4-3-3 system, which would see Kone, Matic and Thorstvedt face Milan’s midfield. Whilst Pinamonti and Lauriente will be the big two to watch up top.
Predicted Sassuolo XI (4-3-3): Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Kone; Volpato, Pinamonti, Lauriente.
Predicted bench: Zacchi, Candé, Coulibaly, Odenthal, Lipani, Paz, Iannoni, Cheddira, Moro, Fadera, Pierini, Vranckx.
Injuries & suspensions: Pieragnolo, Romagna, Skjellerup, Turati, Berardi, Boloca.
Head to head
There have not been too many meetings between Milan and Sassuolo, with the two clubs only facing each other 24 times in their history, and the record is more even than one may imagine. The Rossoneri have a positive ratio, winning 13 times, but the Neroverdi have managed seven wins.
From those games, Domenico Berardi has often been key, scoring 11 goals in the fixture’s history – the most of any player. However, Armand Lauriente has also seen success against Milan previously, scoring three times.
Last season was the last meeting between these sides, as the Rossoneri hammered home six goals at San Siro at the start of December in the Coppa Italia. In terms of the last league meeting, that came in April 2024, when Lauriente bagged a brace with Pinamonti scoring the other.
Interestingly, none of the Diavolo’s scorers from that game will be present tomorrow, with Leao injured, whilst Noah Okafor and Luka Jovic have left.
Key facts and stats
➤ There have been 13 previous meetings between the sides in the Rossoneri half of Milan: 7 wins for Milan (the most recent a 6–1 victory in the Coppa Italia 2024/25), 2 draws (the latest a 0–0 in Serie A 2019/20) and 4 wins for Sassuolo (the last a 2–5 success in Serie A 2022/23).
➤ Milan have scored in 12 of their 13 home matches against the Emilians: 24 Rossoneri goals in total, with their only blank the 0–0 draw on 15 December 2019 in Serie A.
➤ Milan mathematically clinched their most recent Scudetto away to Sassuolo: a 0–3 win on 22 May 2022 (the final matchday of the season), with goals from Giroud (brace) and Kessié.
➤ Milan are the team that score the most goals through substitutes in Serie A 2025/26: 4, level with Juventus and Cremonese.
➤ Milan are the side who have had the most penalties awarded against them in Serie A 2025/26: 5, the same as Udinese.
➤ Milan are the team that make the fewest substitutions in Serie A 2025/26: 47 out of a possible 70.
➤ Sassuolo are one of the teams that concede the most goals in the first 15 minutes of matches in Serie A 2025/26: 4, level with Udinese, Fiorentina and Verona.
➤ After the goals by Volpato and Muharemovic in Sassuolo–Fiorentina, Sassuolo have now had 11 different goalscorers this season, a figure bettered only by Inter with 12.
➤ Sassuolo have 20 points after 14 matchdays: this is their best start since 2020/21, when they had 26 points at this stage and were fifth in the table.
➤ This is the first official meeting between Massimiliano Allegri and Fabio Grosso as head coaches.
➤ Massimiliano Allegri, now in his second spell in charge of Milan, was sacked by the Rossoneri in January 2014 following a 4–3 defeat away to Sassuolo. Milan had gone 0–2 up after 13 minutes thanks to goals from Balotelli and Robinho, but were then overturned by a four-goal haul from Domenico Berardi, with Montolivo’s late strike for Milan proving in vain.
➤ Massimiliano Allegri also faces his former club: he coached Sassuolo in the 2007/08 season in Serie C1, taking charge for 42 matches with a record of 22 wins, 7 draws and 13 defeats, earning a historic promotion to Serie B and winning the Serie C1 Supercup.
➤ Christian Pulisic scored his fourth Serie A brace, and his second of the season, in Torino– Milan. The American has played 551 minutes in official matches so far this season and has scored 9 goals (including the Coppa Italia), averaging one every 61 minutes.
➤ Adrien Rabiot scored his first Serie A 2025/26 goal in Torino–Milan. His previous league strike dated back to 12 May 2024 in Juventus–Salernitana.
➤ In Sassuolo–Fiorentina, Tarik Muharemovic scored his first-ever Serie A goal.
➤ In last Saturday’s Sassuolo–Fiorentina, Cristian Volpato netted his first Serie A 2025/26 goal, the third league goal of his career.
Ones to watch
Starting with the hosts, Samuele Ricci will have eyes on him if he starts tomorrow. He will displace Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and if he has a strong performance, it could be difficult for Youssouf Fofana to return to the starting XI.
Christopher Nkunku’s game must be watched. The Frenchman is in desperate need of a Serie A goal and with reports suggesting that he could leave in January, he needs to instil confidence in himself.
For the visitors, Armand Lauriente is a fine player, and as the second-highest scoring player in this tie historically, he will be able to create problems for Milan. With Berardi injured, his role in the game will be upped, and the Frenchman can be deadly.
Finally, Nemanja Matic could make life difficult for Luka Modric. The veteran has looked leggy recently, and if he is kept busy by the former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder, it could be telling for the Rossoneri.
Prediction
This will not be an easy game for Milan, and they must have their wits about them if they are to get three points against the Neroverdi. Nevertheless, they should still get through this game with three points.
Massimiliano Allegri has reportedly drilled the need for a win into his team in the past few days, and the expectations must be met.
Milan 1-0 Sassuolo
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