AC Milan start Pulisic and Nkunku at San Siro against a weakened Sassuolo missing Berardi and several defenders; Gimenez remains out while Leao and Fofana aim to return for the Supercoppa. Betting edge: back Milan to win (home favorite) — consider Milan -1 Asian handicap or a straight home victory given Sassuolo’s absences.
Milan vs Sassuolo: Match Preview and Kick-off
Kick-off is at 12:30 CET (11:30 GMT) at Stadio Meazza in San Siro. Milan deploys a 3-5-2 with Cristian Pulisic and Christopher Nkunku leading the attack, while Sassuolo reply in a 4-3-3 featuring Alieu Fadera and Andrea Pinamonti.
Injury and Availability Update
Gimenez is unavailable with an unclear return date. Rafael Leao and Fofana are also absent for this fixture but are expected to be available for the Supercoppa Italiana Final Four next week. Sassuolo travel without Romagna, Skjellerup, Pieragnolo, Turati, Domenico Berardi and Boloca. Coach Fabio Grosso is serving a one-game touchline ban.
Starting Line-ups (Official)
AC Milan (3-5-2)
Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlović; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Modrić, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Nkunku, Pulisic. Bench highlights: Pittarella, Terracciano, Estupiñán, Ricci.
Sassuolo (4-3-3)
Murić; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muhamerović, Candé; Thorstvedt, Matić, Koné; Volpato, Pinamonti, Fadera. Volpato replaces the injured Berardi in the starting XI.
Tactical Implications
Loftus-Cheek gets the nod in midfield, moving Samuele Ricci to the bench — signaling Milan’s desire for physical control and box-to-box transitions. With a three-man defence, Milan will look to use wing-backs to stretch Sassuolo. Sassuolo’s attacking threat is reduced without Berardi and other absentees, increasing pressure on Pinamonti and Fadera to produce chances.
Betting Outlook and Key Markets
Milan are clear favorites at home given Sassuolo’s absences and the Rossoneri’s forward pairing. Suggestions for punters: back a Milan win or Milan -1 Asian handicap for cleaner upside. Consider lower-risk options such as Milan to win and under 3.5 goals if you expect a controlled performance. If you prefer both-teams-to-score markets, weigh up Sassuolo’s depleted attack — BTTS is less certain than a straight home victory.
What to Watch
Watch Nkunku and Pulisic’s link-up play and how Loftus-Cheek influences the midfield battle. Sassuolo’s ability to create without Berardi and how Volpato adapts up front will determine if they can upset the hosts.
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Christian Pulisic and Christopher Nkunku lead the Milan attack against Sassuolo, who reply with Alieu...
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