Preview: AC Milan vs Sassuolo - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to extend their lead in the Serie A standings, AC Milan will continue their Scudetto challenge on Sunday afternoon, when they welcome Sassuolo to San Siro.

While the Rossoneri are unbeaten in the league since August, they must now face their bogey team, who have seamlessly adapted to life back in the big time.

Match preview

Though they are without European football and were recently knocked out of the Coppa Italia, Milan have made a fine start to their latest Serie A campaign, thrusting themselves into the thick of the title race.

The Rossoneri have surpassed 30 points after 14 games for the first time since the 2021-22 season, when they ultimately went on to claim the Scudetto.

Keeping pace with reigning champions Napoli - and inching just ahead on goal difference - Max Allegri's men produced a stirring fightback to beat Torino last time out, having fallen two goals behind within 20 minutes.

Adrien Rabiot's rocket reduced their early deficit on Monday evening, before Christian Pulisic - who had been laid low by flu - emerged from the bench to bag a match-winning brace.

Victory in Turin extended Milan's top-flight unbeaten streak to 13, and before heading to Saudi Arabia for the defence of their Supercoppa Italiana title, they will try to prolong that run on Sunday.

Playing their penultimate home game of 2025, the Lombardy giants must face last season's Serie B champions: after losing to Cremonese and drawing with Pisa, they will aim to beat the third promoted club this weekend.

However, Sassuolo are something of a bogey team for the Rossoneri, who have won just one of the last five league meetings at San Siro, losing three.

© Imago / Gribaudi

Despite a huge gulf in stature, there has been nothing to separate these two very different clubs in recent seasons, with three wins apiece and two draws - including a 3-3 thriller in their most recent league meeting.

Milan did cruise to a 6-1 home win in last year's Coppa Italia tie, but Sassuolo fans will never forget an incredible 5-2 away victory back in January 2023.

History aside, the Neroverdi will travel to Italy's second city full of confidence in any case, having made a promising start to their comeback campaign.

Far closer to the top six than the bottom three, Fabio Grosso's team beat surprise strugglers Fiorentina 3-1 last week, taking them up to eighth place on 20 points.

Previously, they had suffered a rare away defeat - losing 2-0 in Como - but that was Sassuolo's sole loss across their last five road trips, suggesting they may be ready to stun San Siro.

AC Milan Serie A form:

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AC Milan form (all competitions):

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Sassuolo Serie A form:

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Team News

© Imago

As Milan forward Rafael Leao has sustained a minor muscular injury, Allegri is set to make a change up front - particularly with top scorer Pulisic now fully recovered from illness.

Likely to pair up with Christopher Nkunku, as Santiago Gimenez is still absent, the USA international averages one Serie A goal every 64 minutes this season.

Elsewhere, Youssouf Fofana is struggling with an adductor issue and young wing-back Zachary Athekame is currently sidelined by a calf strain.

While Leao scored in the six-goal draw when these clubs last met, Sassuolo's French winger Armand Lauriente found the net twice on that occasion.

This time, with talisman Domenico Berardi out of action until 2026, Lauriente should join Andrea Pinamonti and Cristian Volpato in the visitors' front three. Recently, the latter has hit a purple patch, playing a direct role in four goals across his last four appearances.

Once again, a long list of players will sit alongside Berardi in the stands: Aster Vranckx, Daniel Boloca, Filippo Romagna, Edoardo Pieragnolo, Stefano Turati, Laurs Skjellerup and Yeferson Paz are all unavailable.

AC Milan possible starting lineup:

Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Nkunku

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:

Muric; Walukiewicz, Izdes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Kone; Volpato, Pinamonti, Lauriente

We say: AC Milan 2-1 Sassuolo 

Most of Milan's mistakes have come against Serie A's smaller clubs this season, but they are in great form at the moment and should beat Sassuolo.

Allegri's men have become masters at grinding out valuable points, and they can move clear at the summit before Napoli play a few hours later. 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.