AC Milan will look to secure their place in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals on Tuesday as they face Sassuolo in a last-16 clash.
Sassuolo have been a bit of a bogey team for Milan in the past, with the Neroverdi having caused plenty of trouble for the Rossoneri, even in the days before their relegation to Serie B. Milan will be determined to avoid another shock in this cup tie.
Milan's recent record in the Coppa Italia hasn't been great, with their last success in the competition coming all the way back in 2003. They were knocked out by Atalanta in last season's quarter-finals, continuing a pattern of underwhelming cup runs. The Rossoneri also lost finals to Juventus in 2016 and 2018, so they’ll be eager to go one better this time around.
This season, Milan enters the cup at the last-16 stage, having had their European commitments to focus on. After securing a third consecutive Champions League win last week, a 3-2 victory over Slovan Bratislava, Milan have moved five points clear of the elimination zone in the group stage and are now in a playoff position with three matches remaining.
In Serie A, Milan’s form has been more encouraging. A brace from Tijjani Reijnders and a goal from Alvaro Morata helped Milan to a dominant 3-0 win over Empoli on Saturday, bringing their total to 22 points.
While they are still behind the top six in the league, Milan’s best shot at silverware this season may come from knockout competitions like the Coppa Italia, so they can’t afford to take Sassuolo lightly.
Sassuolo have had some spectacular results against Milan in recent years, including a 5-2 victory at San Siro and a thrilling 3-3 draw in their most recent encounter at the end of last season. However, the Neroverdi’s stay in Serie A ended after a poor defensive record saw them relegated to Serie B.
To help them bounce back, Sassuolo appointed Fabio Grosso, the former Lyon coach and 2006 World Cup winner, as their new manager. Several key players have remained at the club, including star forward Domenico Berardi, who has returned to full fitness after a serious injury. Norwegian midfielder Kristian Thorstvedt also found the net in their 2-0 derby win over Reggiana on Friday.
That victory moved Sassuolo to the top of Serie B, where they have only lost once so far this season and are on track for a swift return to Serie A. In the Coppa Italia, they’ve already eliminated Serie A teams Lecce and Cittadella, so they’ll be heading to Milan full of confidence and hoping to cause another upset.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
With a busy schedule ahead in the final stretch of 2024, AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca is expected to rotate his squad on Tuesday. England internationals Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will all be hoping for a chance to start after recent spells on the bench.
Teenage sensation Francesco Camarda, just 16 years old, could also get some minutes and will likely compete with Abraham for a spot up front alongside Alvaro Morata.
Injuries continue to affect Milan, with Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi still sidelined, while Luka Jovic recently underwent surgery for a chronic groin issue.
Sassuolo, on the other hand, will be missing Josh Doig and centre-back Filippo Romagna. Romagna picked up a muscular injury in Friday's match and had to be substituted, meaning Cas Odenthal may step in to start at the back in his place.
In attack, Nicholas Pierini or Samuele Mulattieri should lead the line, supported by Italy's Domenico Berardi and French forward Armand Lauriente. Lauriente was a standout in their last meeting with Milan in April, scoring twice, while Berardi was on target in both of Sassuolo's famous wins at San Siro in 2021 and 2023.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Sportiello; Calabria, Tomori, Pavlovic, Terracciano; Musah, Fofana, Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze, Abraham, Okafor
Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Moldovan; Toljan, Muharemovic, Odenthal, Pieragnolo; Thorstvedt, Boloca, Obiang; Berardi, Pierini, Lauriente
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
AC Milan 3-1 Sassuolo
Sassuolo could give a patched-up Milan side some real trouble in this intriguing last-16 matchup, especially considering their current form and their past successes at San Siro.
That said, Milan boss Paulo Fonseca has a talented squad to choose from, and with their depth, the Rossoneri should be able to secure a spot in the quarter-finals, where they’d face either Roma or Sampdoria.
