Milan heads to Reggio Emilia: four finals to finish in style
The countdown has begun. AC Milan are set to face Sassuolo tomorrow at 3:00 PM in Reggio Emilia, in the fourth-to-last match of the Serie A season. Four games remaining, four chances to close the campaign in the best possible way. The squad departed on Saturday afternoon, with manager Massimiliano Allegri putting the finishing touches on the team’s preparation before heading to Emilia. A pre-match press conference was also held earlier in the day.
Milan need to win: with the right combination of results, this weekend could already deliver important verdicts in the standings, with Como and Roma closely watched. The mission is clear, and the Rossoneri have everything they need to rise to the occasion.
Midfield: Jashari ready to step in for Modrić
The first change concerns the midfield. Luka Modrić will miss the match due to a fractured cheekbone. A significant absence, but Milan have the tools to cope. Ardon Jashari is expected to fill the gap — the French midfielder has long been Allegri’s go-to option in that role. It is a logical, almost natural choice that the manager had already identified at the start of the week.
Samuele Ricci is not entirely ruled out of the starting lineup, but Jashari currently appears to hold the upper hand. The French midfielder will have the chance to prove his quality in a crucial match, with the potential to make an impact both in build-up play and in defensive coverage.
Left flank: Estupiñán ahead of Bartesaghi
The second potential change concerns the left flank. Davide Bartesaghi, a homegrown talent from Milan’s academy, is going through a difficult spell and Allegri appears inclined to give him a rest. The young Italian, a standout performer for the Under-21 national team — where he has racked up assists and consistent displays — has struggled at club level in recent outings, seemingly affected by the team’s broader dip in form, both physically and mentally. In the last match against Juventus, he was substituted at half-time.
His likely replacement is Pervis Estupiñán, the Ecuadorian left-back formerly of Brighton, who was the hero of the derby earlier this season. The wide defender has had an up-and-down campaign, but is currently ahead in the pecking order. Allegri, who chose Bartesaghi over Estupiñán against Juventus, looks set to reverse that decision this time around.
Attack reinvented: Nkunku pushing for a start, Leão as second striker
The most anticipated and potentially significant change involves the attacking department. Allegri is seriously considering starting Christopher Nkunku from the first minute against Sassuolo. It is a move he had already considered last week before ultimately sticking with the Leão-Pulisic partnership — a duo that failed to spark against Juventus.
The proposed setup would see Nkunku operating in a more advanced position, with Rafael Leão dropping into a second striker role — a position the Portuguese star knows well and one that could bring out his best qualities in terms of movement and off-the-ball runs. Allegri’s goal is evident: reignite an attack that has gone without a goal for weeks, restoring sharpness and verticality to a forward line in desperate need of a spark. The last time Nkunku started was against Napoli, alongside Niclas Füllkrug, but the conditions now look more favourable for the Frenchman to deliver a telling contribution.
Milan arrive at this fixture hungry for a reaction, with Allegri tirelessly searching for solutions and pushing his squad to deliver. Reggio Emilia awaits — and the Rossoneri are ready to answer the call.
