AC Milan and Sassuolo are set to face off in a highly anticipated Coppa Italia round of 16 match at the iconic San Siro stadium on Tuesday. This encounter promises to be an intriguing battle as the Serie A giants take on their former top-flight rivals, now leading the charge in Serie B.
AC Milan enter this fixture with renewed confidence after their recent 3-0 victory over Empoli in Serie A and a crucial 3-2 win against Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League. The Rossoneri are aiming to improve their Coppa Italia record, having won the trophy only once in the last 50 years, back in 2003.
Coach Paulo Fonseca’s side has been formidable at home in Serie A, keeping clean sheets in their last two fixtures at San Siro. However, their inconsistent form earlier in the season means they are currently trailing the top six, making cup competitions a priority for silverware this season.
Sassuolo, under the guidance of World Cup winner Fabio Grosso, have been in impressive form in Serie B. Currently topping the table with only one loss all season, the Neroverdi are eyeing a quick return to the top flight. Their cup run has already seen them overcome Cittadella and Serie A side Lecce in previous rounds.
The visitors will be buoyed by their recent history against Milan, including two memorable victories at San Siro in 2021 and 2023, as well as a thrilling 3-3 draw in their last encounter before Sassuolo’s relegation.
Team News
Milan are likely to rotate their squad due to a congested fixture list. English internationals Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek could all feature, while teenage sensation Francesco Camarda might get some playing time. The hosts will be without long-term absentees Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi, with Luka Jovic also sidelined after recent surgery.
Sassuolo will miss Josh Doig and Filippo Romagna, with the latter’s replacement Cas Odenthal likely to start in defense. The dangerous trio of Domenico Berardi, Armand Lauriente, and either Nicholas Pierini or Samuele Mulattieri is expected to lead the attack for the visitors.
Expected Starting XIs
Milan: Sportiello; Calabria, Tomori, Pavlovic, Terracciano; Musah, Fofana, Loftus-Cheek; Chukwueze, Abraham, Okafor
Sassuolo: Moldovan; Toljan, Muharemovic, Odenthal, Pieragnolo; Thorstvedt, Boloca, Obiang; Berardi, Pierini, Lauriente
Match Prediction
While Sassuolo’s current form and historical success at San Siro suggest they could cause problems for Milan, the home side’s depth and quality should see them through. Expect an entertaining match with Milan edging it 2-0 to secure a quarter-final berth against either Roma or Sampdoria.
Prediction: Milan 2-0 Sassuolo
