AC Milan are scheduled to visit Sassuolo on Sunday afternoon, 3 May 2026, and Massimiliano Allegri must reshuffle a team suddenly short of options after Luka Modric suffered a serious facial injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the Serie A campaign.
The numbers underline why the choice matters. Milan have scored just one goal in their last four games, and the last of those strikes came from Adrien Rabiot against Hellas Verona. Over the first 25 matches of the season the side averaged 1.64 goals per game; across the last nine matchdays that figure has slumped to 0.78. Christian Pulisic, who has started the last three games, has not scored since 28 December and has gone 16 appearances without a goal.
Allegri is expected to respond by changing the attack for the trip to Reggio Emilia, with Christopher Nkunku set to play alongside Rafael Leao. Nkunku’s last goal dates back to the start of February, and the manager’s move is being framed as a direct attempt to end Milan’s dry run. Samuele Ricci and Ardon Jashari are both being considered to replace Modric in midfield on Sunday, a selection that will shape how Milan try to create chances with four games left on the calendar as they chase Champions League qualification.
The immediate stakes are obvious: Milan sit third with four games remaining and were held to a goalless draw by Juventus last weekend. At the same time the team has shown defensive resilience — back-to-back clean sheets and 15 shutouts in 34 league games this season — which has masked the attacking troubles so far.
On the other side, Sassuolo arrive with little at stake. They sit 11th in Serie A, drew 0-0 with Fiorentina in their most recent match and have already secured survival. At home they have been strong, winning five of their last seven fixtures at the Mapei Stadium before hosting Milan. The reverse fixture in December ended 2-2, and across the last eight league meetings Sassuolo have lost only twice to AC Milan.
The history between the clubs adds another layer. Milan are undefeated in eight away games against Sassuolo and have won six times at the Mapei Stadium over the past decade. Still, the recent pattern suggests this will be less a formality and more a test of whether Allegri’s tweaks can turn possession and chances into goals. The fixture — sassuolo vs ac milan — looks at once like a chance for Milan to reset and a trap for complacency.
The tension is straightforward: Milan can defend. They cannot reliably score. Fifteen clean sheets in 34 games show the team’s ability to ship few goals, but one goal in four matches and an average below one per game over nine matchdays signal an attacking collapse. That contradiction forces Allegri into two linked decisions — who plays behind Leao and Nkunku, and whether to place faith in Pulisic’s starts despite a long goalless sequence.
What happens on Sunday will decide more than one weekend. If the Nkunku–Leao pairing provides the spark Milan need, Allegri’s selection will look decisive and the club will maintain control of its Champions League destiny. If it does not, the scoring drought that has crept over the squad will leave Milan vulnerable in a tight finish, and the manager’s changes will be judged insufficient with just four Serie A games left.
