Milan's Rotated Lineup Faces Sassuolo's Survival Fight

In a crucial Serie A clash, AC Milan will field a heavily rotated starting XI as they travel to face the struggling Sassuolo side at the Mapei Stadium. With their focus divided between league commitments and the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Roma next week, Milan’s manager has opted to rest several key players.

The most notable absentees from Milan’s lineup are goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who is sidelined due to a muscular issue, and defenders Tommaso Pobega and Pierre Kalulu, who are both nursing injuries. In their absence, Marco Sportiello will take his place between the sticks, while the backline will feature the experienced Simon Kjaer and Malick Thiaw.

Milan’s attack will be spearheaded by a formidable trio of Samuel Chukwueze, Luka Jovic, and the in-form Rafael Leao. The latter has been included in the starting lineup despite his underwhelming performance against Roma, with the manager likely hoping for a response from the Portuguese forward.

Midfield duties will be shared by Yunus Musah and Yacine Adli, as Milan look to control the tempo and supply their potent frontline with quality service.

On the other hand, Sassuolo find themselves in a precarious position, sitting perilously close to the relegation zone after a dismal run of results. However, the recent appointment of Davide Ballardini as their new head coach has provided a glimmer of hope, with the team securing a win over Frosinone and hard-fought draws against Udinese and Salernitana.

Sassuolo will be without the services of Domenico Berardi, Marcus Pedersen, and former Milan winger Samu Castillejo, all of whom are sidelined through injury. Nevertheless, they will look to take advantage of Milan’s rotated lineup and secure a vital three points in their bid for survival.

The encounter promises to be a fascinating one, with Milan aiming to manage their resources effectively while maintaining their push for a top-four finish, and Sassuolo desperately fighting to avoid the dreaded drop to Serie B.