AC Milan are on the road this Saturday as they head to the Mapei Stadium to take on Sassuolo in a crucial Serie A clash. With just five more points needed to secure their spot in next season's UEFA Champions League, the Rossoneri will be looking to tighten their grip on a top-four finish.

For Sassuolo, manager Fabio Grosso is dealing with a defensive injury crisis. Key absentees include Filippo Romagna, Edoardo Pieragnolo, and Fali Candé, while Daniel Boloca is a doubt after recent arthroscopic surgery. However, there's a boost in attack: Domenico Berardi is expected to return to the starting XI. The experienced winger has a remarkable record against Milan, having scored 11 goals against them throughout his career. Grosso is likely to set up with a compact defensive shape, relying on Jay Idzes and Taril Muharemovic to protect the back line. Andrea Pinamonti will lead the line, supported by Armand Lauriente on the flanks. With relegation fears long behind them, Sassuolo can play with freedom—and that could spell trouble for the visitors.

On the Milan side, the biggest setback is the loss of midfield veteran Luka Modric, who is out for the rest of the season after a severe facial injury sustained against Juventus. In his absence, Ardon Jashari is the frontrunner to step into the starting eleven. Manager Massimiliano Allegri is expected to rotate the squad, with Pervis Estupiñán pushing Davide Bartesaghi for the left-back spot to add more attacking threat. Up front, Christopher Nkunku is making a strong case to start alongside either Rafael Leao or Christian Pulisic.

Despite the Modric blow, Milan's squad depth remains solid for this late-season push. Key defenders Matteo Gabbia and Fikayo Tomori are fully fit and ready to anchor the backline against a tricky Sassuolo side. Currently sitting 11th in the table with 46 points, Sassuolo are comfortably clear of relegation and in good form—having lost just one of their last five matches. Like Milan, they'll be eager to finish the season strong.