AC Milan will be looking to move to the top of the Serie A table, even if just for a day, when they take on struggling Parma on Saturday night.
While Napoli, Roma, and Inter Milan are all set to play on Sunday, a win at the Stadio Tardini would temporarily send Milan to the summit of the standings.
After two frustrating draws, Milan returned to winning ways last weekend with a crucial victory that kept them within touching distance of league leaders Napoli.
The Rossoneri sealed the win against Roma through two key moments of brilliance. Rafael Leao’s dazzling solo run set up Strahinja Pavlovic for the opener just before halftime, and captain Mike Maignan became the first goalkeeper to deny Paulo Dybala from the penalty spot since 2021.
That result extended Milan’s unbeaten run to 10 matches in all competitions. They now sit fourth in Serie A, just behind the top three, all of whom have European commitments.
Manager Massimiliano Allegri continues to play down title talk, insisting it’s too early in the season to think about the Scudetto. Still, his team has proven they are serious contenders.
After the international break, Milan will face their toughest test yet in the Derby della Madonnina against Inter. But before then, they must stay focused and secure maximum points against Parma.
Milan’s recent record against Parma offers plenty of encouragement, having won seven of their last 10 meetings while losing just once.
Parma’s only success in that stretch came at the start of last season when they edged a 2-1 victory at home.
Now under new head coach Carlos Cuesta, who is in his first senior managerial role, Parma find themselves hovering just above the relegation zone.
Their most recent outing ended in disappointment as they fell 3-1 to Bologna in the Derby dell’Emilia. Despite taking an early lead, a red card to Christian Ordonez shifted the momentum, allowing Bologna to take control.
With just seven points from their opening fixtures, this marks Parma’s worst start to a Serie A campaign in over a decade.
Their biggest issue is clear — they are struggling to score goals. The Gialloblu have managed only five so far this season, the lowest total among all teams in Europe’s top five leagues.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
A key figure in Milan’s attack over the last few seasons, Christian Pulisic is set to make his return this week, and the American forward could start alongside Rafael Leao.
Leao has rediscovered his sharpness, contributing to four goals in his last four league appearances. Pulisic will compete with Christopher Nkunku for a place in the lineup beside the Portuguese star, while Santiago Gimenez remains unavailable for selection.
In defense, Fikayo Tomori has recovered from a knee injury and should be ready to feature, leaving Adrien Rabiot as the only other absentee alongside Gimenez.
Parma, on the other hand, are dealing with several fitness concerns. Defender Alessandro Circati and midfielder Nahuel Estevez both picked up injuries last week, adding to an already crowded treatment room.
Emanuele Valeri, Matija Frigan, Gaetano Oristanio, and Swedish wingers Pontus Almqvist and Jacob Ondrejka are all expected to miss the match. In addition, Christian Ordonez is suspended after his red card in the defeat to Bologna.
Up front, Patrick Cutrone is likely to feature once again for Parma. Interestingly, the forward began his Serie A career with Milan, scoring 13 goals in his first 63 appearances for the Rossoneri, and now often leads the line alongside Mateo Pellegrino.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Parma possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Delprato, Valenti, Ndiaye, Britschgi; Hernani, Keita, Sorensen; Bernabe; Pellegrino, Cutrone
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leao
EXPERT PREDICTION
Parma 0-1 AC Milan
