Milan vs Sassuolo: Diabolic "Christians" Duel in the San Siro Lunchtime Kick-off

Milan vs Sassuolo: Match preview, stats, line-ups and key info for the Serie A showdown at San Siro in Milan 🏟️

When the Rossoneri run out at San Siro for this Serie A Matchday 15 clash the Devils of Milan led by Christian Pulisic, against the Neroverdi of Sassuolo with Cristian Volpato in their front line. Two “Christians” with different stories, passports and accents – one American with Dalmatian-Italian roots, one Australian-Italian who once said no to a World Cup call-up – meeting in a game that could weigh heavily on Milan’s title and Champions League ambitions and on Sassuolo’s dream of staying in the top half of the table.

Speaking in his press conference, Massimiliano Allegri said: “Christian Pulisic is diabolic in front of goal.”

It’s a diabolic duel in name and in footballing terms: Pulisic, lethal attacking the box, has become one of the most efficient scorers in Europe this year, while Volpato is Grosso’s wildcard between the lines, drifting inside from the flank to unbalance defensive structures. Around them, Allegri’s vertical 3-5-2 and Grosso’s patient 4-3-3 promise a tactical chess match as intense as the individual battle between the two young stars.

Devils chasing Europe 😈🇪🇺

Milan arrive at this game on top of Serie A with 31 points after 14 matches, level with Napoli and one point ahead of Inter, and still unbeaten in the league.

The most recent chapter of their run says a lot about the team’s mentality. Away to Torino, the Rossoneri were 2-0 down after half an hour, hit by a Vlasić penalty and a Zapata strike. Then Adrien Rabiot dragged them back into the game with a long-range effort, before Christian Pulisic came off the bench after a bout of flu and turned the match upside down with a ruthless brace in the second half to seal a 3-2 comeback win.

That victory followed a strong home performance against Lazio and extended an unbeaten league streak that has allowed Allegri’s side to forget last season’s disappointments. Out of Europe and already eliminated from the Coppa Italia, Milan can channel all their energy into Serie A and the upcoming Supercoppa Italiana, with the clear objective of securing both a Champions League spot and a chance to fight for the Scudetto deep into spring.

Defensively, Milan have tightened up: the Rossoneri have conceded very few goals against teams in the current top ten, collecting more points than anyone else in those direct clashes. The backbone built around Mike Maignan, Matteo Gabbia and Fikayo Tomori gives Massimiliano Allegri the freedom to push his wing-backs high and attack vertically with speed whenever the ball is recovered.

The flipside is a growing injury list. Youssouf Fofana, Rafael Leão are out, while striker Santiago Gimenez and others are still being monitored. Allegri, however, has made a habit of turning absences into tactical experiments – and tonight is another test of this “next man up” philosophy. Fofana and Leão should be available for the Italian Supercup (Supercoppa).

Sassuolo’s second life in Serie A ⚫️🟢

On the other side, Sassuolo come to San Siro with the swagger of a side that has already ruined several big clubs’ evenings since returning from Serie B. Sassuolo’s recent form includes convincing wins over Fiorentina, Atalanta and a 1-0 success against Lazio, results that have marked them out as one of the most unpredictable sides in the league.

The Neroverdi have alternated impressive performances with more difficult spells, but they sit in a respectable mid-table position and have taken some of the heaviest points off teams above them, particularly at home. Fabio Grosso has given the club a clear identity: aggressive pressing when possible, but above all a structured, horizontal phase of possession, using short passing and rotations between full-backs, midfielders and wingers to pull opponents out of shape.

There is, however, a huge absence: captain Domenico Berardi, long the specialist in punishing Milan, is out injured and will miss this trip to San Siro. Without their spiritual leader, Sassuolo lean even more heavily on the creativity of Laurienté on the left, the movement of centre-forward Andrea Pinamonti and the flashes of Cristian Volpato, who offers something different between the lines.

For a newly promoted team, coming to the league leaders’ stadium could be intimidating. Instead, Grosso has built a group that enjoys the idea of being a wildcard: not obliged to dominate, but fully capable of making life uncomfortable for anyone when their passing rhythm clicks into gear.

Allegri’s vertical 3-5-2 ⏸️↔️

Allegri’s Milan are set to line up in a 3-5-2 that often becomes a 3-4-2-1 in possession.

Back three in front of Maignan with Gabbia as the central organiser and Pavlović and Tomori ready to step out aggressively.
Wing-backs Bartesaghi on the left and Saelemaekers on the right tasked with providing width and underlapping runs into the box.
Midfield built around the intelligence of Modrić, the physicality and box-to-box running of Rabiot and Loftus-Cheek, and the tactical versatility of Nkunku, who can drop off as a second striker or act as an advanced mezzala.
Up front, Christian Pulisic is the “diabolic” finisher, encouraged to attack the spaces between full-back and centre-back and arrive in the box at full speed rather than staying fixed on the last line.

Milan’s attacking idea remains clear: win the ball, play forward quickly, and attack vertically through Pulisic and the late runs of midfielders – the kind of football that turned the Torino match from nightmare into statement win.

Grosso’s patient 4-3-3

Grosso answers with his 4-3-3, more horizontal in the build-up:

Centre-backs Walukiewicz and Muharemović (with Idzes also in the mix) are encouraged to start play short rather than going long.
Full-backs Doig and Idzes (or Walukiewicz if he is used wider) push high but also step into midfield pockets, helping overload the first build-up line.
Midfield trio with Matic as the deep playmaker/screener and Thorstvedt and Koné shuttling into half-spaces, ready to break Milan’s pressing lines with wall passes or switches of play.
Front three of Laurienté, Pinamonti and Volpato mix profiles: pure winger on the left, penalty-box forward centrally, and an inverted playmaker on the right.

Sassuolo’s attacking phase is more about width and circulation: slow, patient triangles to lure the opponent out, then accelerations when Laurienté isolates his full-back or when Volpato receives between the lines on his left foot. Against Milan’s back three, the Neroverdi will try to force Gabbia and Tomori into uncomfortable wide areas, especially if the Rossoneri wing-backs are caught high.

The key tactical question: can Milan’s vertical transitions and set-piece threat overpower Sassuolo’s passing game, or will Grosso’s team manage to drag the Devils into a slower rhythm where mistakes and frustration might appear?

Christian Pulisic: the “diabolic” American dagger 🇺🇸

Christian Pulisic arrived in Milan in summer 2023 carrying the “Captain America” tag and the weight of expectations after an inconsistent spell at Chelsea. At Milan he has found what he needed most: continuity, trust and a role tailored to his strengths – attacking the box from the right or from central pockets, rather than hugging the touchline.

In 2025 his numbers exploded. Among players with at least five league goals in Europe’s top five leagues, only Harry Kane currently scores more frequently than Pulisic in terms of minutes per goal (Kane 58 minutes per goal in Bundesliga, Pulisic 64 minutes per goal in Serie A). That efficiency was on full display in Turin: coming off the bench, he scored twice in ten minutes to complete Milan’s comeback and push them to the top of Serie A.

Pulisic’s background adds another layer to today’s story. Born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, he grew up between the United States and Europe, spending time in England as a child and later moving to Germany to join Borussia Dortmund’s academy before shining at senior level in the Bundesliga and then the Premier League. His family has roots in Croatia, which allowed him to obtain a European passport early in his career and opened the door to his European adventure. His grandmother, Johanna DiStefano, had Italian origins.

Since landing in Milan, he quickly felt home in Italy. With a great sense of belonging he presses like a veteran Serie A winger, attacks half-spaces like a second striker and, in the box, finishes with that cold, almost “diabolic” calm that Allegri appreciates so much.

Against Sassuolo and Cristian Volpato, Pulisic is not just Milan’s star attacker; he is also one half of the game’s central narrative. If the Rossoneri win, chances are that the American Christian will have written at least one decisive line.

Cristian Volpato: from Sydney to the San Siro stage 🇦🇺

If Pulisic is the established star, Cristian Volpato is the wild card. Born in Sydney in 2003 to Italian parents, he grew up between street football and local academies before his career took a curious and almost cinematic turn.

According to an article written by Sassuolonews.net former coach Raffaele Piccareta (actual coach of Saudi Arabia U23) Volpato’s big chance arrived in an unexpected place: a bar. As Piccareta recalled in an interview, there were no proper videos of the youngster when Tony Basha (coach of a football Academy in Sydney) first talked to him about Volpato, so he arranged a small match on a pitch next to a bar in Rome. Volpato was visiting his relatives in Italy, he played the friendly with Trastevere and scored three goals and provided 2 assists in 15 minutes, immediately convincing the coach that he was something special. That performance helped open the doors of professional football and eventually led to his path through Roma’s academy.

At Roma he began to attract attention as a technical trequartista with a refined left foot and a taste for decisive actions in the final third. He received a call-up from Australia for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but chose to decline, keeping alive his dream of representing Italy at senior level. That decision turned him into a symbol of dual identity: Australian upbringing, Italian footballing ambition.

The move to Sassuolo has given Volpato something crucial – minutes and responsibility. Under Fabio Grosso he has often been used as an attacking midfielder or right-sided forward in the 4-3-3, drifting inside onto his stronger foot to link with Pinamonti and Laurienté. His ability to receive between the lines, play one-touch combinations and shoot from the edge makes him ideal for a team that likes to circulate patiently then accelerate suddenly.

Today his duel with Pulisic goes beyond names. One Christian, one Cristian, both creative footballers who left home young to chase a European dream. In this diabolic clash, one of them could end up deciding the match – with a goal, an assist or a piece of genius that turns the game.

Milan vs Sassuolo pre-match information 📋

📅 Match date: 14 December 2025
🕒 Kick-off time: 12:30 CET
🏟️ Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro), Milan – Italy
🧑‍⚖️ Referee: Valerio Crezzini (Italy)
👥 Assistant referees: Filippo Meli, Stefano Alassio (Italy)
👨‍⚖️ Fourth official: Daniele Chiffi (Italy)
🎥 VAR: Alessandro Prontera (Italy)
🎥 AVAR: Fabio Maresca (Italy)

Probable line-ups 🎽

Milan 🔴⚫

System: 3-5-2

16 Mike Maignan (GK)
23 Fikayo Tomori
46 Matteo Gabbia
31 Strahinja Pavlović
56 Alexis Saelemaekers
14 Luka Modrić
12 Adrien Rabiot
8 Ruben Loftus-Cheek
33 Davide Bartesaghi
18 Christopher Nkunku
11 Christian Pulisic

Team Manager 🧑‍🏫
Massimiliano Allegri

Reserves 🔁
1 Pietro Terracciano (GK)
37 Pittarella
5 Koni De Winter
24 Zachary Athekame
27 David Odogu
4 Samuele Ricci
30 Ardon Jashari
2 Pervis Estupiñán

Not available players ❌ –
Gimenez (to be assessed)
Leão (expected return: about 3 days)
Fofana (expected return: about 3 days)
Balentin (to be assessed)

Sassuolo 🟢⚫

System: 4-3-3

49 Arijanet Muric (GK)
6 Sebastian Walukiewicz
21 Jay Idzes
3 Josh Doig
80 Tarik Muharemović
18 Nemanja Matic
42 Kristian Thorstvedt
90 Ismael Koné
7 Cristian Volpato
99 Andrea Pinamonti
45 Armand Laurienté

Team Manager 🧑‍🏫
Fabio Grosso

Reserves 🔁

12 Giacomo Satalino
16 Gioele Zacchi
5 Fali Candé
25 Woyo Coulibaly
26 Cas Odenthal
35 Luca Lipani
40 Aster Vranckx
44 Edoardo Iannoni
20 Alieu Fadera
9 Walid Cheddira
24 Luca Moro
77 Nicholas Pierini

Not available players ❌ –
Turati (to be assessed)
Berardi (expected return: around 60 days)
Paz (expected return: around 10 days)
Skjellerup (expected return: around 15 days)
Romagna (expected return: around 10 days)
Boloca (to be assessed)
Pieragnolo (season over)

Where to watch Milan vs Sassuolo ⚽📺

Italy: DAZN, Sky Sport (with DAZN option)
Other countries: check local broadcasters and streaming platforms; global TV listings for “Milan vs Sassuolo” are aggregated on LiveSoccerTV (search by match name).

Who wins the “Diabolic Duel” in Milan vs Sassuolo?

On one side, the league-leading Devils with a ruthless Christian Pulisic, fresh from a match-winning brace that underlined why his minutes-per-goal rate is among the very best in Europe this year. On the other, a fearless Sassuolo who have already knocked down big names and now trust the creativity of Cristian Volpato – the kid discovered in a bar who once said “not yet” to a World Cup so he could keep dreaming of the Azzurri.

Who will write the decisive line in this diabolic clash between “Christians”? Pulisic or Volpato – or maybe someone else entirely? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.

Dont forget to read all our news on Serie A.

Either way, follow all the emotions of the day on TotalSportNews.
Because with us, football writes history. ⚽🔥

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Image AC Milan logo: “Logo of AC Milan.svg”, file from Wikimedia Commons (PD-textlogo / public domain with respect to copyright). Registered trademark of A.C. Milan; editorial use only.

Image AC Milan flag: “Flag of AC Milan.svg”, file from Wikimedia Commons (PD-textlogo / public domain). Registered trademark of A.C. Milan; editorial use only.

Image Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro): Photo by Marco Assini, via Wikimedia Commons (originally published on Flickr), licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Changes may have been made.

Milan vs Sassuolo: Diabolic “Christians” Duel in the San Siro Lunchtime Kick-off