AC MILAN v SASSUOLO: MATCH PREVIEW

Our journey in the Coppa Italia begins at San Siro with the Round of 16. At 21:00 CET we will face Fabio Grosso's Sassuolo, who are playing in Serie B this season after eleven consecutive seasons in Serie A. A match not to be underestimated, as much for the quality of the opponent as for the importance of the Coppa Italia, a competition in which we will try to go all the way. As usual, this Preview will provide all the useful news as we approach the kick-off of the match.

LATEST FROM MILANELLO
Several line-up changes are expected for Mister Fonseca, with many players involved in the Serie A success against Empoli expected to rest. In the attack, after good performances in the last matches, Abraham should have a chance to start, scoring in the last two away matches against Cagliari and Slovan Bratislava, as well as Chukwueze, who was on excellent form on Saturday. For the team, the momentum is positive and, after having gotten through November without defeats, the ambition is to start December in the best possible way: the debut in the Coppa Italia is an opportunity to continue the streak of good results obtained in recent outings, but also to give playing time to those who have played less so far, without neglecting the importance of the competition. Maignan and Theo will be absent, Okafor will be back and Bartesaghi and Jiménez will be available.

These are the words of the coach to Milan TV on the eve of the match: "I want to wish Edoardo Bove, whom I coached at Roma, a speedy recovery. Playing against Sassuolo, we must have ambition, as we haven't won the Coppa Italia for a long time. For me, they are a Serie A team, they're strong, and we've studied them in detail. We expect a difficult match."

LATEST FROM SASSUOLO
It is an extremely positive moment for the Neroverdi, who lead the Serie B table and come from twelve consecutive undefeated matches (10 wins and 2 draws). After last season's relegation and an initial period of acclimatisation in the new category, Sassuolo are making the most of their greater capacity compared to the competition. Domenico Berardi has also returned in recent matches, after the long Achilles tendon injury that forced him to a seven-month absence. A reshuffling of the cards is also likely among the Emilians, and Grosso could rotate several men compared to their formation in the league. So far in the Coppa Italia, Sassuolo have eliminated Cittadella (2-1) and Lecce (2-0).

Fabio Grosso spoke to Sassuolo's official channels: "This match has great importance. We are diving into a competition in which there are many teams of a very high level, and for us it is a great opportunity to play with courage and personality. I expect a strong AC Milan side, who will want to progress through the round. But we want to try to play all the cards we have."

PRE-MATCH STATS

• AC Milan and Sassuolo have only faced each other once before in the Coppa Italia, on 13 January 2015 at San Siro, with the Rossoneri winning 2-1 in the Round of 16 thanks to goals from Giampaolo Pazzini and Nigel de Jong (Nicola Sansone scored for the Neroverdi).

• AC Milan have progressed from the Round of 16 in 14 of the last 15 editions of the tournament, the only elimination at this stage of the tournament in this period was against Torino: 0-1 after extra time on 11 January 2023.

• 24 of AC Milan's last 26 goals in the Coppa Italia have been scored during open play, including all five of the most recent ones.

WHERE TO WATCH AC MILAN ON TV
In Italy, the game will be live on Canale 5. To watch AC Milan v Sassuolo from a different country, please consult the "AC Milan on TV" page. Follow Matchday on Milan TV: live coverage will begin at 20:15 CET until shortly before kick-off, with the game being followed by interviews and Coach Fonseca's press conference. Don't miss out on our coverage via acmilan.com, the AC Milan Official App (where the full deferred broadcast will be available in the coming days), our official social media channels and WhatsApp.

LATEST FROM COPPA ITALIA
Kevin Bonacina from Bergamo will be the referee for the match - no previous experience with the Rossoneri. Assistants: Lo Cicero and Del Giovane; fourth official: Colombo. VARs: Nasca and Marini.

The top eight finishers from last season's championship start at the Round of 16: it begins today, Tuesday 3 December, with Bologna v Monza at 18:30 CET and AC Milan v Sassuolo at 21:00 CET. Wednesday 4 December at 21:00 CET, Fiorentina v Empoli, Thursday 5 also at 21:00 CET, Lazio v Napoli. The remaining four matches will be played later: Juventus v Cagliari at 21:00 CET on 17/12; Atalanta v Cesena at 18:30 CET and Roma v Sampdoria at 21:00 CET on 18/12. Closing on Thursday 19/12 at 21:00 CET, Inter v Udinese.

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