DAN referee pundit Luca Marelli claims that Christian Pulisic’s goal for Milan against Sassuolo shouldn’t have been disallowed, but the Neroverdi deserved a penalty kick for a Strahinja Pavlović foul.
Milan’s 2-2 home draw against Sassuolo saw referee Valerio Crezzini in the spotlight as he navigated several tricky incidents, with his decisions coming under criticism from the Italian media.
USMNT international Pulisic had a goal disallowed in the second half, with Milan already leading 2-1.
Referee controversies in Milan vs. Sassuolo
MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Armand Lauriente of US Sassuolo Calcio celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with his teammates during the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Sassuolo Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The American put the ball inside an empty net after Arijanet Muric palmed away a Pavlovic header from point-blank range. The referee, however, had spotted a Ruben Loftus-Cheek push in the build-up right behind Pavlovic.
“It’s a field assessment because there was contact. Loftus-Cheek placed his hands, but I don’t see any push,” said DAZN’s referee pundit Luca Marelli (via Calciomercato.com).
“Crezzini barely blew the whistle. This contact is below threshold; there isn’t a real push. This goal shouldn’t have been disallowed.”
UDINE, ITALY – MAY 11: Referee Valerio Crezzini during the Serie A match between Udinese and Monza at Stadio Friuli on May 11, 2025 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
Marelli spotted another mistake from the Milan-Sassuolo referee, claiming that the visitors should have been awarded a penalty kick for a Pavlović foul in the dying minutes, with the result set to 2-2.
“Pavlovic didn’t touch the ball, but with his right leg, he hit Cheddira’s left leg. VAR were too hasty. It was a penalty, and VAR should have intervened,” Marelli said.
Davide Bartesaghi is Football Italia’s MOTM in Milan’s 2-2 draw against Sassuolo, but Andrea Pinamonti was impressive for the Neroverdi, providing two assists.
Best Milan player: Bartesaghi 8 – First two goals in Serie A. A day he’ll not forget, but it wasn’t enough to secure all three points.
Lowest Milan rating: Tomori 5 – Lost track of Laurienté when the Frenchman scored the equaliser, and even later on, when he could have scored the third one for Sassuolo. Gabbia and De Winter were also equally disappointing.
Milan coach: Allegri 5.5 –Milan once again dropped points against a newly promoted side at San Siro. The Rossoneri boss didn’t have many options in attack, which is why Pulisic’s substitution will make people talk in the coming days.
Best Sassuolo player: Pinamonti 7.5 – Two fantastic assists to inspire Sassuolo’s big draw at San Siro. He now has four goals and three assists in 15 Serie A matches this term. Still looking for consistency, but also underrated. Koné was also brilliant today, besides his goal.
Lowest Sassuolo rating: Fadera 5.5 – He helped the team defensively, but took a big risk in the first half when he lost possession just outside the box.
Sassuolo coach: Grosso 7 – Just one loss in the last five games. The game plan was excellent, including leaving Laurienté on the bench to hurt Milan in the second part of the match. Sassuolo have 21 points, practically safe already, and it’s not even Christmas. Oh, and don’t forget they were without Berardi today.
Massimiliano Allegri insists he would have replaced Christian Pulisic even if Milan didn’t play in the Supercoppa next week, but feels it was ‘too easy’ for Sassuolo to score goals in a 2-2 draw.
Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted side Sassuolo at San Siro on Sunday.
The Rossoneri already dropped points against Cremonese and Pisa, two other teams coming from Serie B, earlier this season.
Davide Bartesaghi scored his first two goals in Serie A, but Ismael Koné and Armand Laurienté helped a brave Sassuolo return home with one point in their pocket.
“I think we played a good game, we attacked well, and Sassuolo are always dangerous because they have quality in attack, so if you don’t recover the ball immediately, you are forced to track back for 90 minutes,” Allegri told DAZN.
“We played a good game, but in the end, we even risked losing it. Now we focus on the Supercoppa.
PARMA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 08: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and AC Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini on November 08, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“The lads played a good game, regardless of the players’ characteristics. For now, we are still the table leaders, and our target is to qualify for the Champions League,” the Italian tactician continued.
“We know there’s a lot of work to do, and obviously, we must start conceding fewer goals. I can’t absolutely blame the lads today.”
Milan will face Napoli in Saudi Arabia in the Supercoppa Italia semifinal next Thursday.
Allegri replaced Pulisic in the second half and said he would have done the same even if Milan didn’t play the Partenopei next week.
“I would have done it anyway. Christian had joined us in Turin after a fever and then trained. He played well for 72 minutes, but at that moment, we needed one more midfielder. Loftus-Cheek held firm up front, but we had to defend better, especially for the second goal. We had to follow Laurienté, and it was too easy for them to score.”
Christopher Nkunku provided the assist for Bartesaghi’s second goal.
Allegri explains Pulisic’s substitution
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 23: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan during the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa Round of 16 match between AC Milan and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 23, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
“Today he played a good game, as in Turin. He was decisive for the second goal; he had a chance in the final minutes,” argued Allegri.
“He was very good. We know the team’s quality, we know we can’t win every game, and we must give consistency to the results. Today, we could have lost the match, but we took home a draw. Today it seems that we’ve thrown two points away, but in the end, it will prove to be useful.”
Matteo Gabbia was subbed off with a suspected knee injury in the second half.
“Let’s see. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. We’ll see tomorrow, but De Winter and Odogu will be ready to play,” concluded Allegri.
Milan talent Davide Bartesaghi scored his first two goals in Serie A, but Sassuolo bravely picked up a point thanks to goals from Ismael Koné and Armand Laurienté in a 2-2 draw.
Milan were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo at San Siro on Sunday.
The visitors were without their star Domenico Berardi, and Laurienté started on the bench in a defensive 4-3-3 set-up.
The Neroverdi still took the lead with Ismael Koné after winning the ball high up the pitch from a Milan defensive throw-in. Andrea Pinamonti laid it off for the Ivory Coast international who ran into the space to beat Matteo Gabbia with his first touch and Mike Maignan with the outside of his foot.
MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Ismael Kone of US Sassuolo Calcio celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Sassuolo Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Adrien Rabiot had a big chance to level the score when he stole the ball from Alieu Fadera at the edge of Sassuolo’s box, but saw Arijanet Muric spread himself brilliantly to deny the equaliser.
It was just a matter of time for Milan anyway, as Bartesaghi scored his first Serie A goal at minute 33 when he headed towards the far post to meet a Ruben Loftus-Cheek driven pass from the right, finding the net at the far post with a left-footed finish.
The Italian left-back doubled Milan’s lead just one minute into the second half. This time around, Christopher Nkunku saw his late run on the left delivering a perfect through ball for Bartesaghi’s finish at the near post.
After scoring his first senior goal in the first half, 19-year-old Davide Bartesaghi gets a brace just a minute into the second half
Matteo Gabbia worringly twisted his knee and was forced to be subbed off around the hour mark.
Sassuolo’s Kristian Thorstvedt had a massive chance to level the score, but was denied by Maignan from point-blank range, and Milan had two goals disallowed.
MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 14: Davide Bartesaghi of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Sassuolo Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Pulisic found the net from a corner kick routine, but the referee spotted a foul from Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the build-up. A few minutes later, Adrien Rabiot steered a Loftus-Cheek header into the net, but he was offside.
Sassuolo made attacking substitutions by introducing Armand Laurienté and Josh Doig, and forced the Rossoneri to defend inside their own box.
Laurienté made it 2-2 with an identical move to the first goal, Pinamonti laying it off and the scorer bursting in to finish at the far post.
The Frenchman had two more big chances to win the game for Sassuolo, but first, he didn’t find the net from an excellent position inside the box and then he hit the post from distance.
Milan 2-2 Sassuolo
I Kone 13 (S), Bartesaghi 34, 47 (M), Lauriente 77 (S)
Christian Pulisic and Christopher Nkunku lead the Milan attack against Sassuolo, who reply with Alieu Fadera and Andrea Pinamonti.
It kicks off at 12:30 CET (11:30 GMT) at the Stadio Meazza in San Siro, Milan.
Milan vs. Sassuolo and Serie A Week 15 live on Football Italia
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 29: Gustav Isaksen of SS Lazio compete for the ball with Strahinja Pavlovic of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and SS Lazio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Gimenez, Fofana, Leao are unavailable for the Rossoneri, but while the Mexican’s return date remains unclear, Leao and Fofana will be available for the Supercoppa Italiana Final Four next week.
Sassuolo have travelled to San Siro without the injured Romagna, Skjellerup, Pieragnolo, Turati, Berardi and Boloca and their coach Fabio Grosso, a 2006 Italy World Cup winner, is serving a one-game ban.
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 29: Ruben Loftus-Cheek of AC Milan in action during the Serie A match between AC Milan and SS Lazio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Pulisic and Nkunku will start up front for Milan. Ruben Loftus-Cheek gets the nod in the middle of the park, pushing Samuele Ricci to the bench.
Cristian Volpato replaces the injured Berardi for Sassuolo.
Christopher Nkunku and Christian Pulisic will lead the Milan attack today in a Serie A match against Andrea Pinamonti’s Sassuolo.
It kicks off at 12:30 CET (11:30 GMT) at the Stadio Meazza in Milan.
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 23: AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri reacts during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Milan at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on November 23, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
It’s a big day of football in Serie A with all the top sides taking to the pitch. After today’s lunch-time game at San Siro, Inter will visit Genoa (15:00 CET), Napoli will play away at Udinese (18:00 CET) and Bologna will host Juventus (20:45 CET).
TURIN, ITALY – DECEMBER 08: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with teammate Ruben Loftus-Cheek during the Serie A match between Torino FC and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on December 08, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Milan are still without Santiago Gimenez, Youssouf Fofana and Rafael Leao, while the Neroverdi must cope without their star Domenico Berardi.
SASSUOLO, ITALY – DECEMBER 06: Cristian Volpato of US Sassuolo Calcio celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and ACF Fiorentina at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on December 06, 2025 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Nkunku and Pulisic will start up front, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is favourite over Samuele Ricci in central midfield.
Cristian Volpato will replace Berardi on the right flank for Sassuolo, with Pinamonti and Armand Laurienté completing the Neroverdi’s attack.
Milan vs. Sassuolo – where to watch on TV
The match will be televised on TNT Sports 1 and DAZN in the UK and Ireland and on Paramount+ in the USA. Football Italia will cover today’s Serie A action with a liveblog.
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 28: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Allegri previewed tomorrow’s game at a pre-match press conference, primarily providing injury updates: “Leao won’t be available tomorrow, but will recover for the Supercopppa. Fofana has recovered, but I’ll leave him at home because he hasn’t trained at all. Athekame has been called up, Gimenez is working, and we hope to have him back as soon as possible,” Allegri said via Milan News.
“Sassuolo can make you struggle at any time, so we must have great respect and order in the defensive phase. If we wander around the pitch, they will cause trouble for you, and the game will become more complicated. Tomorrow we need a serious performance under every aspect; technically, physically and mentally.”
Christopher Nkunku started against Torino, but hasn’t yet scored in ten Serie A appearances.
“He must be more serene, because we all wanted him here,” Allegri said.
PARMA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 08: Christopher Nkunku of AC Milan runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Abdoulaye Ndiaye of Parma during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and AC Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini on November 08, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“His teammates and the club trust him. I told him he has to smile more. If he does so, things will improve. He’s an important player with technical skills, and I’m convinced he’ll do excellent things.
“He has worked a lot. In Turin, we scored the third goal because he attacked the near post well, freeing he space for Pulisic. He has extraordinary technical qualities and can score goals.”
Allegri has been repeating that Milan’s main objective is to qualify for the Champions League, while Inter and Napoli are the favourites for the Serie A title.
“If I’m not wrong, they finished first and second last season, so normally they are the favourites,” he said.
“We’ve changed many players, and we’ve welcomed excellent players. We are at Milan, so we must have the ambition and the desire to give our best, knowing that we must return to the Champions League. Tomorrow, we need to make a further step forward. We are table leaders, but we still need many to reach our main target, which is to qualify for the Champions League.”
Is it an advantage for Milan not to be involved in any European competition?
“I’d be happy if I could play one game every three days and in the Champions League, because we work for this,” insisted Allegri.
“There are all these rumours about the advantages or disadvantages. I believe the advantage is to have a strong team with strong players, a strong club and an environment that can support physically, mentally and technically a game every three days; otherwise, you can’t be in a top team. I like to play in the Champions League, and we are working for this. I don’t think that playing one game every three days leads to worse preparation, but it’s possible.”
Santiago Gimenez is still injured and hasn’t yet scored in Serie A. Does it mean Milan will look for a new centre-forward in January?
“I must find solutions internally in a group of players who are offering it to me,” insisted Allegri.
“The club will keep an eye on the market, but we must focus on tomorrow’s game. Once we’ve done it, we’ll focus on the Supercoppa.”
MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 17: Ardon Jashari of AC Milan in action during the Coppa Italia match between AC Milan and SSC Bari at Stadio San Siro on August 17, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Is Ardon Jashari ready to replace Luka Modric if the Croat needs to rest ahead of next week’s Supercoppa?
“Jashari has really improved. Tomorrow’s game is the closest one, so I’ll base my assessments on tomorrow’s match,” noted Allegri.
“After tomorrow’s game, we’ll see the dead ones, the ones who are alive and those who are wounded.”
Milan have won all their big games this season, but dropped points against teams in the bottom half of the table. Fikayo Tomori has had drops in focus, but Allegri refused to blame the Englishman.
“It’s not about Tomori. We all have it as a team. We conceded two goals against Torino, Pisa, Parma and Cremonese,” he said.
“There are situations we must improve; we can’t be two goals down after 12 minutes. It happens sometimes, but we must try to avoid it.
“This is a team that never complains about the work and what we ask them. They have a clear target, they want to seize the opportunity to stay at Milan and leave something important recorded in Milan’s history,” concluded the coach.
“We must remain focused without listening to what is being said. The target is to be in the top four on May 25 because, I repeat, Milan must play in the Champions League next season.”
Reports in Italy suggest that Sassuolo striker Andrea Pinamonti has attracted interest from Milan, Lazio and West Ham for the January transfer window.
Italian striker Pinamonti could leave Sassuolo next month, according to Calciomercato.com and Goal.com.
Both Italian media outlets claim that the 26-year-old, scorer of four goals in 14 Serie A appearances this season, has attracted interest from Milan, Lazio and West Ham.
Pinamonti could leave Sassuolo in January
SASSUOLO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 28: Andrea Pinamonti of Sassuolo runs onto the ball during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and Udinese Calcio at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on September 28, 2025 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
The Hammers had already been linked with Pinamonti last summer.
West Ham are very much involved in Italian transfer news today, as Gazzetta reported in the morning that Niclas Fullkrug wants to leave the London-based club next month.
BERGAMO, ITALY – NOVEMBER 09: Andrea Pinamonti of Sassuolo celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammates Domenico Berardi and Tarik Muharemovic during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and US Sassuolo Calcio at Gewiss Stadium on November 09, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)
According to the pink paper, Milan are among the clubs monitoring the German centre-forward.
Calciomercato.com reports that Pinamonti could leave Sassuolo on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy in the January transfer window.
PARMA, ITALY – NOVEMBER 08: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and AC Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini on November 08, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
The Italian striker already spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Genoa and returned to Sassuolo after their promotion to Serie A.
“Sassuolo”nun və İtaliya yığmasının vingeri Domeniko Berardi zədə səbəbindən ən azı bir ay yaşıl meydanlardan kənarda qalmalı olacaq.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə klubun mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb.
Berardi A Seriyası çərçivəsində qarşılaşdıqları “Komо” ilə matçın ikinci hissəsinin əvvəlində zədələnərək oyunu tərk etməyə məcbur olub. Komanda bu qarşılaşmada 0:2 hesabı ilə məğlub olub.
Klubun mətbuat xidmətinin yaydığı məlumata görə, futbolçunun zədəsi ciddidir. İtaliyalı futbolçu üçün 2025-ci il erkən başa çatıb. Onun təxminən bir aylıq sıradan çıxdığı, ən azı beş oyunu buraxacağı qeyd olunur.
Baş məşqçi Fabio Qrosso bu müddətdə hücum xəttində yaranan boşluğu doldurmalı olacaq. Bununla belə, Berardinin 2026-cı ilin yanvarında “Yuventus”a qarşı keçiriləcək oyuna qədər sağalıb qayıdacağına ümid edilir.
Domeniko Berardi “Sassuolo”nun yetirməsidir. Doğma klubu italyan vingeri “Yuventus”a satsa da, Berardi “Sassuolo”da çıxışına icarə əsasında davam edib. 2015-ci ilin iyulunda isə “Sassuolo” yetirməsini 10 milyon avro müqabilində “Qoca sinyora”dan geri alıb.
Cari mövsümdə Berardi “qarpız qabıqları”nın heyətində 12 oyuna çıxıb, 4 qol vurub, 4 məhsuldar ötürmə verib. Berardinin “Sassuolo”nun heyətində çıxışının ümumi mənzərəsi isə belədir: 411 oyun, 152 qol, 112 məhsuldar ötürmə.
Domeniko Berardi 2018-ci ilin iyununda debüt etdiyi İtaliya yığmasının heyətində 28 oyun keçirib, 8 qol vurub, 3 məhsuldar ötürmə verib. İtalyan vinger “skuadra adzurra” ilə AÇ-2020-nin qalibi olub.
“Transfermarkt” internet-portalı 31 yaşlı italyan sağ vingerin transfer dəyərini 8 milyon avro məbləğində qiymətləndirir.
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