Month: January 2026

A changed midfield with Jashari and Ricci starters overcame a poor Lecce team to extend Milan’s unbeaten run. The 20 games Serie A unbeaten run is close to the 23 games in one season unbeaten run of 1992-1993 with Capello at the helm. Allegri and the players deserve credit for this of course and the narrative that Allegri’s boring and/or defensive system is counter to football values makes little difference in the end.

Roma, four points behind, present a tougher challenge, the fourth placed team are not setting the Serie A world on fire and Gasperini’s deservedly high reputation is not exactly being enhanced in my opinion. However, extending the unbeaten run will be a good step forward and this match can be considered very important.

Jashari, De Winter and Ricci have shown better form and are benefiting and will benefit from more minutes. Whether any of the three get a start is not certain. De Winter can deputise for Tomori in case the latter needs rest or Pavlovic can heal his injured a bit longer. Fofana and Loftus-Cheek may not have done much recently but coaches have their ways. It is as likely as anything that the midfield will feature one of the the French or Englishman along with Bartesaghi, Rabiot, Modric and Saelemaekers. The latter is below 100% fit and certainly in need of rest but Athekame is the only backup and is unlikely to be a starter. The same can be said about Pulisic and Leao, both are playing with discomfort and pain. Whether Allegri should give a start to Fullkrug or Nkunku in their place is up for debate. It is more likely that the German and French forwards will remain subs.

A Maignan renewal is reportedly imminent. It has otherwise been a very quiet window transfer window and it has only eight more days left as of this match at the Olimpico. On and off mentions of Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta resurfaced this week but will require relatively big money to happen.

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Milan escaped Como with a 3-1 win. The win was definitely not something that would fall under the deserved win category. Como were overrunning Milan in the first half. The hosts took the lead early and Milan had only Maignan to thank for the game not being out of reach before the end of the 45.

A penalty converted by Nkunku after Marc-Oliver Kempf made contact with Rabiot provided a lifeline and Milan went into the break with a fortunate tie. Rabiot made a long-range speculative shot that made it under the bar. Rabiot scored late to save Milan. Maignan was man of the match though. Allegri’s half time tweak deserved credit. Leao moving wider allowed him more space to operate in his more natural role.

Lecce is another lowly team that will present a challenge for Milan. Head to head history between the two team favors Milan by a wide margin but the challenge remains.

Pulisic should take part in this match after not being a part of the Como match. Loftus-Cheek could start while Modric could be rested. Rotation becomes less of an issue after this match as the team will have only one match per week to play. There will be plenty of time to train and rest too. Pavlovic is set stay out to give more time for his head stitches to heal.

Camarda, on loan at Lecce, will not play amid reports that he has a serious shoulder injury. The same rumours suggest his loan will be cut short for the young player to return to Milan and begin rehab and when healthy add depth up front. Eusebio Di Francesco’s Lecce have scored a Serie A low 13 goals so far this season.

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The match was originally scheduled to play in Perth, Australia. The opposition to move a domestic league game abroad was strong and a similar idea had been floating around and set in motion in Spain. In the end however, the trip was cancelled amid so called Asian confederation demands and other politics.

Milan dropped points against a lowly team again. Fiorentina may or may not deserve to be in a relegation spot but Milan have not approached such games well in a long time. A mostly poor Milan only managed to salvage a draw courtesy of a late Nkunku goal. The recently dubbed flop scored in his third Serie A goal since late December.

The team remains in flux with players going in and out of the injured list. Luckily recent injuries have turned out to be short terms ones. Pavlovic will miss this match after getting nine stitches but has apparently escaped concussion after his head injury against Fiorentina. Fullkrug was reported to have a broken toe and was in danger after of missing weeks but that was later changed to day to day. The German could be back at the weekend or next week.

Of course this limits Allegri’s options. For now, unless the 3-5-2 changes, the only defensive option is De Winter. Athekame and Odogu are not starters yet. This also means Saelemaekers is playing to the point of exhaustion. The Belgian will start for now. Fofana is preferred beside the right wing back. Modric, Rabiot and Bartesghi should complete the first choice midfield. Leao and Pulisic are the likeliest to start together with only Nkunku the available option on the bench.

Como have been the hype team of the Serie A the last two seasons and Cesc Fabregas has brought his team to the forefront with good football. The Djarum Group ownership have supported the Spanish coach with a near €200 million in net transfer spend in the last 2 seasons. It remains to be seen if a Serie A team playing in a less than 13000 capacity stadium can sustain such a pace. The answer is likely a No but time will tell.

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Milan dropped points again. This time against Genoa, a team in the bottom half fighting off a relegation threat. The script is familiar. A mostly poor Milan conceded a goal with amateurish defending, for which Gabbia later took responsibility. The team then tried to rectify it later in the match totaling over 30 shots directed at Nicola Leali(with eight on target). The game was inches away from a win but Pulisic was rightly, or almost rightly, judged to have handled the ball on its way to the net. The crossed ball was almost behind the goal line when incident occurred however. Leao gave what was to be the solitary point in second half added time. Referees ignored contacts on Fullkrug and Athekame but the on pitch referee, Maurizio Mariani, was immediate in pointing to the penalty spot to award Genoa an at least questionable penalty which, luckily for Milan, Nicolae Stanciu skied.

Thank the schedule makers that a team fighting on only one front, the Serie A, has to play a game less than 72 hours before the next.

Allegri had opted against rotation versus Genoa. This game may include a few changes. It is thought that Modric could be rested with Ricci getting the start. Loftus-Cheek should get a start ahead of the mind bogglingly ineffective Fofana. Tomori got a very late yellow, apparently as it was at the final whistle, and will miss this through yellow cards accumulation. De Winter will deputize. Nkunku should be ready for the bench giving the team an attacking option beyond Fullkrug.

Fiorentina started the season on a surprising losing run which led to Pioli being fired. Paolo Vanoli is attempting to right the ship and keep his team in afloat.

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Milan started 2026 with a poor first half and an improved second when Leao scored to help his team start the calendar year with a win. The story of the match was not unlike many before it. A busy January, despite only having Serie A to play in, will test the team further. Up front help has arrived and did well enough in a debut sub appearance but Fullkrug will not be adding much depth while Nkunku is out and both Pulisic and Leao are said to be below 100% fit. The rest of January will tell if Milan willing and able to add bodies for the Serie A second half. January will also reveal if Maignan will accept the team’s renewal offer which, while relatively generous at a report Milan started 2026 with a poor first half and an improved second when Leao scored to help his team start the calendar year with a win. The story of the match was not unlike many before it. A busy January, despite only having Serie A to play in, will test the team further. Up front help has arrived and did well enough in a debut sub appearance but Fullkrug will not be adding much depth while Nkunku is out and both Pulisic and Leao are said to be below 100% fit. The rest of January will tell if Milan willing and able to add bodies for the Serie A second half. January will also reveal if Maignan will accept the team’s renewal offer which, while relatively generous at a report €5.7 million plus bonuses, is certainly below what the French goalkeeper will be offered elsewhere.

The team is relatively healthy but as mentioned above Nkunku will miss a few more days and the main attacking players are not fully fit. Leao and Pulisic will start as it stands. Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot and Bartesaghi are the preferred Allegri midfield five and look to start. Ricci and Jashari are confirmed subs unless things change in the coming weeks. Loftus-Cheek is the subject of exit to Lazio rumours but his value to Allegri is not to be understated. The English player has played deeper in midfield and more upfront providing height and goals. Gabbia should be a starter after recovering from injury. Pavlovic and Tomori are more likely to remain starters but De Winter will be given chances in this busy month.

Genoa are now coached by Daniele De Rossi. The Italian is trying to rescue his team’s season after Patrick Vieira’s was sacked in November with the I Rossoblu in last place.

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Niclas Füllkrug has joined Milan from West Ham. The move is an initial loan with an option to make it permanent in the upcoming summer. Reports indicate his salary is to be covered by Milan with a relative cheap €5 million option in six months.

Player Summary

Name :

Niclas Füllkrug

Date of Birth :

Feb 9, 1993

Age :

33

Height :

1.89 m

Citizenship :

Germany

Position :

Forward

Foot :

Right

Agency :

None

Ownership :

Dummy

Contract Expires :

Jun 30, 2027

Current Club :

Dummy

Joined :

Jun 30, 2026

The German forward moved to West Ham in summer 2024 for €27 million. This season he only took part in eight games and five started only five without scoring. The season before he scored only three times. This is most definitely a case of a transfer to England not working out. The soon to be 33 years old is now getting a chance with Allegri welcoming the move, especially with Gimenez out long term after ankle surgery.

A new calendar year begins with Milan second in the table, the team has done better than most expected and all with a thin squad. As the midpoint of the season approaches Milan is in a position to compete with Inter, Napoli and others. The team has only one competition to play the rest of this season. This begins with six Serie A matches in January before settling for a lighter schedule, something rarely available or possible in modern football.

As Fullkrug’s loan transfer has become official almost in a emergency this early in the January window the German forward becomes the new number and is ready on the bench. Gimenez finally got a confirmed injury update and he will miss three months after undergoing surgery for a persistent ankle issue. Nkunku is out injured and Allegri is therefore unable to use the same lineup that beat Verona 3-0 with a brace from the Frenchman. It seems that Loftus-Cheek and not Pulisic will play upfront with Leao. The American trained separately but should be on the bench. The unavailable players therefore affect the midfield five with Fofana likely to return to a starting spot with Saelemaekers, Modric, Rabiot and Bartesaghi. Pavlovic was said to have a fever the day before the match but could recover to start with De Winter and Tomori. Gabbia looks to be well enough for a return but only for the bench. If Pavlovic can be play then Odugo or Estupinan will start.

Maignan will start in goal of course and his renewal is being mentioned in more optimistic terms. With now less than six months left before he becomes a free agent time has basically ran out for a contract extension, unless of course the player himself chooses to give Milan time before he finds agreement with another team.

Cagliari now feature Andrea Belotti though the Italian forward is out with long term injury.

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