Genoa vs AC Milan – News and Probable Lineups

As AC Milan prepares for a pivotal Serie A encounter at Stadio Ferraris on Sunday, the opportunity for a Champions League spot may be slipping away.

After a dismal streak of performances that allowed several clubs to catch up, the Rossoneri find themselves needing victories in their final two fixtures to secure a place among Europe’s elite.

Match overview

While their rivals celebrate a rare domestic double, Milan’s 2025-26 season has taken a contrasting turn.

Just two months back, the Rossoneri were close to Inter after a victory in the Derby della Madonnina, but now they are battling just to hold on to their Champions League berth.

Juventus have already overtaken them in the standings, with Roma and Como also closing in on Max Allegri’s squad, making their top-four finish far from guaranteed.

After a 2-0 defeat to Sassuolo to start May, Milan faltered again last week, falling three goals behind at home to Atalanta before rallying to reduce the deficit.

Currently fourth with two matches left, the Rossoneri cling to their position over Roma via head-to-head records, while Como is merely two points behind.

Amid significant frustration among fans, Milan’s meager haul of four points from their last six Serie A outings marks their worst run since 2019, continuing their notable dip in form.

With Allegri’s future under severe scrutiny, the team’s point total has dropped by 17 in the latter half of the season, representing the largest decline in Italy’s top division.

However, this weekend, historical stats favor the visitors, as they have triumphed in their last three trips to Genoa and only lost once in the last 16 league matches between the two sides, home or away.

Much has altered since their last encounter—a 1-1 draw in January, where Rafael Leao scored a late equalizer at San Siro—with the Grifone no longer in the relegation battle.

In stark contrast to Milan’s downturn, they have added 25 points to their tally in the second half of the season—nine more than they had in the first, with only Fiorentina showing greater improvement.

Roma legend Daniele De Rossi has undoubtedly made a significant impact since his appointment in November, leading his side to safety with five wins from eight as the season transitioned from winter to spring.

However, as the season’s end approaches, the Rossoblu have struggled to find the net in three consecutive matches, including a goalless draw against Fiorentina last week.

Aiming to turn things around with a victory in Genoa’s concluding home match, De Rossi would be helping Roma at the same time.

Team News

Milan will head to Liguria without several key players, as injured playmaker Luka Modric will be absent alongside three suspended teammates.

Rafael Leao, Alexis Saelemaekers, and Pervis Estupinan are all sidelined, though Fikayo Tomori is eligible to return after serving a one-match suspension.

Both Leao and Christian Pulisic have struggled with form lately, with the latter going 17 league matches without a goal.

Consequently, Christopher Nkunku—who scored last week—along with Niclas Fullkrug and Santiago Gimenez is in contention for a starting spot.

Genoa’s attack is typically spearheaded by former Milan player Lorenzo Colombo, who boasts eight Serie A goal involvements this season, including two against his former team.

The hosts are still without former Rossoneri midfielder Junior Messias due to injury, although Tommaso Baldanzi and Brooke Norton-Cuffy have hopes of overcoming muscle issues.

With safety already assured, De Rossi may opt for alterations, meaning players like Ruslan Malinoxyi, Stefano Sabelli, and Johan Vasquez could feature in his starting XI.

Genoa probable starting XI:

Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Sabelli, Frendrup, Malinoxyi, Ellertsson; Ekhator, Vitinha; Columbus

AC Milan probable starting XI:

Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Athekame, Fofana, Ricci, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Nkunku, Gimenez

Milan has been in poor form since mid-March, conceding goals and dropping points at a concerning rate, making the trip to Marassi particularly daunting with their top-four position under severe threat.

Genoa, free from pressure, has won five of their last eight home encounters and could complicate the Rossoneri’s Champions League aspirations by securing at least a draw.