Milan, May 10, 2026, 20:09 CEST
Massimiliano Allegri gave the nod to Samuele Ricci and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in his starting eleven, putting Rafael Leão up front with Santiago Gimenez for Sunday’s Serie A clash with Atalanta—a move made as Milan’s Champions League hopes hang in the balance. The lineup was set in a 3-5-2 for the 20:45 CEST kickoff at San Siro, and Christian Pulisic was absent from the matchday squad.
It’s a close-run battle. Milan started off sitting on 67 points, Juventus edged ahead to 68 after a 1-0 victory at Lecce, and Lega Serie A logged Roma’s 3-2 result at Parma along with Como’s 1-0 away win over Verona earlier on Sunday. That bunches things up in the fight for next season’s Champions League spots, Europe’s most prestigious club tournament.
The stakes are higher for Milan thanks to their recent slide. According to the club’s match preview, Allegri’s men have managed just four points across five matches, finding the net only once—numbers that have turned what could have been a quiet May run-in into a tense, three-game trial.
Allegri put it bluntly on Saturday: “the mental aspect matters more” now, he said, and Milan’s “destiny is in our own hands.” The coach added that Milan’s target remains Champions League qualification, with Atalanta, Genoa and Cagliari still left on the schedule. AC Milan
The midfield shake-up stood out. Ricci and Loftus-Cheek slotted in next to Adrien Rabiot; Youssouf Fofana and Ardon Jashari found themselves benched. SempreMilan, quoting La Gazzetta dello Sport, said Saturday that Allegri favored Ricci for his steadiness in the middle and wanted Loftus-Cheek’s muscle and penalty-area threat.
Mike Maignan gets the nod in goal for Milan, with Koni De Winter, Matteo Gabbia, and Strahinja Pavlović making up the defensive trio in front of him. Out wide, Alexis Saelemaekers and Davide Bartesaghi slot in as wing-backs. Up top, it’s Leão and Gimenez leading the attack.
Raffaele Palladino lined up Atalanta in a 3-4-2-1: Marco Carnesecchi in goal; defenders Giorgio Scalvini, Isak Hien, and Sead Kolašinac; midfield quartet Davide Zappacosta, Marten de Roon, Éderson, and Nicola Zalewski. Charles De Ketelaere and Giacomo Raspadori slotted in just behind striker Nikola Krstović. Referee for the match: Luca Zufferli.
Atalanta isn’t chasing the same prize, but Europe is still on the table. Palladino made it clear: his squad wants to “pick up points at San Siro and send out a message.” Seventh place could be enough for a Conference League spot—UEFA’s third-tier competition—provided the Coppa Italia shakes out the right way. Atalanta
Milan’s fix isn’t without risk. Sure, Loftus-Cheek could give Allegri extra presence near the box, but that doesn’t guarantee more goals. With a tighter midfield, Leão and Gimenez might still be left waiting for chances—especially if Atalanta’s De Roon-Éderson duo manages to keep a grip on the center.
Luka Modrić misses out for Milan due to injury, according to the club, while Fikayo Tomori is sidelined after picking up a red against Sassuolo. That’s a senior organiser and a starting defender gone from a squad still looking to regain its footing.
De Ketelaere, back at San Siro, brought a storyline Milan fans know well. Sports Mole flagged the ex-Milan man’s fresh return to the stadium, as Atalanta arrived nursing a rough patch despite earlier mid-season momentum.
This result won’t decide it all, but it could shift the momentum in a hurry. Milan grabbing three points puts some breathing room back into their top-four push. Another stumble, though, and Allegri’s crew suddenly look vulnerable, with Roma and Como right there and only two games to go.
