Milan return to work at Milanello with Ruben Amorim facing a selection decision that could define the tone of Sunday’s Serie A meeting with Sassuolo. Alexis Saelemaekers’ absence has removed a player capable of covering both sides of the game, and it may now push the coach towards the most attacking version of his side since taking charge.
Key takeaways
- Milan host Sassuolo on Sunday at 18:00, with Saelemaekers unavailable after injury.
- Amorim is expected to retain the 4-2-3-1 used against Lecce before the international break.
- Moreira, who has scored three league goals across his last two appearances, is a leading candidate to start on the left.
- A front four of Chukwueze, Pulisic, Moreira and Gonçalo Ramos would be Milan’s boldest attacking selection of 2026-27.
- Estupinan has a minor knee sprain but remains in contention, while Bartesaghi is ready if he cannot play.
Amorim weighs ambition against balance
From his first day at Milan, Amorim has spoken of a team that plays on the front foot, takes command of matches and attacks with purpose. Serie A, however, has repeatedly asked even the most expansive coaches to make compromises in the name of balance.
That is why Milan have not previously begun a match with Chukwueze and Moreira as two outright attacking wide players. Moreira has instead been especially valuable from the bench, though his recent scoring form has made a stronger case for a place from the opening minute.
Saelemaekers’ injury changes the calculation. His role on the left offered Milan flexibility in both defensive and attacking phases, but there is no identical replacement in the squad. Moreira appears the most natural alternative on form and profile. The Belgian has started only once this season, away to Juventus in Turin, which was also the sole match in which Chukwueze did not start.
If Amorim selects Chukwueze, Pulisic and Moreira behind Gonçalo Ramos, Milan would field four players primarily chosen for their attacking influence. Cisse is another possibility, and his inclusion would produce a similarly adventurous line-up.
It is an appealing prospect, but not one without risk. Sassuolo are a dangerous side in transition, as Juventus discovered at the Mapei Stadium a few weeks ago. Amorim must decide whether the circumstances demand courage or a more conservative adjustment.
Midfield alternatives after the international break
The squad will be restored almost completely when training resumes, with Modric, Jashari and Musah among the players returning from international duty. Saelemaekers remains absent, while Estupinan’s availability will be assessed after he sustained a light knee sprain with Ecuador. The medical staff retain optimism that he could recover in time; should Milan choose not to take that chance, Davide Bartesaghi is prepared to step in.
The likely tactical reference remains the 4-2-3-1 deployed in the victory over Lecce, rather than Amorim’s familiar 3-4-2-1. The four-man defence has allowed Chukwueze to carry fewer defensive responsibilities and has given Milan a clearer attacking structure.
A more cautious answer to Saelemaekers’ absence would involve moving Rabiot to the left and introducing another midfielder alongside Modric. Jashari and Musah are the principal candidates, although their physical condition will require close attention.
Jashari arrives after starting all four of Switzerland’s recent internationals, a run of regular football he had not experienced since his time at Bruges. Musah, meanwhile, has travelled more by air than any other Milan player during the break, making his recovery over the coming days a factor in Amorim’s decision.
Rabiot has previously operated from the left under Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus and could reprise that role. He could also be used in a more advanced midfield position should Amorim return to the 3-4-2-1. Loftus-Cheek remains another option in the coach’s considerations.
Yet the immediate question for Milan is whether this is the moment to turn necessity into an attacking statement. Sunday will show whether Amorim believes his side can impose themselves on Sassuolo with their most forceful attacking cast, or whether the demands of the championship once again call for restraint.
