AC Milan vs Cremonese – Match Preview and Team NewsDate: Saturday, August 23rd
Kick-off: 7:45 pm BST
Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro)
A Fresh Start for AC Milan
The Italian Serie A season is back, and one of the most exciting opening weekend games is AC Milan taking on Cremonese at the San Siro. AC Milan fans are hoping that this season feels a lot better than last year, when the Rossoneri (that’s Milan’s nickname, meaning “the red and blacks”) finished in a very disappointing 8th place. That was a shock for a club with so much history, and now with Massimiliano Allegri back as head coach, the team wants to climb back into the top four and fight for Champions League football.
Cremonese, on the other hand, are just happy to be here. They are newly promoted from Serie B after winning the playoffs, and while surviving in Serie A is never easy, they will want to show the big teams they can compete. Facing AC Milan at the famous San Siro is both a dream and a massive challenge.
AC Milan Team News
Milan’s summer has been busy. The headline signing is none other than Luka Modric, the 39-year-old Croatian superstar who joined on a free transfer from Real Madrid. Yes, you read that right—Modric, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner, is now in Serie A! Even though he’s older now, he brings leadership, experience, and incredible passing ability. Think about it—this is a player who played in four Champions League finals and helped Croatia reach a World Cup final. Having him in the midfield will help Milan’s younger players grow and feel more confident.
Alongside Modric, Milan made some other smart signings. They brought in Samuele Ricci from Torino, a young Italian midfielder who is great at controlling the pace of the game. Pervis Estupiñán came in from Brighton, giving Milan more strength and speed at left wing-back. Then there’s Ardon Jashari from Club Brugge, who adds depth to the midfield.
One big move that’s still in progress is Victor Boniface joining on loan from Bayer Leverkusen. Boniface was a star in Germany last season, scoring goals for fun in the Bundesliga and the Europa League. Sadly, he won’t be ready for this game, but fans can’t wait to see him in red and black.
Injury-wise, Rafael Leão, Milan’s biggest attacking star, is out with a calf injury. That’s a blow because Leão’s dribbling and pace are usually game-changing. On the positive side, Samuel Chukwueze is fit again after recovering from a muscle problem, which gives Milan an extra attacking option. Another note is that Noah Okafor has officially left Milan for Leeds United, so he won’t be part of the squad.
Cremonese Team News
Cremonese are the underdogs, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be easy to beat. Their manager, Davide Nicola, knows how to set up a team to defend hard and counter-attack quickly. They built their squad with a mix of loan players and budget signings.
From Milan themselves, they got Warren Bondo and Filippo Terracciano on loan, giving them some youthful energy. They also added Lapo Nava, a goalkeeper who used to be part of AC Milan Futuro. The midfield looks stronger with the arrival of Alberto Grassi from Empoli, and out wide they’ll have Alessio Zerbin from Napoli, who brings speed and trickery.
This squad may not be full of stars, but sometimes newly promoted teams are dangerous because they play with nothing to lose. Remember when Leicester City shocked the world and won the Premier League in 2016? Nobody saw that coming. While Cremonese are not going to win Serie A, they could still pull off surprising results if big teams underestimate them.
Recent Form
AC Milan
Milan are starting to look sharp again. In pre-season, they had some huge results. Beating Liverpool 4-2 was a massive confidence boost, and smashing Perth Glory 9-0 was just fun for the fans. They’ve also already won a competitive game this season in the Coppa Italia, defeating Bari 2-0 with goals from Christian Pulisic (the American star) and Estupiñán.
The vibe at San Siro is positive. Allegri is known for being a tactical coach who focuses on balance, defense, and efficiency. If he gets this team clicking, Milan can dream about the Champions League again.
Cremonese
Cremonese’s pre-season and early games haven’t been as smooth. They got eliminated from the Coppa Italia in the very first round by Palermo, losing on penalties after a 0-0 draw. That shows they’re still struggling to score goals. Coming up to Serie A is a huge step up in quality, and their players will need to adjust fast.
Predicted Lineups
AC Milan (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Loftus-Cheek, Estupiñán; Pulisic, Giménez.
Cremonese (3-5-2): Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Zerbin, Collocolo, Grassi, Vandeputte, Pezzella; De Luca, Bonazzoli.
Soccer Facts and Fun Combos
⚽ Did you know AC Milan have won the Champions League 7 times, second only to Real Madrid? That’s why their fans are desperate to get back into Europe’s top competition.
⚽ Cremonese’s last time in Serie A before their recent promotion was in 2022-23, but they went straight back down. Now they’re back again, which shows how competitive Serie B can be.
⚽ Christian Pulisic has already become a fan favorite in Milan. Nicknamed “Captain America,” he scored on his Coppa Italia debut and has shown the kind of energy that Milan’s attack needs.
⚽ Luka Modric joining Milan at age 39 reminds fans of other legends who played in Italy late in their careers, like Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, Zlatan Ibrahimović (who also shined at Milan in his 40s), and even Francesco Totti, who played for Roma until he was nearly 40. Serie A has always been a place where older stars can still shine.
⚽ Combo Stat: In their last 5 home openers in Serie A, Milan have won 4 and drawn 1. Meanwhile, newly promoted teams have lost their opening Serie A game against a big club in 7 of the last 10 seasons.
Match Prediction
This looks like a tough debut for Cremonese. Milan are strong at home, they’ve added experience with Modric, and their attack looks sharp even without Leão. Cremonese will fight hard, but their lack of firepower could make this game one-sided.
Prediction: AC Milan 3-0 Cremonese
(Pulisic and Giménez on the scoresheet, Modric controlling the midfield like a master.)
✅ AC Milan’s experience and quality at San Siro should be too much.
❌ Cremonese may defend well early on, but stopping Milan for 90 minutes is unlikely.
That’s the preview! Milan’s season begins with optimism, and this game is their chance to show that last year’s struggles are firmly behind them. Cremonese, meanwhile, will just hope they can learn fast from this kind of match and be better prepared for the teams closer to their level.