Milan know anything but a defeat away to Sassuolo on the final day of the 2021-22 Serie A campaign means they are champions – but the task is not as simple as it seems.
If offered at the beginning of the campaign, any team would accept simply needing to avoid defeat in one match in this scenario. Especially if the opposition is 11th going into the match.
However, while Sassuolo may have nothing tangible to play for, their entire season has been one of total unpredictability.
They have already beaten Milan, Juventus and Inter this season – albeit all away from home – as well as Lazio, Fiorentina and Atalanta.
While they also lost 4-0 Sampdoria and 6-1 at Napoli.
Sassuolo followed up their stunning 2-1 win at Juve with a defeat by the same scoreline at home to Empoli. They lost 3-0 at home to Bologna and won 3-1 away.
It’s clear their best work has come away from home but it’s also obvious Milan cannot afford to take this for granted and Sassuolo are certainly capable of beating Stefano Pioli’s side on their da.
In their previous meeting, Sassuolo stormed to a 3-1 win at San Siro with Italy forward Gianluca Scamacca netting a stunning goal.
Milan had even taken the lead on that occasion but Sassuolo raced back with Scamacca’s fellow Italy international Domenico Berardi scoring the third.
There was nothing to really suggest this defeat was coming. Yes, Milan hadn’t won in their last two Serie A matches but a draw at home to Inter and defeat at Fiorentina can happen.
In the very last match before the reverse to Sassuolo, Milan had dug out a hard-fought 1-0 away to eventual Champions League quarter-finalists Atletico Madrid and won 3-0 at Genoa in the following match.
It was a defeat pretty much out of nowhere.
Inter, having lost against Milan and the earned a seemingly valuable point at Napoli, looked set to get their season back on track with the visit of Sassuolo but slumped a shock 2-0 at San Siro with another Italy international in Giacomo Raspadori joining Scamacca on the scoresheet.
The first cracks in Juve’s season began to appear with the shock 2-1 reverse at home to Alessio Dionisi’s side in October as the results leading up to his match had suggested the Bianconeri were starting to recover from losing Cristiano Ronaldo so close to the start of the campaign.
After going behind just before half-time, Juve equalised with 15 minutes remaining yet the inevitable winner never came and Massimilano Allegri’s side conceded a second in fifth minute of stoppage time.
Milan are 15 unbeaten in Serie A coming into this match and heavy favourites but Sassuolo have shown have no regard for form.
Pioli and his players need to be ready for absolutely anything against this unpredictable Sassuolo side.
It’s true. This is not over. Milan better get ready for their best performance of the season. Fight tooth and nail and we will win this deserved Scudetto.
As juve fans, really hope ac milan to be the scudetto winner
They deserved it more than inter, the refs’ favor team
Surely, fans of Juve the masters of European failure is freely to support this mighty Milan
I just bet myself 20 that this will be the one post that actually works.
I’m pretty sure that both Pioli and the players won’t lose even one percent of the necessary concentration, attention and determination. In fact, the title is not yet guaranteed and the last step needs to be climbed. But by the grace of God, we will win.
FORZA MILAN!