Sun Dec 14 12:10:00 UTC 2025: Headline: Allegri Urges Nkunku to Smile as Milan Prepares to Face Sassuolo

Milan, Italy – As AC Milan prepares to face Sassuolo in a crucial Serie A clash, manager Massimiliano Allegri has called on forward Christopher Nkunku to relax and enjoy his football. Nkunku, a summer signing from Chelsea, is yet to find the net in Serie A despite featuring in 10 games, managing only one assist.

Allegri expressed his confidence in the French international, stating, “He must be more serene, because we all wanted him here. His team-mates and the club trust him. I told him he has to smile more. If he does so, things will improve. He’s an important player with technical skills, and I’m convinced he’ll do excellent things.”

Meanwhile, US international Christian Pulisic is enjoying a rich vein of form for Milan, bagging a brace in their recent 3-1 victory over Torino. Pulisic currently leads the Rossoneri’s Serie A scoring charts with seven goals and Allegri commended him, saying, “In his private life, he’s very reserved, but he transforms on the pitch. He’s diabolical when he’s in front of the goal. He still needs to find his best condition.”

Milan enters the match against Sassuolo as league leaders, while Sassuolo currently sits in eighth place, four points adrift of a European qualification spot.

Players to Watch:

  • AC Milan: Christian Pulisic – Boasting the second-best minutes-per-goal ratio in Europe’s top leagues (64 minutes), Pulisic is in excellent form.
  • Sassuolo: Cristian Volpato – Involved in four goals in his last four Serie A matches.

Match Prediction:

Opta’s win probability favors AC Milan with a 63.6% chance of victory. A draw is predicted at 20.2%, with Sassuolo given a 16.2% chance of securing a win. Milan will be looking to solidify their position at the top of the Serie A table, despite a mixed record against Sassuolo at home.

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