AC Milan return to Serie A action after a longer break than usual as they take on Bologna at the Stadio Renato dall’Ara.
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Milan last played on Sunday 25 January against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, drawing their third game in six to begin 2026. Inter, Napoli and Juventus all won over the weekend, piling the pressure on to beat a Bologna side who are struggling in the league but always seem to cause the Rossoneri issues.
To make matters even more difficult, Milan were unable to bolster their attack with the signing of Jean-Philippe Mateta after he failed a deadline day medical. Rafael Leao is only fit enough for the bench, while Christian Pulisic and Alexis Saelemaekers are absent entirely.
Bologna vs. AC Milan: Five key battles
Looking at the key battles across the pitch this evening, two players who have caught the eye for Bologna this season are Riccardo Orsolini and Santiago Castro. Orsolini is the side’s leading scorer with seven goals in the league, while Castro has been nearly as impressive, netting six times. The latter meanwhile scored the opener in Bologna’s 2-1 win over Milan at the same ground last season.
For Milan, the responsibility when it comes to stopped the two main threats for the home team will fall on Strahinja Pavlovic and Matteo Gabbia. The Serbian is expected to get a first start since sustaining a head injury that needed nine stitches in Como, and he will try stop Orsolini who likes to cut inside. Gabbia meanwhile will have to keep tabs on Castro’s movement inside the box.
Moving to the other end of the field, this feels like a big game and opportunity for Christopher Nkunku. As mentioned above, the fact that he is the only Milan forward who is fully fit puts a bit more impetus on him to lead the line, and with the speculation of a winter sale now behind him, Nkunku needs to show he can be a long-term option for the club.
His opponent will likely be Torbjørn Heggem, who arrived at Bologna as a bit of an unknown but actually holds the distinction of being the most-started playing in Serie A under Vincenzo Italiano so far this term. He has become in many ways the bedrock of the Rossoblu defence, and the Dane will have to keep track of Nkunku’s diagonal darts across the box, like how his goal vs. Fiorentina came.
Moving out to Milan’s right side, there is a battle between the past and the future of Milan as Juan Miranda prepares to face Zachary Athekame. Most of you will remember how close the Spaniard apparently was to joining the Rossoneri on a free transfer when his deal at Real Betis expired, yet things then went cold and he ended up at Bologna.
Athekame meanwhile joined in the summer from Young Boys and has had mixed performances so far. Saelemaekers’ injury means he will get a couple of chances to show he is a capable deputy, and that the management were right not to pursue a late-window deal for a wing-back.
Finally, we end with a potentially fascinating midfield content between Lewis Ferguson and Luka Modric. This morning’s edition of Corriere dello Sport claims that Ferguson is that the centre of Italiano’s anti-Modric plan: he wants the Scot to be a disruptor in the Croatian’s attempts to control the game, just like how Morten Frendrup was for Genoa.
Modric’s only goal in Serie A so far was actually the winner in the return fixture at San Siro, a game which was a contender for his best overall display since arriving. In recent weeks some fatigue has stated to show, yet after an extended break between games, he and everyone else should be fit and raring to go again.