Berardi and Laurienté punish 10-man Milan as Champions League hopes take a blow

Key facts

• Sassuolo defeated AC Milan 2-0 at Mapei Stadium on 3 May 2026.
• Domenico Berardi scored in the 5th minute, his 12th career goal against Milan.
• Armand Laurienté doubled the lead in the 47th minute, 90 seconds into the second half.
• Fikayo Tomori received a second yellow card in the 24th minute, leaving Milan with 10 men for over an hour.
• Milan remain third in Serie A with 67 points, three behind Napoli and five ahead of fifth place.
• Milan have scored zero goals in their last two away matches and have lost three of five games since the March international break.

Early setback and red card define Milan’s collapse

AC Milan’s pursuit of a Champions League berth suffered a severe setback on Sunday as they fell 2-0 to Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, a defeat that leaves them needing six points from their final three matches to guarantee a top-four finish. Within five minutes, Domenico Berardi confirmed his reputation as Milan’s nemesis, collecting a pass from Armand Laurienté and bending a first-time left-footed finish into the far bottom corner. It was his 12th career goal against the Rossoneri, a tally that underscores his enduring threat. The visitors’ predicament worsened in the 24th minute when defender Fikayo Tomori, already booked for stopping a break, clipped Laurienté on a counter-attack and received a second yellow card. Milan were reduced to 10 men for more than an hour, a numerical disadvantage that proved insurmountable.

Laurienté’s second-half strike seals the result

Sassuolo doubled their lead just 90 seconds into the second half. Laurienté completed a give-and-go with Kristian Thorstvedt inside the area and thumped a low, hard shot into the near bottom corner, leaving goalkeeper Mike Maignan with no chance. Milan struggled to create clear chances despite the introduction of substitutes Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christian Pulisic, and Santiago Gimenez. The best opportunity fell to Rafael Leao in the 18th minute, when a defensive error sent him clear on goal, but he blazed wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. Sassuolo nearly added a third through Thorstvedt, who headed just over in the 51st minute, and M’Bala Nzola, whose early effort was tipped away by Maignan. The home side controlled the game comfortably after the second goal, rarely allowing Milan a foothold.

Allegri’s tactical gambles fail to pay off

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri made three changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Juventus. Ardon Jashari replaced the injured Luka Modric, whose season ended after surgery for a fractured cheekbone. Pervis Estupiñán started at left-back, and Christopher Nkunku partnered Leao up front, pushing Christian Pulisic to the bench. The reshuffle did not produce the desired effect. Jashari was dispossessed in the build-up to Berardi’s goal, and Milan’s attack lacked cohesion. Nkunku had a penalty appeal waved away in the 17th minute, but the team managed only one shot on target in the entire match — a stoppage-time free kick from Pulisic that Sassuolo goalkeeper Alessio Turati held. Sassuolo, coached by Fabio Grosso, fielded a 4-3-3 formation with Berardi back from a two-match ban. The hosts were without Darryl Bakola, Fali Cande, Daniel Boloca and Edoardo Pieragnolo due to injury, but their absences did not hinder a disciplined defensive display.

Milan’s Champions League qualification hangs in the balance

With three games remaining, Milan sit third in Serie A with 67 points, three behind second-placed Napoli and five clear of fifth place, which currently belongs to Roma. A top-four finish secures a Champions League spot, but Juventus and Roma are lurking, and Milan’s advantage could shrink if results go against them. The defeat was Milan’s third in five outings since the March international break, following a 1-0 win over Hellas Verona and a goalless draw with Juventus. The team has failed to score in two of those matches, a recurring problem that Allegri must address. Milan’s next fixture is at home against Atalanta on Sunday, 10 May, at 20:45 CEST. A response is imperative, but the margin for error has evaporated.

Sassuolo climb to ninth with a statement win

Sassuolo’s victory lifted them to 49 points and ninth place in the table, a comfortable mid-table position that reflects a solid season under Grosso. The Neroverdi have now beaten Milan twice in the campaign, having also won 2-1 at San Siro in December. Berardi’s goal continued his remarkable record against Milan, while Laurienté added another to his tally against the Rossoneri. The pair exploited Milan’s vulnerability to vertical play and fast transitions, a weakness that has plagued the visitors all season. Sassuolo’s defensive resilience was epitomised by Strahinja Pavlovic’s decisive block on Thorstvedt in the 26th minute, when a goal seemed certain. The hosts also survived a late scare when Zachary Athekame fired wide in the 83rd minute, but they never looked like relinquishing their lead.

Discipline and depth questioned as season reaches critical juncture

Tomori’s red card was the third dismissal for Milan in Serie A this season, raising questions about discipline in high-stakes matches. The defender’s second yellow, for a tactical foul on a counter-attack, was avoidable, and his absence forced Allegri to reorganise a defence that had already conceded early. Milan’s bench offered limited impact. Loftus-Cheek and Fadera were both booked for simulation in the box, reflecting a team that grew increasingly desperate as the game wore on. The lack of a reliable goal-scorer beyond Leao has been a persistent issue, and the failure to convert chances against a mid-table opponent underscores the gap between Milan and the league’s elite. With only three games left, Milan must win all of them to secure Champions League football without relying on other results. The margin for error is zero, and the psychological toll of this defeat could prove decisive.

The bottom line

• Milan need six points from their final three Serie A matches to guarantee a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
• Domenico Berardi has now scored 12 career goals against AC Milan, the most of any opponent.
• Fikayo Tomori’s red card was Milan’s third dismissal of the Serie A season, highlighting disciplinary issues.
• Sassuolo’s 2-0 win was built on clinical finishing and disciplined defending, with Armand Laurienté scoring his second goal against Milan this season.
• Milan have failed to score in two of their last five matches and have lost three of five since the March international break.
• Massimiliano Allegri’s tactical changes, including starting Christopher Nkunku and dropping Christian Pulisic, did not produce a goal.