19-time champions AC Milan begin their 2025/26 Italian Serie A campaign with a fascinating clash against newly-promoted Cremonese.
Ayomide Oguntimehin provides the lowdown for the August 23rd fixture at the San Siro Stadium.
AC Milan Vs Cremonese Match Preview
AC Milan failed to qualify for an European competition for the first time since the 2019/20 season when they were excluded from the Europa League after breaching Financial Fair Play rules, with an eighth-place finish in the 2024/25 season. Massimiliano Allegri arrived earlier in the summer after both Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao were dismissed last season.
Tijjani Reijnders, Malick Thiaw and Theo Hernandez headlined key departures, while Real Madrid legend Luka Modric and Brighton’s Pervis Estupinan were among major incomings. The Rossoneri began their season with a comfortable 2-0 win over Bari in the first round of the Coppa Italia, as goals from Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic secured the victory.
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Cremonese, on the other hand, secured a return to the Italian top-flight after two seasons in the second division. They suffered relegation with a 19th-placed finish in the 2022/23 season and narrowly missed out on an immediate return after losing the Serie B playoffs final to Venezia in 2024.
However, a 3-2 win over Spezia in their second consecutive playoffs final, sealed a return to the Serie A. La Cremo suffered a penalty shootout heartbreak to Palermo in their Coppa Italia first round clash and must improve their performances to secure a result against Milan in their league opener.
AC Milan vs Cremonese Head to Head Record (Last five meetings)
- 03.05.2023 – AC Milan 1-1 Cremonese
- 08.11.2022 – Cremonese 0-0 AC Milan
- 12.05.1996 – AC Milan 7-1 Cremonese
- 14.01,1996 – Cremonese 0-0 AC Milan
- 26.02.1995 – AC Milan 3-1 Cremonese
Both matches between the teams in the 2022/23 season finished level, with neither side able to claim victory. However, AC Milan are unbeaten in their last five matches against Cremonese and have only lost two of their 11 meetings.
Recent Form: AC Milan
AC Milan have been largely inconsistent, with five wins from their last 19 matches in all competitions. They scored in eight of these matches, but were only able to keep three clean sheets in this run.
The Rossoneri’s home record in the league is pretty decent, with three wins from their last five matches at the San Siro.
Recent Form: Cremonese
Cremonese have also been unpredictable in their recent outings and have claimed just two wins in their past five matches. In their previous season in the Serie A, they won only one of their last six matches away from home, highlighting need for improvement in their performances.
Player to Watch: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan)
The Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze played a key role in AC Milan’s preseason and is expected to step into a major role in the team due to concerns over Rafael Leao’s fitness. Chukwueze’s pace and ability to beat defenders with ease, will be important for the Rossoneri in breaking down Cremonese defense.
Best Betting Odds
Home (AC Milan) to Win – 1.37 (via Betking)
Prediction
AC Milan will aim to make a strong start after last season’s disappointment and they will dominate their newly-promoted opponents and seal a comfortable victory.
