AC Milan will host Udinese at San Siro on Saturday trying to stop a slide that has shaken their Serie A title challenge. Milan lost late to Napoli on Monday night, dropped to third place and now sit nine points behind top spot with seven rounds remaining.
The defeat to Napoli also marked a worrying stretch for Milan, who have lost three of their last six Serie A matches after going unbeaten in their previous 24 league matches. The last time they suffered back-to-back league defeats was more than a year ago, which makes this run feel sharper than the standings alone suggest. Christian Pulisic has scored eight league goals this season and Rafael Leao has nine, but Milan now need more than attacking output to recover their footing.
Udinese arrive after a 0-0 draw with Como earlier this week and sit 11th on 40 points, two points short of the top half with seven games to play. They have kept consecutive clean sheets heading into the match, a useful sign for a side that is pushing for a stronger finish. Milan beat Udinese 3-0 away in September and have won their last four meetings by an 11-2 aggregate scoreline, yet Udinese have lost just four of their last 10 league meetings at San Siro.
The broader picture is less forgiving for Milan. They were chasing the Scudetto earlier in the season but now appear out of that race, while still trying to protect a Champions League place with Como, Juventus and Roma behind them. Their season has been kinder against top-half teams than against sides lower down the table, which gives Saturday’s match a different edge.
Matteo Gabbia has recovered from injury and could start in central defence, offering Milan a timely defensive option as they try to steady themselves. For Udinese, the chance is simpler: extend the clean-sheet run and keep their top-half pursuit alive in a stadium where the numbers have not always favored the home side.
Saturday’s game is less about Milan’s early-season promise than about whether they can stop a late wobble from becoming a full retreat.
