Preview

MILAN EYE TOP SPOT

Chris Lewis

07 Nov 2025 — 4 min read

AC Milan will look to follow up last weekend's 1-0 win over Roma with another success on Saturday night, as they make the 80 mile trip to Parma.

Match Details

Fixture: Parma vs AC Milan
Date: Saturday 07 November 2025
Kick-off: 20:45 local time at Ennio Tardini Stadium, Parma
Competition: Serie A (Matchday 11)

Context & Stakes

Milan travel to the Stadio Ennio Tardini on Saturday, knowing that a win would allow them to go into the forthcoming international break on a high note - potentially even as leaders of Seria A.

Allegri: “We’re facing a team that always fight hard … Playing at Parma is never easy.”

From a table-and-form standpoint, Milan are performing strongly: they sit third in the Serie A table with a record of 6 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss this season. Parma, by contrast, are among the struggling sides: they’ve won just once in their first ten league matches and are positioned down the table in 16th.

For Milan the objective is clear: maintain the momentum, pick up the full three points away from home (something the coach flagged as overdue) and continue the push toward a Champions-League qualifying place - as a minimum.

Form Guide

Here’s how Milan have been shaping up:

Milan’s overall record: 6W-3D-1L in Serie A so far.
Their away form is especially strong this season: 2 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses in away matches so far.
Defensively they’ve been sound, with just 7 goals conceded.
However, coach Allegri has flagged issues with wastefulness in front of goal and the occasional defensive lapse: “We made some mistakes that cost us valuable points.” He will be hoping his strikers hit top form going into the international break.

For Parma:

They are noted as one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league, and their expected-goals and shots-on-target numbers are among the worst.
They lost their most recent match 3-1 at home to Bologna, again highlighting the difficulties ahead of the Milan fixture.

In short: Milan arrive as clear favourites, with Parma desperate to find something to lift them, and the away team will look to impose their quality.

Team News – Milan

Injuries & availability

Christian Pulisic: The winger is back in contention after recovering from a thigh injury suffered on international duty. He is likely available for the trip to Parma, though perhaps not at full minutes.
Santiago Giménez: Still unavailable, sidelined with an ankle issue.
Adrien Rabiot: Likely out of this match with a calf injury.
Fikayo Tomori has suffered with knocks recently, though latest reports suggest his recovery is ahead of schedule. He may play a part.

Tactical/Coach’s comments
Allegri emphasises that Milan cannot afford to be sloppy:

“We need to be sharp and accurate, without making many mistakes, and stay focused throughout.”
He also noted the group mood is positive, but stressed that they must take “one step at a time” and focus on this fixture before looking ahead.

Likely implications

With Pulisic back, Milan regain a key attacking option and thus more flexibility in the final third.
With Giménez still out, Milan may lean more on their wide players (Pulisic should he start / Saelemaekers) and movement up front rather than a classic target-man.
The midfield and defence must be compact: the coach has highlighted past defensive errors and the need for collective defensive moments.
Away to a team like Parma, Milan will want to take control early, dominate possession, and avoid those “stop-start” moments the Parma style invites.

Predicted Milan XI: (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi; Nkunku, Leao.

Opposition Snapshot – Parma

From Milan’s perspective, Parma will pose the following challenges:

A low-scoring side that sits among the weakest in expected goals and shots on target.
A team that will look to disrupt, use long balls, and force Milan into awkward transitional moments. Allegri explicitly referenced this in his pre-match press conference.
Injuries and suspensions: Parma will be without several players – with Nahuel Estevez (thigh), Pontus Almqvist (thigh) and Matija Frigan (knee) are all missing.

From Milan’s viewpoint, this is favourable: fewer threats from the opposition’s forward line and less danger from creative midfield play. However, Milan must still take the match seriously: home sides at the Tardini can frustrate visiting teams and Milan have been guilty of taking struggling sides for granted in the past - specifically the home fixtures against Pisa and Cremonense.

Key Battles & Match Dynamics

From a Milan-angle, here are some key battles to watch:

Wide players vs. Parma’s defence: With Parma conceding chances and operating on the break or via counter/long-ball, Milan’s wide attackers (including Pulisic’s return) must exploit space and deliver.
Midfield control: Milan will want to dominate possession, control the midfield tempo, and not allow Parma to transition quickly. Mistakes or giveaways in midfield could allow Parma dangerous moments.
Defensive concentration: Milan’s back-line must stay alert. Allegri’s comments suggest that previous matches have seen avoidable goals conceded. Staying compact and not being stretched.
Finishing & ruthlessness: Winning away games often requires clinical edge — Milan have to convert chances rather than just dominate. Something they have struggled with somewhat so far.
Psychology of break: With the international break coming, Milan will want to secure the three points to go into the pause in good rhythm — that psychological edge is important.

Prediction & Outlook

Given all the above, from Milan’s vantage point:

They enter favourites, with bookmakers giving them around a 61 % chance of victory.
The expectation is a disciplined away performance rather than extravagant.
The key for Milan is to make the game straightforward: scoring early would reduce risk, allowing them to control; if the match stays tight, their superior quality and depth should still prevail, but things may become more desperate.

The game is live this Saturday night on TNT Sports 2 (UK).