SERIE A WOMEN'S CUP, AC MILAN v SASSUOLO: MATCH PREVIEW

The Rossonere's season is about to begin. The start brings a new surprise immediately, a new competition before the league campaign: the Serie A Women's Cup. This tournament is dedicated to the twelve sides that will compete in the Serie A Women's league. Three groups, a Final Four on the horizon, and AC Milan are in Group C ready to face Sassuolo in their opener (Roma and Ternana will be the next opponents). The match will be played on Sunday 24 August at 20:30 CEST at the Velodromo A. Pavesi di Fiorenzuola d'Arda, which will temporarily serve as the home ground while work is undertaken on the PUMA House of Football.

LATEST FROM THE PUMA HOUSE OF FOOTBALL
Coach Bakker's side start again following last season's 5th place finish, and an improved Poule Scudetto. Several key players remain in the squad, from the captain Grimshaw to the top scorer Ijeh. There have been some new arrivals too, players who have already featured this summer who have been brought in to strengthen a solid group, involved and ambitious: De Sanders, Estévez Ogalla, Keijzer, Park and Van Dooren. The Rossonere have also played some valuable friendlies, gaining some useful lessons in matches against 1. FC Nürnberg, FC Zürich, Rangers and Fiorentina, before the biggest test in London. It will be important for the team to start well in what is a short competition.

"We're ready for the start of the season", Suzanne Bakker said on the eve of the match. "After working hard and growing as a team over the past few weeks, we can show it tomorrow in the first official match of the season. We're looking forward to it!"

LATEST FROM SASSUOLO
The Neroverdi return after a league campaign which fell below their usual standards, finishing in the Relegation Poule and without any standout moments. The big new arrival comes in the dugout as Spugna replaces Rossi. The experience of the former Roma Coach has brought new energy to the club, as well as tactical changes. The club has been very active in the transfer market too: from new arrivals such as Galabadaarachchi and Skupień, to the departure of Chmielinski, the renewal of Sabatino's contract and the farewells to Monterubbiano and Orsi. Recently, the Neroverdi won 5-0 in a friendly as they beat Brescia. 

Spugna stated after the aforementioned friendly: "I always see a lot of desire to fight, but we need to be more confident in our abilities, especially with the ball at our feet. We need to keep being more proactive. It takes patience, we will improve over time". 

PRE-MATCH STATS

• Sassuolo is - alongside Inter - one of the sides that AC Milan have beaten the most times (eleven), one of the five sides against whom we have scored at least 30 goals - with Sampdoria, Fiorentina, Roma and Inter - and the team against which they have kept the most clean sheets (11). 
• AC Milan have found the back of the net in seven of their last eight games against Sassuolo. Specifically, in this period, the Rossonere have scored a total of 15 goals. 
• In the last Serie A season, no team scored more than AC Milan from dead ball situations: 33% (same as Fiorentina and Napoli). 
• Evelyn Ijeh has scored six goals in her last six matches for AC Milan. The Swede (16 like Asllani) is just one goal away from being the second-highest foreign goalscorer for the Rossonere. The top spot is currently occupied by Thomas (22). 
• In terms of Italians who have had a role in more than five goals in the Serie A 2024/25 campaign, Giorgia Arrigoni, born in 2004, is the youngest (five goals and two assists). 

WHERE TO WATCH AC MILAN ON TV
In Italy, AC Milan v Sassuolo will be live on Vivo Azzurro TV. Don't miss our coverage on the Rossonere's official Instagram, on acmilan.com and on the AC Milan Official App, where, from the day after, the whole match will be available on demand.

LATEST FROM SERIE A WOMEN'S CUP
The referee will be Davide Cerea from the Bergamo section, supported by the linesmen Li Vigni and Chimento and by the fourth official Gambirasio. 

The opening matchday of the Serie A Women's Cup has already given some answers: on Friday 22, Genoa 1-2 Inter, Ternana 2-4 Roma and Parma 0-2 Juventus; on Saturday at 18:30 CEST, Fiorentina will take on Como while Lazio face Napoli at 20:30 CEST. AC Milan will play Sassuolo at 20:30 CEST in the lone Sunday match.

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