Separated by 10 points in the Serie A standings, Lombardy rivals AC Milan and Atalanta BC meet at San Siro on Sunday.
While the visitors are still fighting for a top-four finish, Milan's hopes of returning to the Champions League are almost over - despite winning 4-0 in Udine last time out.
Match preview
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Days after coming back to snatch a point at home to Fiorentina, Milan swept Udinese aside thanks to strikes by Rafael Leao, Strahinja Pavlovic, Theo Hernandez and the irrepressible Tijjani Reijnders, who took his Serie A tally into double figures for the season.
Despite such an emphatic success, the Rossoneri still sit ninth in the table, trailing behind several teams in a crowded race for European qualification.
With just six rounds remaining, winning the Coppa Italia may now offer their best chance of securing a spot in continental competition: Sergio Conceicao's side fought out a draw in the first leg of their semi-final tie against city rivals Inter, and they will play the second leg next week.
First, they must host another local side - Serie A's second-top scorers Atalanta - having struggled to keep clean sheets since Conceicao took charge. Across their last nine home games, Milan have managed just a single shutout - against lowly Hellas Verona in February.
Sunday will mark only the second time that the second-city giants have faced La Dea while trailing by at least 10 points. So, having also lost three of the teams' last four meetings, Milan's longstanding supremacy in this contest may be consigned to the past.
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Back in December, a late Ademola Lookman goal secured victory for Atalanta in the reverse fixture, at a time when the Bergamaschi were flying high on all fronts.
During 2025, though, they have been bedevilled by inconsistency, and their slim Scudetto hopes were recently ended when they lost three straight games without scoring.
It came as a relief, then, when Mateo Retegui's 23rd league goal of a sparkling season put them ahead after three minutes of last week's clash with in-form Bologna, and they eventually secured a 2-0 win over their fellow top-four contenders.
Set to be crowned Capocannoniere next month, Retegui is now intent on overhauling Pippo Inzaghi's club record for Serie A strikes in a single campaign - 24, set in 1996-97 - and his input could prove crucial as Atalanta seek a Champions League return.
Now being closely pursued by Juventus - plus Bologna and both Rome clubs - the Nerazzurri cannot afford many more slip-ups, as they have a particularly challenging run-in.
For all their recent failings, Gian Piero Gasperini's side have accrued the most away points in Serie A so far, collecting fewer than only Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona across Europe's top five leagues.
After racking up 12 top-flight away games without defeat - a fine run featuring nine wins - La Dea lost to Fiorentina last time they left Bergamo, so they will aim to start another streak on Sunday night.
Team News
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After colliding with Alex Jimenez in Udine, which saw Marco Sportiello sent on as a substitute, Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan initially missed training due to protocol for head injuries, but he is expected to start on Sunday.
Misfiring striker Santiago Gimenez has also returned to action at Milanello, so he should be named on the bench; Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic will battle it out to lead the hosts' attack.
Sure to feature in midfield, Tijjani Reijnders has netted 10 league goals this season - all from open play - becoming the first Dutch player to notch double figures for Milan since Marco van Basten did so five times during the 1980s and 90s.
Alongside Ruben Loftus-Cheek, right-backs Kyle Walker and Emerson Royal are still sidelined, so either Jimenez or Filippo Terracciano should fill in - it remains to be seen whether Sergio Conceicao sticks with last week's 3-4-3 formation.
Meanwhile, Atalanta rarely deviate from their familiar 3-4-2-1, spearheaded by Mateo Retegui: the Italy striker has been directly involved in 28 Serie A strikes this season.
Ex-Milan man Charles De Ketelaere misses out on a return to San Siro due to a thigh problem, joining a trio of long-term absentees in the treatment room.
Sead Kolasinac suffered a serious knee injury last week, so he will follow Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini on the lengthy road to recovery.
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Jimenez, Fofana, Reijnders, Hernandez; Pulisic, Jovic, Leao
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; Pasalic, Lookman; Retegui
We say: AC Milan 2-1 Atalanta BC
Both clubs play their first Easter Sunday fixture in Serie A since 1978, with either side desperately seeking consistency.
In better form than Atalanta, Milan rank second for points retrieved from losing positions, so they can overcome any early hiccups and produce another comeback win.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
