A significant midweek fixture unfolds tonight, Thursday, January 8, 2026, as AC Milan welcomes Genoa to the San Siro for their first home match of the new year. Kick-off is set for 20:45 CET.
Under the guidance of Massimiliano Allegri, who returned to the Milan dugout earlier this season, the Rossoneri are currently locked in a fierce five-horse title race. Sitting in 2nd place and just four points behind rivals Inter (with two games in hand), Milan enters this clash as heavy favorites against a struggling Genoa side managed by Daniele De Rossi.
Match Details: Kick-off & Official Info
Competition: Serie A (Matchday 19)
Date: Thursday, January 8, 2026
Kick-off: 20:45 CET / 19:45 GMT / 14:45 ET
Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro), Milan
Referee: Maurizio Mariani
Broadcast: DAZN, Sky Italia (Italy), Paramount+ (US), TNT Sports (UK)
The Storyline: Scudetto Ambitions vs. Survival Scrappiness
AC Milan: The Allegri "Solidarity"
After a mid-season managerial shift that saw Allegri replace the briefly-tenured Sergio Conceição, Milan has found defensive stability. They are currently on a 16-match unbeaten streak in Serie A. Allegri's philosophy has revitalized veteran stars, most notably Luka Modrić, whose leadership in midfield has been praised by the coach as "an example of passion and humility."
Despite a disappointing Supercoppa Italiana exit in December, Milan has rebounded with clean-sheet victories over Verona and Cagliari. Tonight, they aim to secure three points to keep pace with Inter, while managing a congested schedule that includes four games in ten days.
Genoa: The De Rossi Resurgence Stalls
Daniele De Rossi took the reins at Genoa in November 2025, initially sparking a "honeymoon period" that pulled the club out of the relegation zone. However, the Grifone have hit a rough patch, managing only one point from their last four matches (a 1-1 draw against Pisa).
Genoa currently sits in 17th place, just three points above the drop zone. Their biggest threat is ironically a Milan player: Lorenzo Colombo, who is on loan at Genoa and has become their leading marksman. De Rossi’s side has scored in ten consecutive games, but their defense—with only two clean sheets all season—remains their Achilles' heel.
Team News & Absentees
AC Milan Team News
Injury Blows: Striker Santiago Giménez (ankle surgery) and Christopher Nkunku (thigh/ankle) are officially out. Allegri hopes to have Nkunku back for the Fiorentina match on January 11.
Boosts: Ruben Loftus-Cheek is available despite a minor knock. Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic are expected to start despite managing adductor and flexor issues, respectively.
New Face: German striker Niclas Füllkrug, signed on loan from West Ham, is expected to feature off the bench following a strong debut.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlović; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modrić, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leão.
Genoa Team News
AFCON Duty: Jean Onana (Cameroon) is unavailable.
Injury Ward: Junior Messias, Albert Grønbæk, and Maxwel Cornet are all out with muscle injuries. Goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist remains sidelined with a broken finger.
Key Striker: Lorenzo Colombo is eligible to play against his parent club and will lead the line.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Leali; Marcandalli, Østigård, Vásquez; Norton-Cuffy, Malinovskyi, Frendrup, Thorsby, Martín; Vitinha, Colombo.
Head-to-Head (H2H) & Key Stats
Unbeaten Run: Milan is undefeated in their last 9 meetings against Genoa (W6, D3).
The "Allegri" Factor: Allegri has never lost to Genoa while in charge of AC Milan (W5, D2).
Goal Droughts: Milan’s last six goals have all come between the 30th and 55th minutes.
The Draw Trend: Each of the last two meetings between these sides at the San Siro ended in a draw (3-3 and 0-0 in 2024).
Tactical Analysis: Experience vs. Boldness
Allegri is likely to deploy a disciplined 3-5-2 (or 3-4-2-1), utilizing the creative engine of Modrić and the physicality of Adrien Rabiot to dominate the middle. The focus will be on feeding Rafael Leão, whose pace on the transition remains Milan's most lethal weapon.
De Rossi’s Genoa has become "bolder" in attack, often committing numbers forward. However, against the big hitters this season, they have struggled, losing 7 of 8 games against top-nine opposition. They will rely on Ruslan Malinovskyi’s long-range shooting and Colombo’s intimate knowledge of the Milan defense to find a breakthrough.
Match Prediction
Milan's defensive solidity under Allegri, combined with Genoa’s inability to keep clean sheets, points toward a home victory. While Genoa may find the net—as they have in their last ten games—Milan's superior quality in the final third should be decisive.
Final Score Prediction: AC Milan 2–1 Genoa
