Sassuolo Defeat Milan 2-0 As Tomori Is Sent Off Early; Berardi Shines And Lauriente Extends Lead

AC Milan slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Sassuolo at the MAPEI Stadium Citta del Tricolore, with Fikayo Tomori dismissed inside 24 minutes. Milan played more than two thirds of the match with ten players, and the early red card, combined with Sassuolo’s sharp attacking play, left the visitors struggling to create clear chances.

The match swung heavily against Milan when Tomori collected two yellow cards in quick succession. The defender first went into the book after an early challenge, then received a second caution for stopping an Armand Lauriente counter-attack near the halfway line. That dismissal forced Milan into damage limitation while already trailing.

Sassuolo had seized control even before the sending off. After just five minutes, Domenico Berardi struck a precise curling shot into the bottom corner following a clever exchange with Lauriente. Two minutes later, M'Bala Nzola forced Mike Maignan into a save, signalling constant pressure on the Milan defence.

Playing with an extra player, Sassuolo continued to attack and could have extended the lead before the break. Milan dropped deeper, trying to close spaces, but struggled to keep possession. The Rossoneri rarely threatened in transition, and their limited attacking output meant Maignan remained the busier of the two goalkeepers.

Soon after the interval, Sassuolo doubled the advantage through Lauriente, who crowned an impressive display. Lauriente collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area and drove a low effort towards the near corner. Maignan got a hand to the strike but could not stop it creeping into the net.

Sassuolo kept chasing a third goal as Milan tried to avoid further damage. Nzola and Kristian Thorstvedt both wasted promising openings, failing to convert chances that could have widened the margin. Milan defended more securely late on, which limited the scoreline, but the visitors rarely looked capable of a comeback.

AC Milan vs Sassuolo: Serie A data and Berardi record

The result added another key moment to Berardi’s strong Serie A record. Berardi reached 130 Serie A goals with this performance and now has 12 league goals against Milan. Only Enrico Chiesa, with 14, and Silvio Piola, with 22, have scored more Serie A goals versus Milan.

Berardi’s tally against Milan places the forward level with Stefano Nyers, Carlo Reguzzoni and Antonio Di Natale. For Milan, attacking output was unusually low. Milan produced only 0.27 expected goals, their weakest figure in a Serie A game since May 2018, when they managed just 0.2 xG in a 1-1 draw with Atalanta in Bergamo.

Sassuolo’s numbers highlighted the difference in attacking threat across the match. The hosts attempted 13 shots, with four on target, for an expected goals total of 1.57. Milan created little from open play or set pieces, which reflected both the early numerical disadvantage and Sassuolo’s effective structure without the ball.

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The defeat underlined how costly Tomori’s early dismissal proved for Milan, who never recovered control after falling behind. Sassuolo combined clinical finishing from Berardi and Lauriente with steady defending, while Milan’s low xG and few shots showed how rarely the visitors tested the home side across the ninety minutes.