Milan vs Cremonese prediction, H2H and probable lineups — August 23, 2025
The opening round of Italy’s Serie A features a showdown between Milan and Cremonese. The match will take place at San Siro on Saturday, August 23. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:45 Central European Time. I’m offering a bet on the winner of this clash.
Match preview
Milan enters the new season with lofty ambitions, aiming not only to return to the Scudetto race but at least to secure a Champions League spot. The club worked diligently in the transfer market, bolstering its attacking line and adding depth to the squad.
The key figures remain Leão and Pulisic, whose pace and creativity can decide matches single-handedly. The support of experienced midfielders will allow the Rossoneri to confidently control the game’s tempo. That’s precisely why Modrić and the young Ricci were signed.
This summer, Allegri returned to the team — under his guidance, Milan has already tasted Serie A glory. There’s plenty of hype and discussion surrounding the new project, which adds extra pressure.
At San Siro, Milan almost always takes the initiative, and the upcoming match against a league newcomer will be no exception. With the new coach, the team has already overcome Bari in the Coppa Italia, but they lost Leão, who picked up an injury in the first half.
Cremonese returns to Serie A and immediately faces one of the toughest challenges — an away trip to San Siro. In Serie B, the team showed organized football and kept their defensive lines compact. However, Giovanni Stroppa has departed for Venezia, and new coach Davide Nicola must build an entirely new side.
This season, the club’s main objective is to retain its top-flight status, which will require smart squad management. Over the summer, Cremonese strengthened with several backup players from elite clubs, all with experience at a high level — this should bring a sense of calm to their play.
In attack, Cremonese relies on quick counterattacks and wing play. The squad lacks a wealth of standout individual talent, so clinical finishing will be crucial. Notably, there have been no major changes up front, but there’s still no clear-cut goal scorer either.
Cremonese has already exited the Coppa Italia, losing their opening fixture to Filippo Inzaghi’s Palermo. The dull match ended goalless, with the ex-Milan star’s side prevailing in the penalty shootout.
Match facts
- Milan have won their last two home matches by the same scoreline: 2-0.
- Cremonese are unbeaten in their last three matches in regular time.
- Milan average 1.4 goals per game at home, while Cremonese average 0.9 goals per game away.
Probable lineups
- Milan: Maignan, Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic, Estupiñán, Saelemaekers, Ricci, Fofana, Modrić, Pulisic, S. Jiménez.
- Cremonese: Audero, Bischirotto, Bianchetti, Pezzella, Terracciano, Zerbin, Vandeputte, Bondo, Grassi, Bonazzoli, De Luca.
H2H
- The last two head-to-head matches between these teams ended in draws.
- Cremonese have not beaten Milan since 1994.
Prediction
The difference in quality between the teams is clear. Milan should dominate and claim three points with relative ease to kick off the season. I doubt the modest newcomers will trouble Allegri’s experienced side. My bet: home win with a -1 handicap.
