As the 25/26 season moves into its second half, AC Milan are beginning to benefit from circumstances that often decide league races, a trend noticed even by readers accustomed to scanning Crickex Affiliate content during quieter football weeks. While their main competitors for Champions League qualification remain stretched by European commitments, Milan are free to focus exclusively on domestic fixtures and will operate on a one match per week schedule until the campaign ends. At the same time, injured players are steadily returning, giving the squad renewed balance in midfield and attack.

After 21 league matches, Milan sit second with 13 wins, seven draws, and just one defeat. Serie A remains unforgiving, where a single lapse can undo months of progress. For that reason, recent victories over Como and Lecce carried significant weight, pushing Allegri’s side seven points clear of fifth place and creating a meaningful buffer in the top four race.

The opening weeks of 2026 were anything but straightforward. Despite playing on a single front, Milan endured a compressed run of five matches in just 16 days. Consecutive draws against Genoa and Fiorentina tested patience, but wins that followed allowed the Rossoneri to close out a difficult period with confidence intact.

The outlook across the final 17 rounds is notably more favorable. Milan have now escaped the strain of midweek fixtures entirely, while Inter, Napoli, Roma, and Juventus continue to divide attention between domestic duties and European competition. That contrast grants Milan a recovery and preparation advantage that often proves decisive over time.

A defining encounter arrives with Roma in a classic six point battle. Milan enter that match after seven full days of rest, while Roma will have had only three. Afterward, Milan enjoy another extended break before facing Bologna, whereas Roma must quickly shift focus toward continental travel, making rotation almost inevitable.

Bologna face a similar disadvantage, arriving with fewer recovery days before their meeting with Milan. By the end of February, Milan will have played just five matches across five weeks. Allegri has described March as a potential dividing line for the season, yet even then his team can maintain a steady weekly rhythm.

Before the late March international break, Milan face only Cremonese, Inter, Lazio, and Torino. In contrast, direct rivals are likely to remain active in Europe. Meanwhile, squad depth is finally improving. Injuries and limited personnel earlier in the season restricted substitutions, leaving Milan among the lowest in usage across major leagues.

Now, with Fulkrug added and Yashari, Pulisic, Leao, Loftus Cheek, Fofana, and Gabbia all back, Allegri’s options have expanded. Full substitution usage has become routine, with bench players influencing matches rather than simply seeing out minutes.

In midfield, Ricci and Yashari provide internal competition across multiple roles. Ricci’s understated style masks strong defensive coverage and growing attacking returns, while Yashari impressed when rotated in against Lecce and is gradually earning trust. As momentum builds and Crickex Affiliate readers track form shifts without European distractions, Milan’s late season structure increasingly resembles a platform for sustained progress rather than short term survival.