Massimiliano Allegri insists Sunday's return to Juventus as AC Milan's head coach is not about him, with his focus purely on returning the Rossoneri to Europe's top table.

Milan are not competing in Europe this term after finishing 8th in Serie A last season, following four straight campaigns in the Champions League.

The Rossoneri tasked Allegri with leading them back to UEFA's premier club competition and have made a positive start to his reign, taking 12 points from their first five matches to lead Serie A going into matchday six.

Allegri previously spent eight years as Juventus' head coach across two spells, winning the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia on five occasions each with the Turin giants.  

Overall, Allegri led Juventus in 420 Serie A matches, the second-most in the club's history behind only Giovanni Trapattoni, but he says Sunday's match is not about his reunion with the Bianconeri.

"It's been a normal week for me. Obviously, there are feelings involved after eight years at Juventus, and I hope to spend eight years at Milan as well," Allegri said, as quoted by Milannews.

"Tomorrow is an important game against a team that have not lost a game yet. It will be a great match to play in.

"We have to remain focused on the ultimate goal; Milan must return to playing in the Champions League.

"To do that, we need to keep working; there are still many matches and many points left. There will also be difficult moments, but we have to keep working to reach our objective."

Juventus are only one point behind Milan, though they have drawn four straight games in Serie A and the Champions League after conceding a late equaliser against Villarreal on Wednesday. 

Despite Juve's recent drop-off, they remain unbeaten in all competitions this term, and coach Igor Tudor thinks there is little to choose between the teams.

"I don't know what kind of game it will be. Milan are a top-level team with a great coach and great players, and they are in good form," he told reporters.

"We're playing at home and we have to play a great game. We've been playing the same way for six months; we surely have an identity now.

"I don't see big differences between us and Milan. On the pitch, we will see who is stronger. They have the advantage of having last played on Sunday or Monday, so we have to give absolutely everything."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Juventus – Jonathan David 

David played just 31 minutes for Juventus in Serie A during the month of September (out of a possible 270). Among players to feature in the top flight for the Bianconeri last month, only Juan Cabal (30 minutes) played fewer minutes than the Canadian. 

Tudor suggested on Saturday that both David and fellow new forward Lois Openda need to improve the mental side of their game, and the former Lille man will hope he gets a chance to impress on Sunday, whether from the start or off the bench.

AC Milan – Christian Pulisic 

Pulisic is Milan's top scorer in Serie A this season (four goals) and has been directly involved in six goals in the competition (also two assists), the joint-most alongside Como's Nico Paz. 

However, Juventus are one of two teams, with Roma, against whom Pulisic has played the most Serie A games without scoring a goal or assisting (three games against both).

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Milan have won their last four Serie A matches, the longest current winning streak in the competition and their longest run since a five-game spell under Stefano Pioli in April 2024.

Juventus, however, are one of only three teams in Serie A to remain unbeaten going into matchday six (with Atalanta and Cremonese). The Bianconeri's current 10-match unbeaten run (W6 D4) in the competition stretches back to April 23, 2025, when they lost to Parma.

Juventus won their last home match against Milan in Serie A (2-0 on 18 January 2025), after the Rossoneri had gone unbeaten on their previous four league trips to Turin (W2 D2). 

Juventus have also kept four consecutive clean sheets against Milan in league action home and away (W2 D2), their longest such run against the Rossoneri in the top flight.

But there could be little to separate these two rivals on Sunday. Milan have conceded the fewest shots in Serie A this season (45), while Juventus have conceded only 13 shots on target so far, more than only Como (12).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Juventus – 36.2%

AC Milan – 35.7%

Draw – 28.1%