{"id":1039,"date":"2026-05-21T12:06:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1039"},"modified":"2026-05-21T12:06:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:06:10","slug":"masked-man-milans-champions-league-push-gets-unexpected-boost-from-modric-in-serie-a-finale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1039","title":{"rendered":"Masked man: Milan\u2019s Champions League push gets unexpected boost from Modric in Serie A finale"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti shouts instructions to his players during a Serie A soccer match between Lecce and Juventus, in Lecce, southern Italy, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Giovanni Evangelista\/LaPresse via AP)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

MILAN \u2014 AC Milan will be looking to a masked superhero as the battle for the Champions League spots goes down to the last day in Serie A.<\/p>

Read more Relegation fight, Salah\u2019s last game and Guardiola\u2019s likely exit as Premier League reaches finale<\/a><\/p>\n

Four teams still have hopes of snatching the last two qualifying places among Europe\u2019s elite.<\/p>\n

Milan and Roma are in pole position as they occupy the third and fourth spots. They are level on points, two above Como and Juventus.<\/p>\n

Milan hosts Cagliari, which has little to play for but pride, and Luka Modric<\/a> could make a surprise return less than a month after undergoing surgery on a broken cheekbone<\/a> .<\/p>\n

It was expected that Modric\u2019s season was over following the injury in a 0-0 draw with Juventus but the midfielder has returned to training wearing a special mask and appears ready to help his teammates with the final push.<\/p>\n

The 40-year-old Modric had been one of Milan\u2019s best players this season. He started 32 of 34 league matches before the injury and was left on the bench only once.<\/p>\n

All four matches involving the teams fighting for the Champions League spots will kick off at the same time on Sunday night.<\/p>\n

Roma travels to already-relegated Hellas Verona, while Juventus crosses the city to Torino for the derby.<\/p>\n

Como perhaps has the most difficult match as Cesc F\u00e0bregas\u2019 team visits Cremonese, which still has hopes of avoiding relegation.<\/p>\n

It is one point below Lecce, which hosts Genoa.<\/p>\n

If Como snatches a Champions League berth, it would be an incredible achievement for a team that was playing in the fourth division<\/a> just seven years ago.<\/p>\n

Serie A champion Inter Milan<\/a> and Napoli<\/a> have already secured Champions League soccer for next season.<\/p>

Read more Vancouver has a lot more than just soccer to offer fans during the World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n

Christian Pulisic will be looking to end his goal drought in his final club match before a home World Cup.<\/p>\n

Pulisic returned from injury<\/a> last weekend, playing the final 15 minutes of a 2-1 win at Genoa and immediately helped to set up what proved to be a crucial goal.<\/p>\n

However, the United States international extended his scoreless streak to 18 league matches since Dec. 28.<\/p>\n

Roma midfielder Wesley is suspended after his red card in the derby against Lazio last weekend.<\/p>\n

Wesley was sent off after a mass brawl, during which he was spotted exchanging punches with Lazio midfielder Nicol\u00f2 Rovella, who was also red-carded and will miss his team\u2019s match against Pisa on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Roma will also be without defender Evan Ndicka, who tore his hamstring against Lazio, while Lorenzo Pellegrini and Man Kon\u00e9 are injury doubts.<\/p>\n

Como is sweating on the fitness of one of its top scorers, Nico Paz, who is struggling with a knee problem.<\/p>\n

Napoli\u2019s match at home to Udinese is likely to be Antonio Conte\u2019s final game in charge.<\/p>\n

Conte is expected to bid farewell<\/a> to the team and its fans at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after two years at the helm, during which he steered Napoli to the league title last year.<\/p>\n

The 56-year-old Conte is one of the leading candidates to take over the Italian national team, returning to the Azzurri after his first stint at the helm from 2014-16.<\/p>

Read more An unlikely hero breaks through as the Golden Knights beat the Avalanche 4-2 in Game 1<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP soccer: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/soccer<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AC Milan will look to a masked Luka Modric as the battle for the last two Champions League spots goes down to the final day in Serie A<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1037,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nMasked man: Milan\u2019s Champions League push gets unexpected boost from Modric in Serie A finale - Moving Insider USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=1039\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Masked man: Milan\u2019s Champions League push gets unexpected boost from Modric in Serie A finale - 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