AC Milan vs Juventus: A victory needed for... shopping!

Despite the point difference on the table permitting Milan and Juventus not to face the pressure of winning by any means in the Sunday night clash, this is still a significant game for the future of both clubs.

After 33 rounds, Milan leads the 5th-placed (Como) and 6th-placed (Roma) teams by 8 points and also has a superior head-to-head record, while Juventus' advantage is 5 points (better than Roma but worse than Como in head-to-head). This means Milan only needs to secure 7 points from the remaining 5 matches to guarantee a Top 4 spot, whereas Juve requires 10 or 11 points.

Future tightly linked to the Champions League

Therefore, a defeat at San Siro this weekend is not yet a disaster, but certainly every point earned will bring them closer to next season's Champions League. For major clubs like Milan or Juventus, participation in the Champions League is vital, or more precisely, they need the massive financial influx from this competition to operate and develop.

Due to poor performance last season, Milan did not participate in any European cup this season, causing immense damage. Estimated revenue loss (from UEFA and sponsorship deals) amounts to around 80 million euros, vanished from the red-black club's plans. This critical setback forced Milan to invest heavily in the summer 2025 transfer market to immediately return to the Champions League, accepting potential heavy losses in the 2025-26 financial report. This is a risk within limits, as under the management of owner Redbird Capital, Milan has achieved impressive results by operating profitably for three consecutive recent fiscal years, albeit with profits only around a few million euros.

While Milan has achieved very positive results, Juventus still struggles with negative figures on the books. The club just closed its eighth consecutive financial year with losses, with cumulative losses reaching 999 million euros. To sustain operations, Juventus has conducted four capital increases since 2019, with total owner (Exor) support nearing 1 billion euros. Juve's squad operating costs (including salaries and amortization of transfer fees) are also half higher than Milan's: 337 million euros compared to 244 million euros.

The contrasting financial situations of Milan and Juve clearly reflect differences in governance policies. While Milan's American owners emphasize stability, autonomy, and sustainability, Juventus still pursues a "high investment, high expectation" strategy with greater risks. Nevertheless, unlike Milan, Juventus has significant revenue sources from real estate such as the privately owned Allianz Stadium or Jhotel, helping them cope with challenges.

A victory needed for "shopping"

The development equation for clubs like Milan and Juventus is actually quite simple: Achieve success to increase revenue, then use that money to invest for further success. In the current context, a victory at San Siro this Sunday night won't bring immediate money, but securing a Champions League ticket sooner is better for both clubs' efforts in strengthening their squads, a mandatory requirement if they genuinely aim to compete for the Scudetto next season rather than merely targeting Top 4.

This is an extremely busy period for sports directors and transfer strategists, especially when targeting high-quality free transfers. For instance, midfielder Leon Goretzka, who will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, is being pursued by no fewer than 5 top clubs, including Milan and Juventus. Whether a club qualifies for the Champions League, beyond financial aspects, also demonstrates its appeal to convince top stars. For Goretzka, this is certainly a crucial factor.

Milan's action plan includes not only Goretzka but also defenders Mario Gila (Lazio) and Kim Min Jae (Bayern), midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo (Galatasaray), or forwards Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus) and Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray). Juventus's shopping list mentions a series of A-list stars like Bernardo Silva (Man City), Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), or Randal Kolo Muani (PSG). All these players could join for free or at low cost but demand a Champions League spot and high salaries, which are challenging for "The Old Lady".