On the 30th day of Serie A the Milan draw 1-1 with Bologna and slows down again in the Champions League area after the 0-0 draw against Empoli. accomplice a maxi-turnoverat the Dall’Ara in the first half the Rossoneri got off to a bad start and were surprised by Samson after only 33″, then they pick up the pace and equalize with a nice left footed He runs away (40′). The match was put back in balance but then in the second half Milan were unable to give the shoulder even after the entry of the big names and the result never changed. At the end Rossoneri protests for a touch of the hand in the area by Lucumì.
THE MATCH
Equal and anger. In Bologna, Milan didn’t go beyond a 1-1 draw and risked leaving the Champions League zone. Net of the opponent’s value, always on the spot throughout the match and ready to retaliate blow by blow with order, physicality and clear ideas, Dall’Ara’s is a tough verdict for the Rossoneri. Both for the shock start and for the finale amidst protests for Lucumì’s touch in the area. Episodes which, together with the umpteenth failure of the Rossoneri “second lines” had a heavy impact on the match, despite a good reaction after Samson’s lightning goal and a few flashes from Leao and Diaz in the final. Too little, however, to bring home three crucial points in the crowded battle for a place in the top four and to have no regrets about some initial line-up choices and how the race went.
Without Orsolini, Soriano, Arnautovic and Cambiaso and with Europe in his sights, at Dall’Ara Thiago Motta places Aebischer, Ferguson and Barrow behind Sansone and once again entrusts the keys to the midfield to Dominguez. With the return of the Champions League in mind, Pioli instead chooses the “second lines” and revolutionizes the formation. In front of the only untouchable Maignan it’s up to Florenzi, Kalulu, Thiaw and Ballo-Touré, in the middle instead space for Vranckx and Pobega with Saelemaekers, De Ketelaere and Rebic behind Origi. A total shift that redesigns the Rossoneri and affects the start of the match. In fact, without “starters” on the pitch, Milan’s start was a nightmare and after thirty-three seconds Bologna immediately scored through Sansone, taking advantage of a dubious contrast between Aebischer and Ballo Touré. Goal that immediately blows up the bank and lights up the match. Also because as the minutes go by, the Rossoneri adjust the distances between the departments, raise the laps in the midfield and attack with many men. Soumaoro stops Rebic in the area amidst protests, then the Croatian engages Skorupski with a header, Florenzi tries a free-kick and Saelemaekers doesn’t find the goal from the edge. Opportunities that increase the pressure of Milan and change the match. More orderly and aggressive, Pioli’s team raises the pace between the lines, maneuvers in width and pushes. More passive in possession, Thiago Motta’s men lower their center of gravity and only play throw-ins. On the one hand Aebischer finished a good restart over the crossbar, on the other hand Pobega didn’t miss his aim and equalized the score with a nice left footed shot from the edge. Seal that closes the first half and puts everything back in balance.
The recovery begins without changes and with the teams struggling to maneuver with order and precision. Tactical theme that blocks the match in the median, triggers many duels across the board and allows space for restarts. Skorupski blocks a central gore by Ballo Touré, then Pioli and Thaigo Motta try to shake up the match with changes. On the one hand Calabria and Messias enter for Florenzi and Saelemaekers, on the other Zirkzee takes the place of Sansone instead. Moves that shuffle the cards a bit, but don’t change the tactical arrangements and the inertia of the game. After all, with little lucidity in the supports and many interruptions in the game, it is difficult to find passages or decisive plays. In search of drive and ideas, Pioli removes De Ketelaere and Origi and brings in Diaz and Leao. Thiago Motta instead replaces Barrow and Aebischer with Lykogiannis and Moro. On the one hand Rebic does not find the goal after a flash from Messias, Lykogiannis denies Pobega a brace and Diaz misses from the edge. On the other hand, Maignan stops a weak right foot from Dominguez, Posch and Zirkzee waste a good counterattack and Lykogiannis sends a free-kick over the crossbar. Flashes that keep the match alive and trigger a high-voltage finale. Under pressure, Milan went all-in and attacked with their heads down, but the Rossoneri forcing slammed into the rossoblù defense and against Lucumì’s arm on which the referee Massa and the Var decided to let it go amid protests. Milan does not break through in Bologna and does not change pace in the Champions League area.
REPORT CARDS
Samson 6: plays the role of the false nine with his characteristics and after 33 “he manages to hit being in the right place at the right time. Then a lot of dirty work and few playable balls until the change
Posch 6.5: he pushes to the right together with Aebischer, guarding the area with a lot of physicality and competitiveness. His was the lightning assist for Samson, then many other incursions with the ball and the final marking on Leao
Barrow 5: he acts near Florenzi, but very little is seen. He can’t even concentrate to try to finish on goal
Escape 6.5: the best of the Rossoneri for posting. Leg, rhythm and order in the midfield at the service of the team. He fights with Schouten and Dominguez, he verticalizes as soon as he has space and equalizes with a powerful and precise left foot from the edge
Origi 5: struggles to get physical between Soumaoro and Lucumì and never manages to make himself dangerous or to give an important reference to the Rossoneri in the center of the attack
De Ketelaere 5: he tiptoes behind Origi, but disappears in second-ball battles and one-on-ones between the lines. Too light in tackling, bad at dribbling and proactive in attacking goal
Leo 6.5: enters the last twenty minutes and Milan accelerates to the left. From his forays come the most dangerous actions of the finale
THE TABLE
BOLOGNA-AC MILAN 1-1
Bologna (4-2-3-1): Skorupski 6; Posch 6.5, Soumaoro 6.5, Lucumì 6, Kyriakoupoulos 6; Schouten 6 (40′ st Medel sv), Dominguez 6.5; Aebischer 6 (28th Moro 6), Ferguson 6, Barrow 5 (28th Lykogiannis 6); Sansone 6 (12′ st Zirkzee 5,5).
A disp.: Bardi, Ravaglia, Sosa, Bonifazi, De Silvestri, Amey, Pyyhtia.
All.: Thiago Motta 6
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan 6; Florenzi 6 (12′ st Calabria 5.5), Thiaw 5.5 (36′ st Gabbia sv), Kalulu 5.5, Ballo-Touré 6; Vranckx 5.5, Pobega 6.5; Saelemaekers 6 (12′ st Messias 6), De Ketelaere 5 (25′ st Diaz 6), Rebic 6; Origi 5 (25’st Leao 6.5).
A disp.: Tatarusanu, Mirante, Hernandez, Tomori, Bennacer, Adli, Tonali, Bakayoko, Krunic, Giroud.
All.: Pegs 5
Referee: Massa
Scorers: 1′ Sansone (B), 40′ Pebega (M)
Ammonites: Posch, Dominguez, Kyriakoupoulos (B); Florenzi, Calabria, Pobega, Vranckx (M)
Expelled: –
THE STATISTICS
• Milan have failed to find success in five of their last six Serie A matches (D3 L2), having won all three before.
• Milan have remained unbeaten in all of their last 15 Serie A matches against Bologna (W12, D3).
• This was the home game in which Bologna have conceded the most shots in Serie A with Thiago Motta on the bench (19).
• Nicola Sansone has scored five goals in Serie A against Milan: against no team he has done better in the competition, five against Inter as well – in fact against the two Milanese he has scored 26% of his goals in the top flight (10 out of 38 ).
• Nicola Sansone equaled Gregoire Defrel as the player who scored the quickest goal for Milan from the start of a Serie A match since Opta has collected this data (since 2004/05): both scored after just 33 seconds.
• Nicola Sansone’s goal after 33 seconds is the fastest Bologna have scored since the start of a Serie A match since Rodrigo Palacio scored after just 24 seconds against Napoli on 28 January 2018.
• Tommaso Pobega scored away in Serie A for the first time since 12 May 2021 (brace against Sampdoria) – all of his next six goals scored in the competition before today had indeed come at home.
• Today was Giorgos Kyriakopoulos’ 100th appearance in Serie A.
• Aster Vranckx is only the second player born after 1/1/2002 to start a Serie A match for Milan, after Lorenzo Colombo, against Spezia on 4 October 2020.
• For the first time in the three points for a win era, a team has fielded more than two Belgian starting players in a Serie A fixture: four for Milan today, Alexis Saelemaekers, Aster Vranckx, Charles De Ketelaere and Divock Origi.