A derby win straight after Bologna
The week began badly for Milan. They lost 4-2 at home to Bologna on Wednesday, [1] reports, which was their first Serie A defeat of the season and the first league loss under coach Rúben Amorim. Owner Gerry Cardinale said he would be devastated if Milan lost the derby, according to [2]. The response came on Saturday 31 October.
Milan beat Inter 3-1 in the Derby della Madonnina at San Siro, and [3] notes that all three Milan goals came in the first half. Christian Pulisic headed them in front after 3 minutes 45 seconds from a Diego Moreira cross. Adrien Rabiot made it 2-0 around the 11th minute, finishing a corner routine first time, as [4] describes it. Moreira then scored a free kick of his own. Inter replied through a Bastoni header, but the result ended their unbeaten Serie A start. Luka Modrić called it possibly Milan’s best performance of the season, [5] reports, while also saying the Bologna defeat had to be shaken off.
Moreira the difference, with key players back
Moreira was the match’s central figure. He had missed the previous two league games with hamstring fatigue, but Amorim cleared him for the derby, according to [6]. He scored a free kick, assisted two goals and was named Man of the Match, [7] reports. His cross set up Pulisic’s header and his work on the corner led to Rabiot’s goal.
The squad news was mixed. Rabiot, Mario Gila and Moreira all returned from injury. Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Ruben Loftus-Cheek stayed out, and [8] lists them among the absentees for the derby. Samuel Chukwueze is also still missing, with Saelemaekers and goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano listed as out in the pre-match report. The defensive absences are worth watching because Bologna scored four times on Wednesday. Rafael Leão is no longer part of the picture either: he joined Galatasaray in August for €38m, [9] says. Kaká described the current side as a collective that is still a work in progress.
Contracts, goals and summer talk
Away from the pitch, the main news is Pulisic’s future. Milan have reportedly agreed a new contract with him running to 2031 with performance bonuses, and are said to be looking at extensions for Rabiot and Alphadjo Cissé, according to [10]. Cissé has seven goals this season, including a brace in the Bologna defeat. Pulisic has three goals and one assist in nine games in all competitions, [11] reports.
There is also summer speculation. Milan are reportedly planning a major attacking investment and have been linked with Club Brugge striker Nicolò Tresoldi, who is also followed by several other major clubs. This is a rumour rather than a confirmed move, and the source gives it low confidence, so treat it with caution. Milan’s season has also included Europa League losses to Benfica and Bournemouth, so the squad is being asked to perform on more than one front.
What it means
The league picture is clear. Milan are fifth in Serie A with 21 points from ten matches, a record of six wins, three draws and one defeat, with 21 goals scored and 12 conceded. They are seven points behind leaders Lazio. The derby win lifted them from 18 points to 21, but it did not change their position.
The form line is encouraging but uneven. Their last five league results read W, L, W, W, D: 3-1 against Inter, 2-4 against Bologna, 2-0 at Udinese, 3-2 against Atalanta and 1-1 at Sassuolo. The attack is scoring, with at least two goals in four of those five games. The 12 goals conceded are the weaker side of the record, and the injuries to Tomori and Gabbia help explain why.
The next question comes on 8 November, when Milan travel to Genoa. After a derby high, the test is whether they can repeat the intensity of the first ten minutes against Inter in a less charged setting. They will also need to defend more tightly than they did against Bologna. The site’s forecast for that match locks 24 hours before kick-off, so no prediction is published yet.
Sources
- Football Italia: Cardinale: ‘Bring Milan back to the top, I’m sticking with Amorim’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Cardinale: ‘I’ll be devastated if Milan don’t win the derby, Amorim was a great choice’ football-italia.net ↩
- BBC Sport: AC Milan score three first-half goals to seal derby victory over Inter bbc.co.uk ↩
- Football Italia: Video: Milan surge into 2-0 lead over Inter within first 10 minutes football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Modric: ‘Maybe Milan’s best game of the season, we deserved the victory’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Milan’s Moreira: ‘An honour to wear Kaká’s No 22, I’d die for my team in the derby’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Moreira on best game ‘so far’ for Milan, while Pulisic is lucky charm against Inter football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Serie A | Milan 3-1 Inter: Diego Moreira inspiration for derby success football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Kaka: ‘For seven years it was Leão’s Milan, now Amorim’s side are a collective’ football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Pulisic joins Milan’s top earners as Rossoneri turn attention to Rabiot and Cisse renewals football-italia.net ↩
- Football Italia: Pulisic opens up about Milan contract extension after goal vs. Inter football-italia.net ↩
