Arsenal and Milan faced off with a clear intent to win, despite the summer atmosphere and tactical experiments. It was Saka who decided the match in the second half, after a balanced first half with missed chances on both sides. The Rossoneri will return to the pitch on Saturday, July 26 at 1:30 PM (Italian time), when they face Liverpool in Hong Kong.
Below are the Top and Flop performers from the match against Arteta’s English side:
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Top
Loftus-Cheek:
He flickers in and out of the game, but delivers several powerful bursts. One of Milan’s most dangerous players, even if his composure in front of goal was lacking. Perhaps under Allegri he could return to being the box-to-box midfielder admired during the 2023/2024 season... injuries permitting.
Leão – Dual Role:
In the first half, he acted as a true attacking focal point: whenever the ball came to him, he looked capable of sparking something brilliant. In the second half, he returned to his usual position, creating space and providing for his teammates. Can he do better? Yes. Is there time to hit top form by the end of August? Absolutely.
Tomori – Mental Identity
Allegri values defenders with this kind of athleticism and speed. He made at least two crucial interventions and lashed out at Musah after a costly turnover in midfield. He was later replaced by Gabbia, who also held his own. As a starting point, not bad at all.
Torriani – Iron Curtain
A special mention goes to Lorenzo Torriani, who was already under the spotlight during last year’s U.S. tour. He made a superb save on a Merino header and was sharp in tipping a long-range strike from Trossard over the bar. Very solid showing.
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Flop
Bartesaghi – Lost
Saka beat him at least five times—one of which proved decisive, as the Englishman scored the only goal of the match. Slightly improved when linking with Pulisic, but defensively he failed his test—right as Estupiñán was undergoing medicals in Milan.
Musah – Inconsistent
Yunus actually started well: tidy and timely in his defensive work. But after giving away two dangerous balls in the first half, he completely lost his way. He offered little in the second half and ended it with a foul just outside the box following yet another unstoppable run from Saka.
Okafor – Next to Nothing
He played the entire second half, and yet it was hard to notice he was even on the field. Tried a dribble, got dispossessed by Saka tracking back, and even complained about a foul. No notable shots and very few movements to help Milan’s attacking flow.
