Milan usher in the new year with a display of defensive solidity and efficiency, temporarily moving to the top of the Serie A table while waiting for Inter to take the field. This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport described the performance as “without too many circus tricks, in true Allegri style, but with calculated ruthlessness.”
The trend against the so-called “smaller” teams is starting to change: six points have arrived from matches against Cagliari and Verona, with Genoa next to visit San Siro.
Allegri returned to Sardinia with an emergency-hit squad. Leao was back after a month out and was not at his physical best, initially struggling when playing with his back to goal. At the first opportunity, though, he put Milan ahead: it was the twelfth time this season in the league that the Rossoneri scored with their first shot on target. The 0–1 win became their sixteenth consecutive positive result in the competition since the opening-day defeat to Cremonese.
Beyond Leao, who rightly earned the headlines and praise for his winning goal, the pink paper also highlighted Adrien Rabiot’s performance, solid and technically assured even on the slippery surface at the Unipol Domus. A focused defence, a ninth clean sheet, Modric always fully engaged, and a positive debut from Fullkrug: the German battled with the opposing centre-backs and then also sent Pulisic through on goal with a delicate touch, as relayed via Milan News.
As has often happened recently, the approach to the match was not among the best. Milan conceded three shots in the opening three minutes, but the second-half display leaves no doubt that the three points were deserved. The hosts failed to create any real danger, helped by the growing performance of De Winter. Maignan was only required to save a straightforward diving header from Adopo. The winning goal came from a vertical pass by Fofana to Rabiot, who reached the byline and squared the ball for Leao.
The Rossoneri also won the battle on the flanks. After some early difficulties for Estupiñán against Palestra, Milan adjusted and the talented Atalanta loanee was no longer able to pose a real threat. Over the course of the match, both the Ecuadorian full-back and Bartesaghi grew into the game, with the latter deployed yesterday as a left-sided centre-back to replace a feverish Pavlovic. 0–1, three points, and Milan temporarily top of the table.
