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Bologna’s blitz leaves Milan nursing a bruised ego
The San Siro lights dimmed early as Bologna turned the Rossoneri’s night into a masterclass in opportunism. A 2‑1 lead at the break hinted at a possible upset, but the visitors cranked the tempo in the second half, flipping the script to a 4‑2 spectacle that left Milan’s fans clutching their scarves in disbelief.
Milan’s opening salvo came from a crisp Rabiot pass that found Pulisic, whose curling effort skimmed the post before Moreira pounced for the equaliser. The midfield duel was a tug‑of‑war, yet Rabiot (7.67) and Moreira (7.63) were the only ones who seemed to enjoy the tussle. Chukwueze (7.35) added a burst of pace, but his final third contributions evaporated after the break.
Bologna’s answer was a blend of poise and panic‑button precision. Kevin De Bruyne, somehow on the pitch, orchestrated the second‑half surge with a 7.41 rating that belied his usual Premier League pedigree. His vision unlocked the defence, leading to a clinical finish from Juan Miranda (7.35) that stretched the lead to 3‑1. The Italians’ back‑line, usually a brick wall, cracked under pressure, allowing De Bruyne to thread a diagonal that set up the fourth, sealing a 4‑2 triumph.
The half‑time scoreboard read 2‑1 to Bologna, but the Rossoneri’s complacency made the second half feel like a rehearsal for a relegation drama. Milan’s defence, typically a bastion, was riddled with lapses – a glaring contrast to Bologna’s disciplined pressing. The visitors’ manager, in a rare display of calm, rotated his squad without missing a beat, while Milan’s bench offered nothing more than a handful of half‑hearted runs.
What does this mean for the league table? Milan, who entered the match somewhere in the mid‑table scramble (exact position undisclosed), slip further from the European spots, now forced to chase points with renewed urgency. Bologna, also listed without a precise ranking, catapult themselves into the conversation for a European berth, their confidence bolstered by a win that will echo beyond the Emilia‑Romagna region.
In the end, the match was less a draw and more a statement: Bologna can rewrite the script when they decide to. Milan, meanwhile, must decide whether to rewrite theirs or simply watch the replay of their own missteps.
Player Ratings
- Kevin De Bruyne (Bologna) – 7.41/10
- Juan Miranda (Bologna) – 7.35/10
- Adrien Rabiot (Milan) – 7.67/10
- Diego Moreira (Milan) – 7.63/10
- Christian Pulisic (Milan) – 7.37/10
- Samuel Chukwueze (Milan) – 7.35/10