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AC Milan beat Bologna by a goal to nil at San Siro on Sunday night, a second Serie A win of the season and the first at home.
Coming back from the international break, Milan needed to start the season again as they left it, rather than how they started it. So, the winning form had to continue, and it did. The game as a whole was rather tame.
However, a Luka Modric strike set the sides apart in the 60th minute; a cool finish, exactly like him as a player. It could have been doubled in the late stages of the game; however, a foul on Christopher Nkunku, initially deemed to be a penalty, was rescinded.
There’s plenty to say about the game and performances, so let’s dive into the five things we learnt from the game.
1. Identity crisis
Milan failed to bring in a new striker before the transfer window closed. This means Santiago Gimenez has a chance to silence the critics and get back to scoring ways.
Unfortunately, the Mexican continues to struggle in front of the goal, though, as his confidence has completely faded and he badly needs to get that one goal that might get him going. Against Bologna, his first touch let him down on multiple occasions. When it did not, he was indecisive in front of the goal and couldn’t bury the chance.
The issue is most definitely a mental one, given he has scored plenty of goals with Feyenoord, and we know for a fact he is capable of controlling a ball and putting it into the back of the net.
However, the Rossoneri pressure seems to be getting to him, and he needs to isolate himself from the noise and focus on keeping it simple, as he has been a bit too eager as of late. Something which has noticeably resulted in him overcomplicating simple decisions and missing big chances.
On the bright side, he did get into several good positions, but patience is running out.
2. Instant impact
Following the Bologna game, there should be no questions as to why Massimiliano Allegri wanted Adrien Rabiot with the Diavolo. The Frenchman started the game after barely training with his new teammates, but fitted right in nonetheless.
With Modric and Rabiot in that midfield, it was night and day compared to previous Milan games. The Frenchman won lots of aerial duels, carried the ball forward on various occasions and then, towards the end, dictated the tempo well and helped his team control the game, sealing the three points. Traits that have not been seen often.
The quality Rabiot brought to the squad is evident from the get-go, not that it comes as a surprise, and Allegri knows exactly how to get the best out of the midfield. One would hope that it only gets better from here on.
3. Like fine wine
It seems we’ll be discussing Modric a lot throughout the season and with good reason. The Croatian played the whole game and never really stopped running. He scored the match-winner with a lovely finish, but before that, he was already the best Rossoneri player on the pitch.
He dictated the game very well, and having Rabiot next to him really helped too. He also helped a ton defensively, with lots of interceptions and then carried the ball well in transition.
On top of that, he was a true leader on the pitch as he urged the fans to cheer Gimenez as he was subbed off to try and improve the Mexican’s morale, whilst he is in a tough spot, which is a characteristic that Milan players have been missing last season.
4. Allegri’s defence on display
The Diavolo could’ve easily scored a few more goals, and the scoresheet might not paint the full picture, mainly because Bologna were neutralised to perfection by the Rossoneri. As seen by the fact that the away side had 0 shots on goal and 0 big chances.
📊 The stats from the win against Bologna pic.twitter.com/ZW6bPlbCvl
— MilanData📊 (@acmilandata) September 14, 2025
Milan’s back three did very well, whilst the midfield dictated the tempo, and the whole management of the game was excellent.
Alexis Saelemaekers did well on the right as he was active in both phases of the game and had a big part in the win, as he provided the assist for Modric.
Pervis Estupinan was also on a higher level compared to his previous 2 games in Serie A; he was much more solid at the back and in possession. The Ecuadorian was a bit unlucky too, as he hit the post and was denied his first goal in red and black.
It all boils down to the fact that the Diavolo played as a unit – they knew when to press, when to up the tempo and when to slow things down. This is the football the fans should expect from Allegri’s side.
5. Almost brilliant from the bench
Not everybody was having a great game, with the two lowest-rated players being Gimenez and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Despite Leao’s injury, however, Allegri had enough firepower to call upon, as he brought both Christian Pulisic and Nkunku on in the second half, with the duo having an instant impact on the game.
Nkunku should’ve really won a penalty for his team after his initial contact with the ball, but refereeing controversies aside, he did well following that situation too, as he was able to showcase his technique and ability to play in tight spots.
Given that he has not played first-team football as of late, it was quite impressive.
Then, Pulisic was also on fire as he was constantly terrorising the Bologna defence. He probably should’ve gotten an assist or two had it not been Gimenez’s poor finishing. The American also played Nkunku through for the penalty.
Overall, it was exactly what you’d expect from attackers with fresh legs from the bench, and both did their part really well.
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