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AC Milan began their 2025 preseason tour with a 1-0 defeat against Premier League side Arsenal in Singapore.
In what was for large parts a glorified training session, the only goal came early in the second half through Bukayo Saka. Milan struggled to get much joy going forward, while Lorenzo Torriani kept the deficit to just one goal late on in a useful outing.
Massimiliano Allegri named his first starting XI of the preseason tour, and the big news was the use of a three-man defence with Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw and Strahinja Pavlovic the centre-backs chosen. Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic led the line.
In front of a vocal Milan presence inside the Singapore National Stadium, the game quickly settled into a rhythm whereby Arsenal saw plenty of the ball and the Rossoneri settled into a shape to try and frustrate, while looking for their moments to break. Early efforts from Leao and Declan Rice were blocked and went over.
Milan grew into the game well and had some better spells of possession, with Samuele Ricci sitting as the facilitator at the base of the midfield in his preseason debut. However, it didn’t lead to much in terms of chances, bar Davide Bartesaghi hammering a volleyed cross back across goal.
Arsenal got themselves in behind in the 15th minute when a lovely through ball found Bukayo Saka down the right, though his cut-back was well cleared in the end. Not long after, Ethan Nwaneri got the better of Pavlovic, then Ben White shot wide from a clearance to the edge of the box.
Midway through the first half, Pietro Terracciano was called into action for the first time. Nwaneri did brilliantly to turn and unleash a low drive that was sailing into the bottom right corner but was tipped around the post by the new goalkeeper.
The last big chance of the half fell to Milan. A ball down the left side found Pulisic galloping in behind and – after driving into the box and laying the ball off – Alexis Saelemaekers hooked a first-time shot over the bar form inside the box. Just before the interval Tomori bailed out Yunus Musah with a great clearance after the American had lost possession.
Allegri chose to make three changes at the break: Noah Okafor, Samuel Chukwueze and Matteo Gabbia came on while Pulisic, Saelemaekers and Tomori made way.
Less than eight minutes into the second half, the Gunners took the lead through their most threatening man Saka. The winger ghosted in at the far post to meet a whipped cross and, having been left free by Davide Bartesaghi, he fired in from deep inside the box.
Not long after Arsenal had just come close to a second when Martin Odegaard hit the side netting, Allegri made more changes. Lorenzo Torriani, Christian Comotto, Warren Bondo and Filippo Terracciano came on. Pietro Terracciano, Ricci, Loftus-Cheek and Thiaw went off.
Torriani was called into action pretty much straight away and he responded with a stunning save. Mikel Merino rose highest to nod a corner towards the far post, but the Italian shot-stopper made a sprawling stop to keep it out.
What a save from 20-year-old Lorenzo Torriani 🧤 pic.twitter.com/GGxkloo3Pf
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) July 23, 2025
A final batch of changes were made by Allegri with 10 minutes left. Liberali, Dutu, Magni and Colombo came on; off went Musah, Leao, Pavlovic and Bartesaghi. Shortly after, Torriani made another stop to deny a rising effort from Trossard.
The game descended into a bit of a training exercise for Arsenal against a youthful Milan side, and Torriani made a final brilliant save to keep out Nelson after he cut in from the left onto his right foot and fired one towards the bottom corner.
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