Costacurta worried by Milan’s slow build-up play: “27 passes in 5 minutes and 20 seconds”

Alessandro Costacurta was not entirely convinced by AC Milan’s performance despite their 3-0 victory against Hellas Verona on Sunday.

After a rather cagey opening 45 minutes, Christian Pulisic opened the scoring in added time at the end of the first half, burying a flick-on from a corner. Then an unlikely hero stepped forward: Christopher Nkunku earned and scored a penalty, scoring a second goal minutes later for his first Serie A goals.

The rather comfortable 3-0 victory meant that Milan had the possibility of ending the year in top spot, but Inter’s victory away from home against Atalanta means that they take the crown of being the league leaders going into 2026.

Costacurta unimpressed

Costacurta was a guest on Sky Calcio Club last night and he was asked for his thoughts on how Milan played and the performance from Nkunku, with Calciomercato.com transcribing what he had to say.

“In my opinion, this is Nkunku: he’s a good player. I don’t know his personality well, but I like him: he’s very technical. He’s not a centre-forward. In the first half, it was impossible for him to play, but in the second half, he and the whole team unlocked themselves,” he said.

“In the first five minutes and twenty seconds of the match, Milan made 27 passes between the central defenders. Once upon a time, in the dressing room, we’d start by saying, ‘Instil fear, apply pressure, let’s just throw it up there’.

“27 passes in 5 minutes and 20 seconds. I’ve been following football for 47 years, but I’m having trouble understanding why the three defenders have to pass the ball 27 times instead of playing it vertically.”