Milan’s highest win of the season in the previous week proved to be a flash in the pan on Saturday evening: The Rossoneri deservedly lost their away game at FC Torino 3-1. Ex-Wolfsburg player Rodriguez put in a brilliant performance
After six consecutive games without a win, Milan put down a big marker last weekend: The 5:1 against Cagliari, the highest win of the season, could have given coach Stefano Pioli’s team a boost. A week later, there was not much left of it – a deserved 3-1 defeat in Turin.
After a cautious start to the game, Torino made the first statement: Pellegri laid the ball off perfectly for Tameze, who shot over from eleven meters out (19th minute). The home side piled on the pressure – and ran into a counter-attack from the visitors, but Okafor flicked the ball over the crossbar (25′).
On the counter-attack, the hosts took the lead when the unmarked ex-Wolfsburg player Rodriguez was allowed to whip a perfect cross into the center, where the headed monster Zapata nodded in powerfully (26′).
Milan did not improve thereafter and the Rossoneri were far from a furious response. Five minutes before the break, the favourites were caught cold again: After Bennacer’s mistake in midfield, the ball found Bellanova, whose cross reached the free-standing Ilic, who headed home from a standing position (!) to make it 2:0 (40′).
Masina’s blunder does not turn the game around
At the change of ends, Pioli decided against changing personnel despite having top-class options. Instead, Rodriguez picked up where he left off in the first half and hammered the ball superbly to the inside left post just outside the penalty area, leaving Sportiello with no chance of defending (46′).
Milan almost replied in kind, but Pulisic’s shot from the edge of the box crashed against the crossbar (48′). Milan were now fired up, however, and a little later Pulisic was needlessly knocked over by Masina in the penalty area – Bennacer converted the spot-kick with ice-cold precision (55′).
Three teammates rushed to get the ball out of the goal. However, there was to be no comeback. The momentum quickly fizzled out and Torino immediately regained control of the game. Only a solo effort from Rafael Leao raised the tempo again, but Milinkovic-Savic was on the ball (87′).
In the end, Milan suffered their seventh Serie A defeat. The city rivals are worlds apart this season: Inter, who still play Lazio on Sunday evening, are currently 18 points ahead of the Rossoneri, who are already confirmed as runners-up.
