Atalanta Humble Milan as Rossoneri Cling to Winter Champions Title

The good news – the only good piece of news – for Milan is that they are Campioni d’Inverno (“Winter Champion”) as they clung to the top spot of the Serie A table despite suffering a humiliating 0-3 defeat at the hands of their nemesis Atalanta.

But maintaining the top place as the campionato reaches its turning point was due to cross-town rivals Inter failing to make a full score against Udinese rather than to the performance put up by the Rossoneri – which was arguably the worst seen this season.

Milan’s renaissance under Stefano Pioli had started right when they began to pick up the pieces following a humbling 0-5 setback at the Gewiss Stadium. And so, a little more than one year later, it will be another shocking defeat conceded to Atalanta to necessarily trigger some more soul searching for the Rossoneri.

They will start the second part of the league from the top position but with much less confidence as Atalanta were simply superior from all points of view today. Next Tuesday’s Coppa Italia derby against Inter will need to trigger a reaction.

For Milan, there was Soualiho Meité’s debut as a starter. The Frenchman was unexpectedly deployed as a trequartista, filling in Hakan Calhanoglu’s spot, between Samu Castillejo and Rafael Leao. Zlatan Ibrahimovic led the front line as usual.

Gian Piero Gasperini could line up his ideal starting XI, with his usual back three in defense and a four-man midfield line. Matteo Pessina played in the hole supporting Josip Ilicic and Duvan Zapata. There was no room, obviously, for El Papu Gomez – who is reportedly on the verge of leaving Bergamo and the Serie A to join Sevilla.

#MilanAtalanta ⚽@soualihomeite with his first start ?
Prima da titolare per Meïte ?#SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/YzYV5Qg35C

— AC Milan (@acmilan) January 23, 2021

Milan had a strong start but the delusion was short-lasting. Atalanta took over and came to threaten Gianluigi Donnarumma first with a Hans Hateboer shot deflected into corner by Frank Kessié, and then with another tight angle challenge from the Dutchman that severely tested the Rossoneri goalie’s reflexes.

The Bergamaschi built up on their pressure and made their breakthrough in the 25th minute with a clinical Cristian Romero header. From a short corner, the defender caught a Robin Gosens cross in the middle of the box and bested Pierre Kalulu to put the ball into the back of the net.

Milan struggled to find counter measures and got pegged back into their own half. Ilicic was a constant threat and his free-kick effort on 38 minutes drew another save from Donnarumma.

The Rossoneri‘s only effort came from a Sandro Tonali set piece on which Zlatan Ibrahimovic pounced a split second too late, failing to connect with the ball. As the curtain fell on an intense yet dimly entertaining first half, Stefano Pioli could definitely not be happy with his side’s performance.

? La nostra formazione iniziale!
⚡️ Here's our #StartingXI to face @acmilan!

Presented by @Plus500#MilanAtalanta #SerieATIM #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️? pic.twitter.com/QQMmo8RCTi

— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) January 23, 2021

Brahim Diaz replaced Meité after the restart as the Milan trainer recognized his experiment had not quite worked out.

But things got much worse for the Rossoneri on 52 minutes as Josip licic buried the spot, converting a penalty he gained when Kessié challenged him in the box with his elbow raised too high. Gianluigi Donnarumma dived to the right direction but couldn’t do anything to stop the Slovenian’s shot.

Right before that, Kalulu had picked up a calf injury from which he couldn’t recover. On 56 minutes, Pioli thus had to scrape the barrel and send in Mateo Musacchio, the bottom-ranked option in his center-back pecking order.

Duvan Zapata literally spared the Rossoneri the humiliation of a third goal as he squandered a golden cross from the right side and sent the ball crashing into the empty stands of the San Siro while no one was marking him.

Ilicic, on the other hand, should have had his second, if only for the brilliant feint by which he got rid of Musacchio’s opposition. His sharp shot made a shiver run down Donnarumma’s back, but ended a few inches too wide.

⚠️ | QUICK STAT

Josip Iličić against Milan since coming to Atalanta:

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? (played 14' off the bench)
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Always showing up when facing I Rossoneri! ?#MilanAtalanta pic.twitter.com/Aal8OevdaI

— SofaScore (@SofaScoreINT) January 23, 2021

On 69 minutes, Pioli played his last cards as he sent in Ante Rebic and new joiner Mario Mandzukic. The Croatian veteran immediately made an impact, taking part in Milan’s first real chance in the second half. His conclusion was pushed back by Pierluigi Gollini, though.

Atalanta didn’t slow down and Milan got away again four minutes later, when only Donnarumma’s right post could deny Zapata’s header – as the Colombian had had better aim this time. But since three is a charm, Duvan made no mistake on 77 minutes, making the best out of a Cristian Romero pass.

When Luis Muriel replaced an outstanding Jopic Ilicic with nine minutes to go, there was reason to believe the hammering was not over as Milan’s defenders were into panic mode and the Colombian striker is a lethal finisher when he comes from the bench. The score wouldn’t change anymore, but that didn’t make Milan’s defeat less painful at all.

Before the end, the beauty of the silent empty stadium allowed us to overhear a new Ibrahimovic pearl, addressed in frustration to some unidentified Atalanta player: “I scored more goals in my career than the games you played!“. Pure Zlatan wisdom, but that was the only thing the Swede could produce today.  

 

MATCH REPORT

January 23, 2021 – Serie A 2020-21 Round 19
MILAN-ATALANTA 0-3

SCORERS: 25′ Romero, 52′ Ilicic pen., 77′ Zapata

REFEREE: Mr. Mariani from Aprilia
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Hernandez, Kessié (M), Gosens (A); Extra Time: 1st Half 0′, 2nd Half 6′