At the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Juventus appeared to be on their way towards their first Serie A win of the season, as Alvaro Morata gave them an early lead against Milan. The Bianconeri were the better side during the first 45 minutes, but it turned out to be a story of two halves, as Stefano Pioli’s men entered the second period with a better approach, and eventually scored an equalizer through Ante Rebic, as the two giants shared the spoils in an arguably fair draw. So here are our player ratings for Sunday’s big showdown between Juventus and Milan.
Juventus XI
Wojciech Szczesny – 6.5
The Pole is coming off a shaky start of the season (to say the least), but he made a decisive save on Kalulu late in the match to secure a point for Max Allegri’s team.
Danilo – 6.5
A typical performance from the former Manchester City man who was mostly solid at the back while also attempting to support his teammates upfront on a few occasions. Kept Leao at bay for the majority of the match.
Leonardo Bonucci – 6.5
A decent outing from the Euro 2020 winner against his old side. Supported Chiellini in the battle against Rebic, and put Rabiot on goal with a sublime long ball.
Giorgio Chiellini – 7
The Juventus captain was always alert and made some key interceptions at the back. Comfortably dealt with Rebic as he marked him out of play.
Alex Sandro – 7
Another impressive performance from the left-back who’s finding his feet again. Launched the counter attack that led to Morata’s opener and was a constant threat for his opponents on the flank, dribbling his way past them on some occasions.
Juan Cuadrado – 5.5
The Colombian was given the freedom to roam by Allegri, as he moved from side to side, but it turned out to be one of the rare evenings where he couldn’t truly influence the match.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 7
A big performance in the middle of the park by the former Boca Juniors man. Won the ball back for his side on numerous occasions and caused trouble for the Rossoneri with his through balls, with one of them setting Rabiot free on goal.
Manuel Locatelli – 6.5
Another Juventus player with a past at Milan. The Italian was solid if not spectacular as he made some significant interceptions – including one on Florenzi late in the match – but the Bianconeri supporters are waiting to see more from him on the ball.
Adrien Rabiot – 5.5
The Frenchman wasted two great opportunities to make 2-0 after being put through on goal by Bentancur and Bonucci. Moreover, he was arguably the main culprit on Milan’s equalizer, as he gave away a needless corner kick and then failed to make the clearance.
Paulo Dybala – 7
The Argentine star provided the smart assist for Morata on Juve’s lone goal, and almost doubled the lead but his low drive was saved by Maignan. Additionally, he fought for every ball, and tracked back to help his team in retrieving the ball.
Alvaro Morata – 7
For the third match in a row, the Spaniard found the back of the net, this time with a ferocious run from the halfway line before dinking the ball over Maignan. Worked hard for his team but left the pitch in the second half after potentially receiving a knock.
Juventus Substitutes
Moise Kean – 6
The striker entered at a time when his team was no longer the dominant side and found very little service, but still threatened the opponents on a couple of occasions.
Federico Chiesa – N/A
Dejan Kulusevski – N/A
4 – #Juventus are winless in their first four seasonal Serie A matches for only the fourth time in their history, after 1961/62, 1955/56 and 1942/43.Breathlessness.#SerieA #JuventusMilan #JuveMilan
— OptaPaolo ? (@OptaPaolo) September 19, 2021
Milan XI
Mike Maignan – 7
The French goalkeeper couldn’t do much on Morata’s opener, but kept his side in the match with a series of confident saves.
Fikayo Tomori – 6
The former Chelsea man started the match in an unusual right-back role, but eventually found himself at the heart of defense following Kjaer’s injury. He was outran by his opponents at times, and his passing wasn’t always accurate, but still made some decisive interferences on the likes of Rabiot, Morata and Dybala.
Simon Kjaer – 6
The Dane’s battle with Morata was cut short following his first half injury.
Alessio Romagnoli – 6.5
A solid performance from the captain who returned to the starting lineup against the team that he could potentially join next season. Made some key interventions inside his own penalty box, and helped in launching some of his team’s attacks.
Theo Hernandez – 6
A quieter than usual display from the former Real Madrid man. He had the better of Cuadrado at times, but didn’t put himself in threatening positions.
Franck Kessié – 5.5
A forgettable display from “The President” who is still struggling to rediscover his spectacular form from last season following his return from injury. Helped Milan’s defense, but his attacking influence was non-existent.
Sandro Tonali – 8
A thrilling performance from the ever-improving Italian. Fought hard to keep Milan in the match at a time when Juventus were threatening to run away with the lead. Dominated the action after the break as he orchestrated his team’s attacks and provided the assist for the equalizer from the corner kick.
Alexis Saelemaekers – 5.5
The Belgian was pushed back by Sandro’s dangerous runs, and failed to impose himself on the right flank.
Brahim Diaz – 6.5
The young playmaker started slow, but he showcased his thrilling skill-set late in the match. Failed to score when he found himself inside the opponents’ box as he was mobbed by Juventus defenders. Nonetheless, his dribbling and passing almost added more misery for the Old Lady.
Rafael Leao -6
The Portuguese struggled throughout the first half, but like several of his teammates, his influence grew in the second half.
Ante Rebic – 6.5
The Croatian expectedly struggled every time he faced Chiellini and Bonucci, but eventually, he turned out to be Pioli’s savior, as he expertly escaped his marker to meet the corner kick and nod the ball home.
Milan Substitutes
Pierre Kalulu – 6
The Frenchman had some difficulties in containing Sandro, but offered an extra lung for his side with his runs on the right flank. Almost scored Milan’s second of the night but was denied by Szczesny.
Ismael Bennacer – 6
Helped Milan in winning the midfield battle following his introduction.
Alessandro Florenzi – 5.5
The former Roma captain offered more quantity than quality.
Daniel Maldini – N/A
Sandro Tonali’s performance vs. Juventus:
90 minutes played
46 completed passes
92% pass completion
1 assist
4 accurate long balls
2 chances created
7 duels won
2 successful tackles
7 ball recoveriesGem mint midfielder ??⚫️ pic.twitter.com/XvhQPkl4rg
— Matt Santangelo ?? (@Matt_Santangelo) September 19, 2021