No Cutting Edge, No Defensive Cohesion: Milan’s Problems Mount
Bentornati!
For Bologna’s narrow win over Milan, I mainly focused on the Rossoneri’s defensive phase, particularly their backline.
The way they defended, their positioning, and how they reacted to Bologna’s attacking patterns were all key aspects to analyze.
Milan lined up in a 4-2-3-1, but with some key tweaks.
Yunus Musah played as a right winger, while Joao Felix operated in his more natural central attacking midfield role.
Christian Pulisic started on the bench, and in midfield, Tijjani Reijnders played deeper alongside Youssouf Fofana, acting as a deep playmaker.
Up front, Santiago Gimenez led the line, a striker who thrives on running into space, meaning players like Reijnders and Felix had to find him with through balls.
Milan had the chance to take control of the game from the very first minute when Gimenez was presented with a huge opportunity, but he missed. The chance came through a brilliant run and pass from Musah, who put in an impressive display. The American winger registered 44 touches, completed 11 of his 20 passes (55%), won 5 of his 6 ground duels, and successfully completed both of his dribble attempts. His energy and drive were crucial in Milan’s attempts to break through Bologna’s defensive structure.
Fofana to Gimenez on the 9th minute - a key through ball, and that’s exactly the kind of play Conceicao wanted from his team.
Sergio Conceicao changed his starting formation once again - why? Maybe he needed to find balance in this team because Bologna stresses you a lot defensively.
Defensively, Milan alternated between a 4-4-2 high block and a mid-block, depending on the situation. In the mid-block, Felix moved up alongside Gimenez, while Reijnders was responsible for pressing Bologna’s key midfielders.
Despite not always pressing aggressively, Milan kept a compact shape, but that came with risks.
The 7th minute saw a long ball over their high defensive line, exposing the danger of that setup. Bologna clearly had a plan to go direct when possible, as seen again in the 10th and 36th minutes, both leading to dangerous situations.
One of Milan’s biggest defensive issues was their high line, which lacked stability. The back four did not always shift together, leaving gaps that Bologna exploited with long balls. This lack of cohesion meant Bologna could find space behind Milan’s defense on multiple occasions, putting them under unnecessary pressure.
Bologna’s pressing was another key theme. They applied intense pressure when Milan tried to build out from the back, especially using passes to the fullbacks as a trigger to step up and close down space. This was evident in sequences around the 8th, 11th, and 13th minutes.
However, Milan did manage to break through when Bologna’s press wasn’t sharp. When the hosts left spaces, Milan took advantage - like when Rafael Leao found Joao Felix with a through ball, exploiting Bologna’s momentary lack of defensive compactness.
Milan’s goal, however, came from a direct approach similar to Bologna’s. A long ball forward, Gimenez using his strength and aerial ability to flick it on, and Rafa Leao finishing it off. It was a perfect example of how Milan’s plan worked - not just in keeping midfield numbers high, but also in winning physical battles up top.
In the first 45 minutes, Milan’s strategy paid off at least in terms of results, with Milan creating density in the midfield and forcing Bologna to attack primarily from the flanks.
However, Milan struggled to create clear chances after that, with only Musah and Luka Jovic testing Bologna’s defense.
Their lack of cutting edge allowed Bologna to stay in the game, and eventually, Milan paid the price.
The winning goal came from a simple throw-in - poor concentration, ball watching, and a lapse that should never happen at this level.
A defeat that not only exposed Milan’s vulnerabilities but also dealt a serious blow to their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. With competition for the top spots tightening, this loss could prove costly in the race for European football.
The second-half attacking stats reflected Milan’s struggles: Pulisic had just 15 touches, Jovic only 3 (including a header on goal), and Abraham also managed just 3 touches - not enough to give Milan the punch they needed to stage a comeback.
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