AC Milan held on through a dramatic ending to beat Atalanta 3-2 in Serie A after letting a three-goal lead slip away. Adrien Rabiot was decisive, scoring one goal and helping create another as the Rossoneri controlled the match for an hour before facing intense pressure.
Both sides came into the game after European wins on Thursday. Milan had defeated RB Salzburg 4-0, while Atalanta earned a 3-1 victory over Pafos in the Conference League. However, the visitors were dealing with multiple injury issues, which worsened when Sead Kolasinac had to be replaced during the first half.
Despite Milan’s dominance and three goals, Atalanta produced a spirited fightback that nearly earned a point. Mike Maignan’s late save proved vital as the hosts secured the win.
Milan take control through Rabiot’s goal and a penalty converted by Ramos
Milan began brightly, with Rabiot shooting over from a good position before Christian Pulisic had a goal disallowed for offside in the 13th minute. Goncalo Ramos had flicked on Samuel Chukwueze’s low cross, but Pulisic could not celebrate.
Atalanta responded through Nikola Krstovic, who ran onto a pass from Jonathan Rowe and rounded Maignan. However, the striker found himself at too tight an angle and could only hit the side netting.
The visitors suffered another setback when Kolasinac had to leave the pitch with an injury. Youth-team player Relja Obric came on, but his involvement quickly turned costly when he handled a Yunus Musah shot inside the penalty area. VAR identified the offence, and Ramos converted the resulting spot kick, sending Marco Carnesecchi the wrong way.
Milan doubled their advantage through Rabiot, who collected Diego Moreira’s precise pass, cut inside, and drove the ball through Obric’s legs into the bottom corner. The goal continued the French midfielder’s impressive contribution, marking his fourth goal involvement across four consecutive Serie A appearances.
The Rossoneri had another opportunity to extend their lead when Rabiot’s powerful volley struck Thomas Kristensen’s hand, resulting in a second penalty. This time, Carnesecchi guessed correctly and saved Ramos’ effort, but Milan scored from the subsequent corner. Rabiot flicked the ball towards the far post, where Mario Gila headed home from close range for his first Serie A goal since 2024.
Atalanta’s comeback turns Milan’s victory into a thriller
Atalanta finally began to threaten after the hour mark, with Krstovic striking the base of the post from the edge of the area following Gianluca Gaetano’s assist. The warning was quickly followed by a goal as Gaetano collected a lay-off from Krstovic and calmly placed his finish beyond Maignan from a narrow angle.
The visitors gained further momentum when Raoul Bellanova broke down the right flank and delivered a low cross for Krstovic, who swept the ball into the net. Suddenly, Milan’s comfortable three-goal cushion had been reduced to a single goal, and the closing stages became increasingly tense.
Atalanta nearly completed the comeback when Davide Zappacosta found himself one-on-one with Maignan. The Milan goalkeeper rushed off his line and used his legs to block the attempt at the near post, preventing the visitors from drawing level.
Carnesecchi then denied an effort from Ardon Jashari, while Zappacosta fired another shot straight at Maignan. Ramos also had a stoppage-time counterattack thwarted as Milan fought to protect their advantage.
After controlling much of the contest, the Rossoneri had to withstand a late onslaught to secure the 3-2 victory. Rabiot’s influential display had helped establish their lead, but the team’s loss of concentration turned what appeared to be a comfortable afternoon into a nervy finish.