While goals from Pulisic and Gimenez stole headlines, the true revelation was something more strategic. Under manager Sergio Conceicao, Milan has found what they sorely lacked earlier in the season.
On a charged Friday night at San Siro, Milan surged past Bologna with a commanding 3-1 victory, a result that did more than just keep their fading Serie A top-four hopes alive. With Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final looming, this match served as a spirited preview of what’s to come—and Santiago Gimenez and Christian Pulisic were the undisputed stars.
Despite trailing early in the second half, Milan stormed back with three unanswered goals, delivering both a morale-boosting win and a subtle message to their upcoming rivals: the Rossoneri are not done yet. But beyond the goals and the glory, this performance quietly hinted at a deeper transformation taking shape within the squad—a hidden weapon they will now unleash on the biggest stage of their season.
Test of nerve before the final
The Rossoneri entered the match in ninth place, needing nothing short of victory to maintain any hopes of a top-four finish. Their task became even harder when Fikayo Tomori was forced off early after a scary head collision, leaving the defense temporarily unsettled.
For much of the first half, they controlled possession but failed to convert, with Pulisic and Luka Jovic threatening but denied. Bologna remained dangerous, particularly on the counter-attack, and Riccardo Orsolini punished the home side shortly after the break, curling in a low shot from the right to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
As they have so often this season, Milan responded to adversity with resilience. The equalizer came in the 73rd minute when Gimenez calmly slotted home after a deflected cross from Pulisic. The U.S. international then turned scorer himself, pouncing on a rebound to make it 2-1 with just over ten minutes to play. Gimenez added a second in stoppage time to seal the victory.
“Wednesday is very important for us,” Gimenez told Sky Italia after the match. “We are well-prepared, we’ve come off four wins and we are ready for this Final.”
Pulisic 🤝🏼 Gimenezpic.twitter.com/MjlpvbSMlN
— Milan Posts (@MilanPosts) May 10, 2025
Unveiling Milan’s hidden ace
While goals from Pulisic and Gimenez stole headlines, the true revelation was something more strategic. Under manager Sergio Conceicao, Milan has found what they sorely lacked earlier in the season: consistency.
That shift didn’t happen overnight. The Rossoneri have now taken 22 Serie A points from losing positions—second only to Atletico Madrid across Europe’s top five leagues. Crucially, 19 of those points came after Conceicao adopted a three-man defense, a tactical switch that has quietly transformed the team.
“We found some consistency now, which is important for us,” Pulisic told Sky Italia. “We know that we have a great spirit, but we’re playing really good games at the moment.”
That consistency, more than the goals or the drama, could be Milan’s ace in the hole heading into the Coppa Italia final. It has provided structure, belief, and a clear identity—something the team lacked earlier in the campaign.“If we win two trophies in one season, you cannot say that is a normal campaign,” added Pulisic.
“We want to keep that going. Of course, we’re not satisfied with where we are in Serie A, but we’re doing well right now and it is important that we end the season well.”
