AC Milan began 2023 with a victory against Salernitana at the Stadio Arechi, but they were made to work hard for their 2-1 win.
Rafael Leão and Sandro Tonali had put Milan 2-0 up after a quarter of an hour but Ochoa was determined to stop Pioli’s men putting the game to bed and Bonazzoli made it a nervy last part of the game as he halved the deficit.
Nonetheless, Milan hung on for a crucial win to start the year, and the key stats from the came have been published on the official website…
➤ Milan have won six of their last seven (D1) Serie A matches at the start of the year.
➤ Milan scored two goals in the first 15 minutes of play in a Serie A match for the first time since Matchday 1 vs Udinese (August 2022).
➤ Milan had 10 shots on target in this match, less only to their total against Spezia (11) of all Serie A games this season.
➤ Rafael Leao has scored in the first Milan match of the year in each of the last 3 Serie A campaigns: 2023, 2022, 2021. He has now scored in two consecutive Serie A games for the first time since September 2021.
➤ Milan have won all six Serie A games where Sandro Tonali has scored.
➤ Sandro Tonali got a goal and an assist in a Serie A match for the first time in his career. Three of his five assists for AC Milan have been to Leão.
➤ Brahim Díaz had a goal contribution (an assist today) in an away Serie A match for the first time since December 2021.
