Following his underwhelming reign at Manchester United, Ruben Amorim landed another top job at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
His first proper night at San Siro, in front of a Rossoneri crowd, was always going to say more about this new era than the opening trip to Torino ever could. It said plenty: Milan controlled it from start to finish and won 2-0.
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Given how horrid Milan’s 2025-26 campaign was, missing out on the Champions League entirely, this was exactly the response the club needed from its new coach. Venezia arrived as San Siro’s first visitor under Amorim, freshly promoted and with nothing to lose, and for a spell in the first half they made life awkward. On paper it was always a game Milan should win. In the end, they did, comfortably enough that there was little late-game tension.
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San Siro Welcomed Amorim — And He Delivered
Amorim technically got his Milan bow at Torino on the opening weekend, a 2-1 win, but this was the real thing. San Siro is where reputations are built and lost, and the home crowd got what it came for.
A Controlled Bow in Front of 75,141
A near-capacity crowd of 75,141 turned up for Amorim’s first home game in charge, and Milan gave them a performance to match the occasion rather than a nervy one.
The hosts finished with 58% possession, 16 shots to Venezia’s 9, and an expected-goals reading of 2.21 to 0.80. Venezia, organized under Giovanni Stroppa, made Milan work for spells of the first half but were never able to turn that discipline into a genuine chance of their own.
How the Goals Came: Ramos and a Late Own Goal
The breakthrough didn’t arrive until the 69th minute, when Gonçalo Ramos converted an Alexis Saelemaekers assist to put Milan ahead. Venezia’s Redouane Halhal turned the ball into his own net in the 89th to make it 2-0 and put the result beyond doubt.
Four players picked up yellow cards across the ninety, Joël Schingtienne, Kike Pérez and Ridgeciano Haps for Venezia, and Strahinja Pavlovic for Milan, but the game never threatened to boil over.
Amorim’s Selection Calls, Explained
Amorim didn’t have a clean bill of health heading into the match, and a few of his calls were genuinely tough ones. Here’s how they actually played out.
The Goalkeeper Question Answered: Maignan Started
Mike Maignan started in goal, confirming he was fit enough for Amorim to trust his usual number one behind a defence still learning the new system.
The doubts over his long-term future haven’t gone away, with reports linking him with an exit still floating around, but for at least one more weekend his focus stayed on the pitch, and it showed.
Gila Started, Rabiot Came Off the Bench
Mario Gila’s muscle concern clearly wasn’t serious enough to keep him out, and he took his place in the back line from the first whistle.
Adrien Rabiot, who’d scored on his own Milan debut at Torino despite limited preseason training after his World Cup run with France, was managed more carefully this time, introduced alongside Alexis Saelemaekers in the 59th minute rather than risked from the start.
Both calls look like exactly the kind of squad management Amorim will need across a season that now includes European football as well.
The Attacking Puzzle, and Who Actually Delivered
The forward line was always going to be the most interesting part of this Milan side, and it was the forward line that won the game.
Gonçalo Ramos Justifies the Investment
Ramos’s 69th-minute finish was the first real reward for one of Milan’s biggest summer signings, and it came at the perfect moment, breaking a stubborn Venezia low block.
New arrivals like Diego Moreira add further competition for those attacking spots, a reminder of how much the profile of this Milan squad has shifted since the club that finished fifth last season.
Pulisic on the Bench, Chukwueze Named Man of the Match
Christian Pulisic, still working back from the lower-leg injury he picked up at the World Cup, was named among the substitutes rather than risked from the start.
He didn’t need to be rushed: Samuel Chukwueze took the individual honours instead, picking up Player of the Match with a 7.9 rating in a display that will have made Amorim’s selection headache for Juventus even trickier.
Milan’s Rebuilt Squad — Two Games, Two Wins
This is not the same Milan squad that limped through last season, and two matchdays in, the early signs back that up. The Torino opener, a 2-1 win built on goals from Alphadjo Cisse and Rabiot, gave the first real clues about how Amorim wants his team to play. The Venezia performance backed it up with a cleaner, more controlled version of the same idea.
Six points from six, four goals scored, one conceded. It’s a small sample, and Amorim himself would likely warn against reading too much into the table until after the first ten matches of the campaign. But for a club that spent all of last season adrift of the Champions League places, two assured performances back to back are exactly the kind of early signal Rossoneri fans were waiting for.
One thing worth watching: the individual ratings from these opening matches, Chukwueze’s standout display against Venezia included, will shape who Amorim trusts as he starts settling on a first-choice XI. Early in a manager’s tenure those performances carry more weight than usual, since he’s still learning who he can rely on.
It’s worth remembering the wider context too. Milan are back in continental competition this season, with a Europa League campaign to juggle alongside Serie A. That extra load makes squad depth and rotation more important than ever, which is exactly why the Rabiot and Pulisic management calls against Venezia mattered as much as the scoreline.
What’s Next: A Daunting Trip to Juventus
Milan won’t have long to enjoy this one. Amorim already has a trip to Juventus looming on September 6, a considerably tougher away test than either of the first two fixtures, and one that will tell us far more about where this Milan side really stands.
Two wins from two, a clean sheet away from just an own-goal-assisted result at home, and a fit, in-form squad heading into the next international window in decent shape, that’s about as good a platform as Amorim could have asked for going to Turin. The bigger picture matters here as well: after missing Europe entirely last season, Milan can’t afford slow starts against direct rivals, and Juventus is exactly the kind of fixture that separates a promising opening fortnight from a genuine statement of intent.
FAQs
What was the final score when Milan played Venezia?
Milan won 2-0 at San Siro. Gonçalo Ramos scored in the 69th minute, and Venezia’s Redouane Halhal added an own goal in the 89th.
Did Mike Maignan start in goal for Milan against Venezia?
Yes. He started as Milan’s number one despite ongoing transfer speculation around his future at the club.
Did Christian Pulisic play against Venezia?
He was named among the substitutes rather than in the starting eleven, as he continues working back from the lower-leg injury he picked up at the World Cup. He wasn’t needed in the end, with Samuel Chukwueze earning Player of the Match instead.
When do Milan play next after Venezia?
Milan travel to Juventus on September 6, a significantly tougher test than either of their opening two fixtures.
