AC Milan took a big step towards sealing a top four spot as they squeaked past a struggling Hellas Verona side on Sunday.
In what was a game that was lacking in clear-cut chances and quality play generally, the one crucial moment came came from Milan as Adrien Rabiot slotted Rafael Leao’s through ball past Montipo at the end of the first half.
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The Rossoneri had a goal disallowed in the second half for offside and left the result open until the final kick. Thankfully though they saw it out to move eight points clear of fifth place after Como and Roma failed to win, taking second back from Napoli too.
Set-ups and shape
Massimiliano Allegri made three changes to the starting line-up from the team that lost to Udinese. Fikayo Tomori and Matteo Gabbia came back into the three-man defence, while Youssouf Fofana got his spot back in midfield as the coach opted to revert to a 3-5-2 after the failed 4-3-3 experiment.
Verona’s higher press gave Milan opportunities to manipulate their structure. Bartesaghi dropped short to receive, dragging the opposition wing-back out of position.
This movement opened up space in behind, which Pulisic intelligently occupied. With the defensive line momentarily stretched and disorganised, Rabiot was then able to time a run between the right centre-back and the central defender, exploiting the gap created.
Gabbia once again inverted into midfield, a recurring build-up pattern that allowed the wide centre-backs to split and stretch Verona’s high press. This positional adjustment created better angles and spacing in the first phase, helping Milan play through the pressure more effectively.
Verona aimed to create central overloads by committing five players into the middle. The two central midfielders, the two number 10s, and the lone striker all occupied central zones to congest the space and combine.
Meanwhile, the wing-backs maintained width by holding the touchline, stretching Milan’s defensive shape horizontally and creating a balance between central density and wide expansion.
Verona implemented a horizontal pressing scheme, with the wing-back stepping up aggressively on the flank while the near-sided defensive midfielder shifted laterally to close central lanes.
At the same time, the near-sided number 10 supported the press by engaging Milan near the touchline, effectively trapping play on one side and limiting escape routes.
The decisive play
With Modrić dropping deeper and pulling his marker away, a gap opened up between Verona’s back three and midfield line. Milan capitalised by winning the first ball and immediately playing into that space between the lines.
Leão came short to receive, which drew the attention of the back three, while Pulisic’s positioning further occupied them. This movement disrupted the defensive structure, creating a channel between the centre-back and left centre-back, a gap that Rabiot then exploited with a well-timed run.
The hosts battle back
Verona’s central overload proved effective in this instance. With five players positioned in close proximity, they were well-placed to react to second balls and forward passes.
When a ball was played over Milan’s last line of defence, that compact central presence allowed Verona to quickly gather it and convert the situation into a shot on target.
Another opportunity for Verona arose from a poorly cleared corner by Rabiot. Verona reacted quickly to the second ball, recycling possession out to the left wing.
Milan’s defensive organisation faltered in the aftermath: Giménez’s positioning was careless, leaving Orban unmarked in a dangerous area. This forced Gabbia into a last-ditch tackle to prevent what could have been a certain goal.
Once again, Verona’s back three were exposed by Milan’s attacking structure, with a gap opening between the right centre-back and the central defender.
Giménez identified the space and slipped a well-weighted through ball to Bartesaghi. Although Bartesaghi’s cross was ineffective, the second phase kept the move alive, and Saelemaekers’ follow-up effort forced a goal-line clearance.
The data
Verona registered 12 interceptions compared to Milan’s 1, which points to a clear disparity in defensive anticipation and passing efficiency.
From Milan’s perspective, it reflects imprecision and predictability in their ball circulation, allowing Verona to read passing lanes and disrupt build-up phases with relative ease.
Milan circulated the ball at a higher tempo, averaging around 9 km/h, which reflects a clear sense of urgency in possession. However, that speed did not translate into effective chance creation, as they generated only 0.8 xG.
This disparity highlights a lack of precision in the final third: while the ball progression was quick, the execution in key moments was not accurate enough to produce high-quality opportunities.
