AC Milan stayed in the Serie A title race after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Genoa, settled deep in added time and then almost lost from the penalty spot. Rafael Leao struck in the 92nd minute, cancelling Lorenzo Colombo’s opener, before Nicolae Stanciu fired a 99th-minute penalty over, leaving Milan three points behind leaders Inter.
The draw extended Milan’s unbeaten league run this season to 17 matches, their longest such streak in Serie A since a 19-game sequence that ended in May 2004. The point preserved their momentum in the title chase, yet the performance also highlighted areas that Massimiliano Allegri felt still required clear improvement.
Milan spent most of the contest on the front foot, registering 32 attempts, with eight efforts on target,
plus two strikes against the frame of the goal. Their attacking pressure produced 2.45 expected goals, yet only one actual goal, which concerned Allegri, who demanded greater control when facing compact, defensive setups like Genoa’s.
Allegri stressed that the result should be viewed as a learning step for a squad aiming for consistency at the highest level. "In football, you take whatever the result gives you," he told DAZN. "We have to take the positives from this match. " "They were very good at shutting us down. " Milan still created openings but lacked composure at key moments.
The coach explained that Milan struggled particularly during a difficult first period when Genoa limited space and then punished a lapse. Milan improved after the interval as Genoa’s intensity faded and the hosts pushed higher. Allegri’s main concern, though, was how Milan managed transitions while chasing the game against a low defensive block.
"The thing that we have to improve on is our patience against these low-block teams so that we dont leave ourselves exposed on the counter-attack, which is how we risked losing this game. " "Its a lesson in maturity if we want to achieve our goal, which is to finish in the top four. " "We have to improve. " "We didnt have enough patience, we were too hasty and haste leads nowhere. "
Leao’s late header, his seventh Serie A goal of the campaign, capped Milan’s relentless attacking push and avoided defeat at San Siro. Genoa, however, remained dangerous on breaks and finally earned a penalty in the 99th minute, only for Stanciu to send the spot-kick over, missing a huge chance for an away victory.
Genoa’s failure from the spot continued a worrying pattern in Serie A this season. Genoa have now missed three of their four penalties in the current league campaign, the highest number of failed attempts from the spot by any side in this tournament. That record made Stanciu’s miss especially notable in the wider context of their season.
Rafa nodded in his seventh league goal this season Brought to you by @SN4IFUN pic.twitter.com/ircTnRtmG0AC Milan (@acmilan) January 9, 2026
Head coach Danielle De Rossi accepted responsibility for the choice of penalty taker after the match, pointing out that the players usually on duty had already been substituted. "Before the game, we had two penalty takers: [Ruslan] Malinovskyi and [Aaron] Martin, but I brought them both off," De Rossi explained. The decision then passed to the coaching staff.
De Rossi detailed why Stanciu was selected for such a crucial kick, citing training performances and the options left on the pitch. "It was my choice [to let Stanciu take it] because Ive seen how he takes them in training and has an incredible shot. " "Given the other players that were on the pitch, I thought it was a reasonable choice. "
The Genoa coach also expressed regret for how the situation unfolded for Stanciu and the squad. "Im sorry for him because hes a great guy, who never lowers his professionalism, even if he isnt playing. " "He deserved to celebrate, as did the others given the game we played. " For Milan and Genoa, the draw reflected both progress and missed opportunities within a tense Serie A contest.
