AC Milan extended an unbeaten Serie A run to 21 matches, yet dropped points in a 1-1 draw with Roma at Stadio Olimpico, as Massimiliano Allegri stressed the result still helped the club’s top-four push
despite heavy pressure from the hosts across long spells.
Milan moved ahead on 62 minutes through a precise Koni De Winter header, but Roma equalised from the spot 12 minutes later when Lorenzo Pellegrini converted a penalty, leaving Allegri’s side five points behind leaders Inter, who defeated Pisa 6-2 on Friday.
Roma created the clearer chances across the match, finishing with 15 attempts and an expected goals figure of 2.75, while Milan generated just five shots and an xG of 0.44, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan producing seven saves that prevented a heavier outcome for the visitors.
That pressure was clear before half-time, as Roma out-shot Milan 11 to one during the opening 45 minutes, meaning Allegri’s side ended a Serie A first half with at least 10 more efforts conceded than taken for the first time since July 2020, when facing Napoli with identical numbers.
Reflecting on the overall display, Allegri underlined both Roma’s intensity and the value of avoiding defeat in the capital at this point of the campaign, especially as Milan gained ground on Napoli and kept Roma from closing the gap in the chase for Champions League qualification.
Allegri told DAZN Italia: "I think the first fewminutes were good, then Roma pushed us back, they kept getting to the second ball quicker than we did and were dangerous,Allegri told DAZN Italia. Maignan did well to keep us in the game with some good saves. After the break, it was different. We did better on a technical level and Roma also lost some of their intensity. Once we had taken the lead, the match seemed to be on track, but these incidents can happen. We leave with a positive result, as coming to the Olimpico and getting a point at this stage of the season is very important. We gained a point on Napoli and maintained Roma at the same distance they were before. "
AC Milan Serie A attacking choices and late substitutions
Allegri started with a front pairing of Rafael Leao and Christopher Nkunku, leaving Christian Pulisic and January arrival Niclas Fullkrug on the bench, and then altered the attack in the second half as Milan tried to manage the game after going in front.
Fullkrug entered on 68 minutes but struggled to trouble Roma’s defence, with one late header clearing the crossbar, while Pulisic also featured from the bench as Allegri searched for more aerial presence and composure during the closing stages against the home side’s sustained pressure.
Discussing those calls, Allegri said: "They are all important players, Allegri said of his team selection. When I had to make changes, Leao and Nkunku were improving, but I needed someone good in the air with the determination of Pulisic who could kill off the game. Of course, the moment you think one thing, something else happens. "
Despite the frustration of losing a lead, Milan left Stadio Olimpico with an unbeaten league sequence intact, a small gain on Napoli, and the gap to Roma unchanged, keeping Allegri’s team in control of their top-four ambitions as the Serie A schedule continues to tighten.
