With a goal in each half, the hosts won the match played at the stadium Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, which was valid as Week 24 of the 2022-2023 Serie A TIM.
The start to the game was pretty balanced, with a threat coming off Milan on 7 minutes as Giroud’s half-volley was just over the bar. The deadlock was broken in the 25th minute when Theo Hernandez’s volley first bounced off the upright, hit Musso on the back and went in for an unfortunate own goal. Gasperini’s men tried to react but failed to cause problems for Maignan. On 33 minutes Leao fired over on a Milan counter. Despite a great all-out battle, the first half ended with the hosts leading by one goal.
In the second half, Musso denied both Giroud one-on-one (although the offside flag was up) and Leao around the hour mark, while Messias fired over from close range in the 71st minute. The black-and-blues piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser but the hosts allowed Atalanta very little and eventually doubled their lead through Messias on 86 minutes.
Gasperini’s men will kick off preparations for the home match against Udinese on Tuesday the 28th of February, with an afternoon training session taking place behind closed doors at the Centro Bortolotti.
MILAN 2-0 ATALANTA
Scorers: Musso own goal 25 (A), Messias 86 (M).
Milan: Maignan, Kalulu, Thiaw, Tomori, Messias (Saelemaekers 88), Krunic, Tonali, Hernandez, Diaz (De Ketelaere 74), Leao (Rebic 88), Giroud (Ibrahimovic 74). Bench: Tatarusanu, Mirante, Ballo-Tourè, Adli, Bakayoko, Kjaer, Origi, Pobega, Vranckx, Gabbia. Coach: Stefano Pioli.
Atalanta: Musso, Toloi, Djimsiti, Scalvini (Palomino 84), Zappacosta (Ruggeri 84), de Roon, Koopmeiners (Vorlický 84), Mæhle, Éderson (Boga 63), Lookman (Muriel 69), Højlund. Bench: Rossi, Sportiello, Okoli, Chiwisa, Muhameti, Soppy. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Referee: Maurizio Mariani from Aprilia.
Assistants: Pasquale De Meo from Foggia and Valerio Vecchi from Lamezia Terme.
Fourth official: Simone Sozza from Seregno.
V.A.R.: Marco Guida from Torre Annunziata.
A.V.A.R.: Eugenio Abbattista from Molfetta.
Notes: Toloi (A), Leao (M), Gasperini (A), Thiaw (M) and Krunic (M) booked.
