Milan Player Ratings vs Roma: Pavlovic Emerges as Rossoneri Hero | OneFootball

Milan eked out a narrow 1-0 home win over fierce rivals Roma to bounce back from back-to-back draws and close the gap to Napoli to a single point. An intense Serie A clash at Stadio San Siro saw both sides waste a number of chances, with Strahinja Pavlovic’s first-half strike deciding an evenly fought contest.

Roma enjoyed a better start to the game and had a chance to break the deadlock in the very first minute. But Bryan Cristante fluffed his lines. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team then forced Mike Maignan to make several routine saves as they continued to dominate proceedings.

However, after failing to capitalize on their momentum, Roma fell behind toward the end of the first half. Rafael Leao was too hot to handle for Zeiki Celik before setting up Pavlovic on a silver platter. The Serbian center-back tapped the ball behind Mile Svilar to hand Milan an all-important halftime lead.

Buoyed by a blistering end to the first half, which also witnessed Youssouf Fofana squander a golden opportunity to make it 2-0, Milan continued to create chances. However, the hosts were atypically wasteful in front of goal, with Leao missing a couple of sitters. Furthermore, Christopher Nkunku hit the post from a few years out.

Milan got nearly punished for their embarrassing finishing when Fofana handled the ball inside the box. Yet, Maignan bailed his countryman out, pulling off a superb save to thwart Paulo Dybala’s penalty in the dying moments. Without further ado, let’s look at our Milan ratings.

Milan (3-5-2)

Mike Maignan – 8/10

Though his cheap giveaway nearly enabled Roma to find an early opener, the Milan captain grew into the context and made a crucial save to deny Dybala, helping his side secure all three points.

Koni De Winter – 6/10

The Belgian center-back had several shaky moments on either side of halftime, making several poor anticipations and often struggling to cope with Dybala’s quick feet.

Matteo Gabbia – 7/10

Far more composed than his younger teammate, the Rossoneri academy graduate delivered another reassuring performance, imposing himself as a dominant force in the air.

Strahinja Pavlovic – 9/10

Pavlovic’s meteoric rise under Allegri continues to gather pace. Beyond scoring the match-winning goal, the Serbian defender was immense at the back, timing his tackles to perfection while using every opportunity to venture forward.

Davide Bartesaghi – 6/10

It’s hard to expect the young wingback to maintain his spot in the starting XI after Pervis Estupinan’s recovery, especially following tonight’s unconvincing showing. Despite showing some promise in attack, the Italian teenager faltered in defense.

Samuele Ricci – 6/10

Though the former Torino talisman nearly scored another long-range screamer, his overall performance left a lot to be desired, as he couldn’t find his rhythm this evening.

Luka Modric – 7/10

Unlike Ricci, Modric was once again pivotal in the middle of the park, helping Milan retain possession under pressure while distributing the ball with purpose and precision.

Youssouf Fofana – 5/10

The French midfielder could’ve easily scored two goals tonight. Not only did he miss two massive chances, but he also gave away a mindless penalty.

Alexis Saelemaekers – 6/10

Far more involved in Milan’s attacking moves than Bartesaghi, Saelemaekers injected pace and energy down the right flank but lacked the final product.

Christopher Nkunku – 6/10

After a relatively quiet first half, the ex-Chelsea forward sprang into life after the break. However, it’s incredible how he failed to score from a point-blank range after being left unmarked at the near post.

Rafael Leao – 7/10

The Portuguese superstar’s moment of brilliance inspired Milan to victory. Yet, he could’ve and should’ve scored at least one goal this evening, only for his lackadaisical approach to let him down.

Substitutes

Ruben Loftus-Cheek – N/A