Milan drew 1-1 at Atalanta, Modric was locked down

AC Milan left Atalanta with 1 point after an intense 1-1 draw, where Luka Modric was held to a tight scoreline for 90 minutes. Samuele Ricci opened the scoring very early in the 4th minute, but Ademola Lookman equalized in the 35th minute. After a second consecutive draw, Milan were 3 points behind Napoli after round 9 of Serie A 2025/26.

The pivotal moment

Right from the first corner kick of the match, Atalanta defender cleared the ball to the edge of the 16m50, Samuele Ricci rushed in with a one-touch volley, the ball went low and dangerous, opening the score 1-0 for Milan in the 4th minute. The loss did not slow Atalanta down. The home team accelerated, tightened the intensity and pushed their formation close to the opponent's penalty area.

In the 35th minute, Atalanta's combination on the edge of the penalty area opened up a gap: Mario Pašalić crossed for Ademola Lookman to cut in, shoot hard from a tight angle, defeat Mike Maignan to equalize 1-1.

Main events

Atalanta entered round 9 as one of two teams still unbeaten in the top 5 European leagues (along with Bayern Munich) and had just gone through a series of 4 consecutive draws in Serie A. At home, they showed their true character: high intensity, high pressing, putting strong pressure on Milan's midfield.

In the 20th minute, Ederson shot with his left foot from the edge of the box, forcing Maignan to dive to save. Before that, Marten de Roon was injured and replaced by Marco Brescianini, but Atalanta's pressing structure remained the same, continuing to cause trouble in the visitors' midfield.

Coach Max Allegri built his game around Luka Modric, while also looking for a first Serie A goal for Santi Giménez, who played high up the pitch alongside Rafael Leão. However, with Modric blocked, Milan gradually lost control and precision in their early second-half moves.

Dissatisfied with the game, Allegri took off Leão to bring on Christopher Nkunku, but the balance remained the same: Atalanta continued to take the initiative, Milan kept missing the rhythm in midfield. Modric ended the match with a yellow card in the context of being closely monitored.

Tactical analysis: pressing and blocking Modric

Atalanta suffocated the midfield by pushing their team high up the pitch, pressing high as soon as Milan started to build up in their own third. The key was to limit Modric’s space: the pressers were directed towards the centre, blocking the one-to-one passing lanes to Ricci and the front line. When Modric couldn’t turn, Milan lost their rhythm, and their release from the press became slow and inaccurate.

In the opposite direction, Atalanta's way of attacking the ball before the equalizer showed systematicity: stretching horizontally before penetrating into the gaps right in front of Milan's defense, creating conditions for Pašalić to create and Lookman to finish decisively from a tight angle.

Selected statistics

• Score: Atalanta 1-1 Milan
• Goals: Lookman 35' – Ricci 4'
• Milan draw second consecutive match in Serie A
• Before round 9, Atalanta had 4 consecutive draws in Serie A
• Napoli – Milan gap: 3 points after round 9

Table of goals scored

Impact on the race

The draw helped Atalanta maintain their unbeaten streak and continue to be one of the models of intensity in Serie A. For Milan, 1 point away from a strong opponent is acceptable in terms of results, but the way they started the game well and then lost their rhythm under pressure shows that they still depend heavily on Modric's ability to regulate.

After round 9, Napoli widened the gap to 3 points. In round 10, Max Allegri and his team returned to San Siro to welcome AS Roma - the team currently ranked second in Serie A. This will be the next test of Milan's ability to control the midfield and solve the pressing problem.

Score

Atalanta: Lookman 35'. Milan: Ricci 4'.