AC Milan 5-1 Fiorentina: Full time and highlights

Pre-match

Genarro Gatusso handed starts to Patrick Cutrone on the wing and Manuel Locatelli in midfield. Stefano Pioli brought Bryan Dabo and Sebastian Cristoforo into his midfield and stuck a not-fully fit Vitor Hugo into the back line.

First half

20 minutes in, Dabo won the ball in the Viola half, motored forward, and released Federico Chiesa. The winger in turn played a flawless ball past the AC Milan defense which Giovanni Simeone, who’d timed his run perfectly, met in the area and neatly chipped over an onrushing Gianluigi Donnarumma to hand the visitors a shock lead.

90 seconds later, Germán Pezzella slid in on Nikola Kalinić just outside the area. Despite catching all ball, the Argentine was booked, and Hakan Çalhanoğlu curled a free kick into the back of the net. Honestly, Marco Sportiello probably should have done a lot better, but the Rossoneri had drawn level.

5 minutes before halftime, Çalhanoğlu twisted away from Maxi Olivera and played in a low cross that Cutrone met with a diving header that glanced past Sportiello, leaving the custodian with no chance. Just like that, Fiorentina had fallen behind.

Second half

4 minutes after the restart, Nikola Kalinić scored against his old club, because of course he did. Çalhanoğlu again slipped free, this time down the right, and crossed for Cutrone, whom Cristiano Biraghi had completely lost at the back post. Bartłomiej Drągowski made a fantastic point-blank save, but Kalinić was first to the rebound and scrambled it home.

On the hour mark, Fiorentina gave the ball away in midfield for the umpteenth time and set Milan away on the counter. Kalinić flicked it on for Çalhanoğlu, who played in Cutrone down the wing. The forward, 1-v-1 with Drągowski, smacked the ball past him for his brace.

Giacomo Bonaventura added another at 76’, running from the center circle to the edge of the Viola box before firing a low shot that Drągowski really should have stopped.

Full time

Goals: Çalhanoğlu 23’, Cutrone 41’ (ass. Çalhanoğlu), Kalinić 49’, Cutrone 60’ (ass. Çalhanoğlu); Simeone 20’ (ass. Chiesa)

Cards: Kessié 26’, Çalhanoğlu 34’; Pezzella 22’