Pre-match

Daniele Bonera (deputizing for the ill Stefano Pioli) trotted out nearly the exact XI we predicted, although Alexis Saelemaekers was fit enough to start. Cesare Prandelli opted for a 4-3-3 with Franck Ribery and José Callejón flanking Dušan Vlahović up top, with the rest of the outfield unchanged from the midweek slugfest at Udinese.

First half

Fiorentina’s defense completely switched off on AC Milan’s first corner. Erick Pulgar and Martín Cáceres just let the ball bounce through and didn’t track Alessio Romagnoli, who easily headed home at the back post after some indescribably lackadaisical marking.

Germán Pezzella was the next to make a bad defensive mistake, sliding in on Alexis Saelemaekers after the Belgian got in behind to meet a relatively simple pass through, earning himself a yellow card.

Franck Kessié made no mistake from the spot, sending Bartłomiej Drągowski the wrong way.

Cáceres made a boneheaded challenge to concede another penalty. While Theo Hernández went down hilariously easily, the Uruguayan did get his arm up on the chest in the area, and there was never any question that Milan would get that call at the San Siro.

Bart, however, figured Kessié out the second time around and produced a brilliant save on the spot kick.

Second half

Just ugly, scrappy, disjointed football for another 45 minutes with no real signs of a fightback.

Full time

Goals: Romagnoli 17’ (ass. Kessié), Kessié PK 27’

Cards: Rebić 45’+2, Kessié 71’; Pezzella 25’, Castrovilli 52’, Biraghi 86’, Amrabat 90’+1

What’s next

The Rossoneri go 5 points clear of Inter Milan at the top of the table and extend their unbeaten streak to start the season to 9 games. The Viola, on the other hand, drop to 16th and could fall into the relegation places if things break the right way. They haven’t scored in 409 minutes of league play. Everything remains broken.