AC Milan secured a thrilling win over Atalanta in the Serie A clash on the night of October 18, 2026, at the iconic San Siro. The Rossoneri emerged victorious with a scoreline of 3-2, enduring immense pressure towards the final stages of the match. Milan started strong, effectively dominating the first half under the management of Ruben Amorim, as they netted two goals through Goncalo Ramos and Adrien Rabiot. Their lead was further extended in the second half when Mario Gila scored with a well-timed header.
Despite being three goals down, Atalanta refused to give up, responding with goals from Gianluca Gaetano and Nikola Krstovic. The visitors nearly equalized in the dying moments, but AC Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan pulled off a crucial save that preserved the home side’s lead. With this victory, Milan climbed to fourth place in the interim Serie A standings with a total of 15 points, while Atalanta remained in 10th place, accumulating nine points after failing to secure away success at San Siro.
Match Recap
From the outset, AC Milan grasped control of the game, quickly establishing an offensive rhythm that pressured Atalanta‘s defense. The home side briefly celebrated a goal from Christian Pulisic, only for it to be disallowed by the referee due to a narrow offside call. Atalanta had their own chance to score when forward Nikola Krstovic maneuvered past Mike Maignan, but his shot veered off target, hitting the outer net instead.
The breakthrough for Milan came in the 24th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Yunus Musah’s shot struck the hand of Atalanta substitute Relja Obric. Goncalo Ramos confidently stepped up to the spot, placing the ball past goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi into the opposite corner. With a lead of one goal, Atalanta intensified their efforts to equalize, but it was Milan who scored again just before halftime. Adrien Rabiot received a clever pass inside the penalty area, deftly changing direction to evade a defender before slotting a precise shot into the bottom corner, concluding the first half with a 2-0 advantage over Atalanta.
Second Half Action
As the second half commenced, Milan continued their offensive threats, with Samuel Chukwueze narrowly missing the target with a curling shot. In response, Atalanta had opportunities as well, with Krstovic’s attempts lacking the edge to find the back of the net. Milan was awarded another penalty in the 56th minute when Thomas Kristensen committed a handball in the box. However, this time, goalkeeper Carnesecchi read Ramos’ strike well, preventing the home side from extending their lead.
Just a minute later, Mario Gila capitalized on a cross from Rabiot, connecting with a header at the far post that made the score 3-0. Atalanta, not to be disheartened, clawed back through a well-placed shot from Gianluca Gaetano, who displayed impressive ball control before powering a shot into the net from within the penalty area. The visitors pressed on, and in the 81st minute, Krstovic capitalized on a pullback from Raoul Bellanova, reducing the deficit further to 2-3.
The drama escalated in the closing moments when Atalanta’s substitute Davide Zappacosta nearly levelled the score but was met with an incredible save from Maignan, who preserved the Rossoneri’s slim lead. Milan held firm until the final whistle, marking their third consecutive home victory in Serie A for the 2026 season and their first win against Atalanta in their last seven encounters.
Lineups:
Milan (3-4-2-1): Mike Maignan; Mario Gila, Koni De Winter, Strahinja Pavlovic; Samuel Chukwueze, Yunus Musah, Luka Modric, Diego Moreira; Adrien Rabiot, Christian Pulisic; Goncalo Ramos. Coach: Ruben Amorim
Atalanta (4-3-3): Marco Carnesecchi; Raoul Bellanova, Thomas Kristensen, Sead Kolasinac, Lorenzo Bernasconi; Mario Pasalic, Ederson, Lazar Samardzic; Charles De Ketelaere, Nikola Krstovic, Jonathan Rowe. Coach: Maurizio Sarri
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