Juventus and Milan shared the points in the big Serie A Matchday 3 clash, drawing 1-1 at the Allianz Stadium. The Bianconeri were the more threatening side for much of the match and created more chances, but ultimately had to fight back to salvage a point.
Milan took the lead through Alphadjo Cissé in the 69th minute, before Federico Gatti rose to the occasion deep into stoppage time with a superb header to equalise and prevent Juventus from suffering their first league defeat of the season.
JUVENTUS TAKE CONTROL FROM THE START
Luciano Spalletti’s side showed their intentions from the opening minutes, looking to control possession and put Milan under pressure. Kerim Alajbegović was the first to threaten. The young Juventus player drove towards the penalty area and tried his luck from distance, but his effort failed to hit the target. Another dangerous moment followed in the 10th minute. Nico González cut inside from the right and unleashed a powerful shot, but Mike Maignan reacted well to make the save and push the ball away. Juventus continued to apply pressure and look for spaces between Milan’s defensive lines.
CONCEIÇÃO AND LOCATELLI MISS A BIG CHANCE
Juventus created their best opportunity of the first half in the 25th minute. After a well-worked Bianconeri move, Francisco Conceição found space inside the penalty area and fired towards goal. Maignan saved his effort, but the rebound fell to Manuel Locatelli. The Juventus captain tried to turn the loose ball into the net while falling, but was unable to make the right contact.
Conceição remained the biggest threat to Milan’s defence and went close again in the 38th minute. The Portuguese winger entered the penalty area from the right and attempted a shot from a difficult angle, but Maignan once again kept Juventus out. Despite Juventus’ initiative and better chances, the teams went into the break goalless at 0-0.
THE POST DENIES JUVENTUS THE LEAD
The pattern of the game remained largely unchanged at the beginning of the second half. Conceição continued to cause serious problems for the Rossoneri defence and soon came within centimetres of opening the scoring.
The Portuguese winger drove forward once again and fired a powerful effort towards goal, only to see the ball strike the right-hand post of Maignan’s goal. It was another moment in which Juventus could have turned their superiority into a goal.
After the hour mark, Spalletti began making changes, introducing Teun Koopmeiners and Jérémie Boga in an attempt to add even more attacking threat. Shortly afterwards, Conceição found Randal Kolo Muani inside the penalty area, but Milan’s defence managed to close down the Juventus striker before he could seriously threaten the goal.
MILAN PUNISH JUVENTUS – CISSÉ STUNS THE ALLIANZ STADIUM
Despite Juventus having the initiative and creating more dangerous situations, Milan took the lead almost as soon as they seriously threatened the home side’s goal.
In the 69th minute, substitute Alphadjo Cissé was given enough space on the left. He set himself before producing a precise finish beyond Guglielmo Vicario to make it 0-1.
It was Milan’s first shot on target of the match – and it immediately resulted in a goal. Juventus suddenly found themselves chasing the game despite having looked the more dangerous side for much of the contest.
SPALLETTI GOES ALL-IN ON ATTACK
With around 15 minutes remaining, Spalletti made another attacking change. Nick Woltemade replaced Douglas Luiz as Juventus began taking more risks in search of an equaliser.
The Bianconeri coach made his final moves in the 90th minute, introducing Edon Zhegrova and Federico Gatti. At that point, Juventus effectively threw everything forward. Locatelli saw a long-range effort blocked, while Boga then tried his luck, only for Maignan to once again be in the right place. Then came the moment that changed the outcome of the derby.
GATTI FLIES HIGH TO MAKE IT 1-1!
Two of Spalletti’s substitutes combined to produce the equaliser.
Koopmeiners delivered a superb cross from the left into the penalty area, where Gatti rose highest.
The Juventus defender climbed above his markers and powered a header beyond Maignan to make it 1-1, sparking wild celebrations at the Allianz Stadium.
The Milan goalkeeper barely had time to react. Gatti, who had only entered the pitch in the 90th minute, became the hero of the night and rescued a point for Juventus in the dramatic closing stages of the derby.
GATTI ONCE AGAIN DELIVERS IN DRAMATIC FASHION
The goal against Milan was Gatti’s eighth in Serie A, and remarkably, all eight have come against different opponents.
Even more impressive is the fact that three of his eight league goals have been scored in second-half stoppage time.
The result also means that Juventus and Milan have drawn three consecutive Serie A meetings for the first time since November 1973, when the two sides recorded a run of four straight draws.
Juventus have already hit the woodwork four times in Serie A this season, currently the joint-highest total in the league alongside Inter.
It was also a special night for Kerim Alajbegović.
At 18 years and 350 days old, he became the youngest Juventus player to start a Serie A match since Kenan Yildiz.
Yildiz was 18 years and 233 days old when he started against Frosinone in December 2023.
JUVENTUS REMAIN UNBEATEN
After winning their opening two matches of the new season, Juventus dropped points for the first time against Milan, but Gatti’s late equaliser ensured that the Bianconeri maintained their unbeaten start.
Spalletti’s side can feel frustrated by the chances they failed to convert, particularly considering the overall pattern of the game and the fact that Milan scored with their first shot on target.
On the other hand, the team’s response after falling behind and the impact made by the substitutes provide encouraging signs ahead of the next challenges.
Juventus will now turn their attention to their next Serie A fixture – an away trip to Sassuolo on Sunday, 13 September.
