A Zlatan Ibrahimovic double is the story under the lights at San Siro today, as Milan get their new Serie A campaign off to a winning start against Bologna thanks to their Swedish talisman up front. Stefano Pioli's side ran the show for the most part, even with their opponents foiling them on occasion - but a strong header and a fine penalty finish was more than enough to see their visitors off. At full-time, it has finished Milan 2-0 Bologna.
There's a long way to go in the 2020-21 campaign, but first impressions suggest that Milan won't need to concern themselves too much about falling out of a European race this season. The question lingers, however, whether they can push on for the Champions League. Have they got enough accuracy to their firepower behind Ibrahimovic?
As for Bologna, Sinisa Mihajlovic will have positives and negatives to take away from his trip. His side worked some neat counter-moves out but mostly were harried onto the back foot - where, at least for key periods, they coped admirably. He will have some food for thought.
Cronaca
Formazioni
Statistiche
Seven days of rest awaits Bologna now before they next have to take to the field when they host Parma - but there is no such break for Milan, who face Norway's Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday. Until then however, thank you for joining us - and have a great week!22:43
90'+4'
FULL-TIME: MILAN 2-0 BOLOGNA22:39
90'+2'
Milan look unhurried now, as the seconds tick down. No player wants to take a risk that doesn't need to be made. Bologna too look to be folding back, winding down as the clock notches up those extra minutes.22:40
90'
Tomiyasu! The 21-year-old almost gets on the end of that delivery but Donnarumma has it covered. There will be four added minutes of injury time.22:36
89'
It's raining cards! Gabbia picks up a booking now for a lazy foul and Bologna have the free-kick. They angle it towards the Milan box...22:35
88'
Dijks is off! A second yellow makes it a red card for him as he tries to pull back Saelemaekers on the counter. Bologna will finish this game with 10 men and that surely ends their chances of any result being snatched here in remarkable fashion.22:34
87'
Off the post! Bologna hit the woodwork through Santander. A moment later, the cut-back pass finds him missing in action and Milan are able to find safety.22:33
86'
That was quick! Krunic has barely been on the field a minute and he picks up a yellow card for the sort of rash challenge you shouldn't really be seeing straight off the bat. That was very lopsided from him.22:44
86'
Milan's latest change sees Bennacer make way for Rade Krunic.22:31
85'
Donnarumma gets low to deal with the latest infringement from Bologna inside his box. The visitors are pushing to just get something, even if it becomes mere consolation. They are sensing tiredness in this Milan back-line who are looking a touch sluggish here and there.22:30
83'
Bologna make their latest change with Emanuel Vignato replacing Barrow.22:43
81'
Sansone clatters in with a loose tackle and the referee shows him a yellow card for his troubles.22:39
80'
The visitors also make a second change at the same time with Soriano replaced by Mattias Svanberg.22:37
80'
Bologna make a change now as Federico Santander takes to the pitch for Palacio.22:31
79'
Bologna notch up a shot now after Barrow plays a lovely ball through two defenders into the box. What would a goal for the visitors do here? It would be a grandstanding final few minutes for show.22:29
77'
Milan make their fourth change, bringing on Sandro Tonali for Kessie as the hosts pick up a second corner following the first. Ibrahimovic nudges a ball back into the box but Skorupski has it well covered.22:23
76'
Diaz helps play a lovely one-two into the Bologna box but finds his chance to shoot shut down. A moment later, Hernandez lets rip with an absolute monster of a volley from 25 yards out and Skorupski just tips it away for a corner.22:22
74'
A stray challenge from Tomiyasu sees him handed a booking. The Japan international has been one of his side's most robust players today.22:38
72'
Milan make their third change too, with Kjaer replaced by Duarte.22:18
71'
Milan's second change is to introduce Brahim Diaz for Calhanoglu, who has covered some serious ground for the hosts today. What can the Real Madrid loanee bring in his Serie A debut now?22:17
69'
Further movement on the Milan bench suggests another change is coming for the hosts. It will be interesting to see if, in these final stages, they move to a more defensively minded approach or eschew that in the fear that they would invite Bologna onto their back-line.22:16
67'
Barrow fires a speculative effort in that takes a deflection that could almost pass for handball. Any appeal is waved off however and VAR makes no interjection to change the referee's call.22:14
65'
A spell of pressure for Bologna almost breaks into a half-chance but Kessie is quick to shut it down. A corner comes the way of the visitors, yet they cannot create a decent opportunity to find an opening from it and Milan are left relatively unruffled.22:12
63'
Ibrahimovic! Should that have been number three for the Swede? Calhanoglu makes the break after wrestling the ball away inside the Milan half and he lays on a lovely ball to set up his striker one-on-one with the keeper. The angle is just too tough in the end though and the finish is sprayed well wide.22:09
61'
With an hour on the clock, Milan hold all the cards here. Ibrahimovic has been excellent up front - but at the back, Kjaer has helped that defence run a tight ship too. They've shut down most chances Bologna have worked up here and there.22:15
59'
An odd stat to chew over - Bologna have enjoyed a greater pass accuracy than Milan tonight. They've had less overall but it's hard to deny that the visitors are threading their occasional counters together with a deft composure.22:11
57'
Bologna have made their first change of the game now with Dominguez making way for Nicola Sansone.22:03
57'
Substitution Riccardo Orsolini Andreas Skov Olsen21:04
55'
Ibrahimovic launches another strike from outside the box and though Skorupski is on the spot to meet it, his failure to take it cleanly leaves a moment of nerve-shredding tension around the Bologna box until his own defender is able to head it back safely ahead of the rampaging Swede.22:02
53'
End-to-end stuff now! In the space of about 90 seconds, both sides bounce up and downfield between each others' boxes as they look for a goal. Bologna attempt to find an initial response, pushing it around the Milan area with an attempted overhead kick somewhere in the mix - and then the hosts' counter forces some quick thinking from Skorupski to deny them.22:00
51'
GOAL! ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC BANGS IT HOME FOR MILAN! 2-0! He rarely misses those and once again, the Swede has found the back of the net. He places it to the right and though Skorupski goes the right way, he's just too low to really get a hand to it. It's a long way back for Bologna now.
Penalty to Milan! VAR switches the original decision around and the hosts have a spot-kick. Ibrahimovic will be the man to take.21:56
48'
Is this a penalty to Milan? Bennacer goes down on the very edge of the box, close to Orsolini who holds up his hands. The initial call is a free-kick but VAR is going to have a look.21:55
47'
Ibrahimovic! Skorupski shows some fantastic reflexes to deny the Swede who attempts to double his tally from almost bang in front with a powerful finish. Corner to Milan.21:53
46'
Milan have made a change at the break, with Alexis Saelemaekers on for the booked Castillejo.21:54
46'
We are back underway at San Siro. Will Bologna have a response here? Or is it plain sailing now for Milan until the final whistle?21:53
Stefano Pioli won't have many complaints with the game so far, but his team have definitely spent more time camped in Bologna's half than vice versa and may feel they should have more to show for it. There's still three-quarters of an hour to go to find something extra though.21:36
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's finely placed header is the difference at the break in this opening Serie A clash - but Milan and Bologna will both know that this is a game with everything still to play for. The visitors will have to chase if they hope to snatch a result - and the hosts will be keen to put it to bed before they give themselves more trouble than they need. At half-time, it's Milan 1-0 Bologna.21:58
45'+1'
HALF-TIME: MILAN 1-0 BOLOGNA21:34
45'
Calhanoglu cracks an effort towards goal from the semi-circle outside the Bologna box, lifting it just enough to leave the visitors untroubled in the end. There's going to be just the one extra minute of injury time.21:33
43'
You'd expect maybe a couple of minutes of injury time before the interval here. Bologna are going to have an interesting talk at the break, but Milan will likely have one that's just as revealing too. Given how many attacks they've launched, they may be frustrated to have not made as much of their chances.21:32
41'
Neat defending from Hernandez now at his own goal post as Bologna counter with a sharp move that almost finds them an equaliser before the break. Orsolini is looking a little lively for the visitors.21:29
40'
Having been on the other end of a yellow card challenge once already, Castillejo doles one out himself now and picks up a booking as a result. Bologna are looking to steady the ship and have a free-kick that helps them greatly here.21:30
37'
He got one against Shamrock and now he has opened his league account for another season. He's been netting them since 1999. There's just no stopping Ibrahimovic, is there?21:28
35'
It's an absolute peach of a delivery from Hernandez, who has been supplying those balls without fail like a metronome for half-an-hour so far. The hosts have deserved a breakthrough on the strength of their pressure and they have it. Now, it is on Bologna to make a game of this one.21:25
35'
GOAL! ZLATAN IBROHIMOVIC HEADS MILAN IN FRONT! 1-0! It's been coming, and it couldn't be anyone but Zlatan, could it? The Swede rises magnificently to meet Theo Hernandez's long cross from out on the left wing and he nods his finish low, with a bounce, past Skorupski. Milan have their goal.
There's some injury stoppage as a result but the game is good to continue after a few moments.21:21
31'
My word, how has Dijks got away with just a booking there? It's an absolute cruncher of a slide tackle into Samu Castillejo and the theatrics involved might have made another referee reach for the claret card rather than the amber one. Instead, he gets off with just a yellow.21:20
30'
Bologna's most concerning tactical choice so far to their manager may be their choice to play back and forth out of the back. Skorupski is being hassled when he shouldn't let himself be too often by Milan's attackers.21:19
28'
How did Bennacer miss that? A slightly messy cut-back from Ibrahimovic sails beyond the outstretched hands Skorupski and falls at the midfielder's feet, only for him to put the ball somewhere into orbit from a handful of yards out. A golden chance goes begging.21:17
26'
Rebic flicks a defensive header back into the Bologna box on the back of a free-kick lifted deep towards the six-yard area. There's a scramble and a scuffed shot in the muddle - and the referee hands the call to the visitors with a goal-kick.21:15
24'
You wouldn't guess that most of this game has been played heading towards Bologna's box, close to their final third, with a glance at the stats. Both sides are on 50 per cent possession each, and both have registered two shots proper. Milan just haven't threaded the needle perhaps the way they would have hoped to yet.21:13
22'
Dominguez has not been slowed by his booking and, with the help of an unexpected run, hands his team a half-chance in the opposition half. He launches the shot himself in the end, but Donnarumma parries and collects with a calm zen.21:11
20'
As the game fast approaches the quarter-mark, a speculative cross from Bologna - on a rare jaunt into the Milan half - takes an unexpectedly dangerous deflection, forcing Donnarumma to nip off his line and grab it. Down the other end, a foul on Ibrahimovic from Tomiyasu allows the hosts to pump a free-kick into the box, but Hernandez can't quite control his touch and the danger passes.21:09
18'
Dominguez picks up the first booking of the game now for Bologna after a rash challenge cuts down Milan's latest attack. The free-kick is flicked into the box but the visitors defuse it and Calabria gets back to cut off any chance of a hopeful counter.21:07
17'
Tomiyasu gets himself between Calhanoglu and his latest effort, cutting the ball down before the Milan man can pull the trigger. Since that early venture into the hosts' box, it has been one-way traffic against Bologna.21:05
15'
How long can this Bologna defence hold out? Again, Milan cut in too easily, with Ibrahimovic looking to find Calhanoglu out on his left. It's only the latter's misplacement on the edge of the box that spares them conceding another shot this time.21:04
13'
Bologna weather a particularly tame corner from Milan, but they are right under the cosh again moments later. This time, it's Calhanoglu with the shot, only for him to hook it comfortably wide as he attempted to shrug off the last man in defence.21:01
11'
Ibrahimovic! The Swede nearly opened Milan's account for the game there, playing his own back-heel back into his path as he dinked into the Bologna box and laid a shot on with his left foot. It took a last-gasp deflection and just skimmed the wrong side of the left post. Close for the hosts, who have a corner.21:01
9'
Calhanoglu is making trouble for the Bologna right-back area so far, straying deep onto well-timed deliveries once or twice here. He hits the turf after a nervy challenge but doesn't draw the foul he was arguably looking for, outside the visitors' box.20:58
7'
A lovely interception in midfield from Hernandez allows Milan to push back through the middle of the Bologna backline, sending them into sharp defensive action. It is Danilo who gets the key block in the box, whisking the ball away - and though replays suggest a borderline shout for handball, the Brazilian survives without conceding the penalty.20:56
5'
Hernandez gets clattered again but draws no foul this time. Milan press on without him and tip a long ball down their right wing; it skitters past Ibrahimovic and straight to Skorupski. His return isn't fantastic, allowing the Rossoneri to launch a fresh cross into the box - but they find no reward for their invention.20:53
3'
Soriano! Bologna aren't wasting their time in these opening exchanges as they whistle a close effort wide of the left post, having carved a clever path out wide into the box. They get a corner for their efforts but Milan hurry it away, before Hernandez picks up a free-kick in midfield to hand the hosts some breathing space.20:51
1'
We are underway in this Serie A clash between Milan and Bologna!20:49
Even by the standards of modern football, the visitors are flying a particularly cosmopolitan team in terms of international representation today. Including their goalkeeper, they have five different nations at the back - Poland, Japan, Brazil and the Netherlands, plus the Italian De Silvestri. Milan too have a wealth of world stars on show. It's set up nicely, this one.20:40
Neither of these fixtures were too kind to Bologna last season. Though they were narrowly beaten 3-2 in their first encounter, their tally came from a penalty and a Theo Hernandez own goal respectively - and their 5-1 drubbing in the reverse fixture was not a night to quite remember. Milan will be hopeful to put more past them today.20:34
Subs: Angelo Da Costa, Stefano Denswil, Federico Santander, Nicola Sansone, Mattia Bani, Ibrahima Mbaye, Andrea Poli, Andri Fannar Baldursson, Musa Juwara, Mattias Svanberg, Emanuel Vignato.20:30
BOLOGNA (4-3-3): Lukasz Skorupski; Lorenzo De Silvestri, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Danilo, Mitchell Dijks; Nicolas Dominguez, Jerdy Schouten, Roberto Soriano; Riccardo Orsolini, Rodrigo Palacio, Musa Barrow.20:30
Subs: Ciprian Tatarusanu, Sandro Tonali, Brahim Diaz, Daniel Maldini, Lorenzo Colombo, Rade Krunic, Lucas Paqueta, Leo Duarte, Alexis Saelemaekers, Antonio Donnarumma, Diego Laxalt.20:30
MILAN (4-5-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Davide Calabria, Simon Kjaer, Matteo Gabbia, Theo Hernandez; Franck Kessie, Ismael Bennacer, Samu Castillejo, Hakan Calhanoglu, Ante Rebic; Zlatan Ibrahimovic.21:51
Both sides have been particularly thrifty in the transfer window so far - Bologna have spent very little at all, to cut to the chase - but they have got plenty of matchwinners among their ranks. Milan have kept the core of the team that beat Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League last week intact - including the still-fearsome Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front in attack. There's no place in Bologna's starting XI for skipper Andrea Poli though, with the former Rossoneri man on the bench instead.21:51
They start off against a club who have re-established themselves in the top flight of football following a brief blip that took them to Serie B - but who will surely harbour ambitions of their own beyond simply being mid-table fodder for the bigger fish above them. Old boss Sinisa Mihajlovic - himself a former Milan supremo - returned to the club in January last year to help steady the ship. But can they punch above their weight this term?20:23
It will be a decade next year since the Rossoneri last held the Scudetto aloft above their heads - and the footballing landscape has changed considerably then. So too have their fortunes - they are more perennial contenders in the Europa League than the all-conquering Champions League victors they once were. But could this be a new dawn? Can Stefano Pioli - handed a two-year extension in July - finally guide them back to the brightest of lights?20:19
Hello and welcome to the opening week of the 2020-21 Serie A season, as Milan look to resurrect the spectre of their decades-ago title success with a win against Bologna at San Siro.20:16
Dove si gioca la partita:
Stadio: Giuseppe Meazza Città: Milano Capienza: 80074 spettatori20:16
Milan - Bologna is a match of 1 day of the season Serie A 2019/2020. The match will be 21 semptember at 20:45 in the stadium Giuseppe Meazza in Milano. Referee of Milan - Bologna will be Federico La Penna with the help of Marco Bresmes e Valerio Vecchi. At VAR there will be Davide Massa.
Last year Milan finished 6° with 66 points in Serie A while Bologna finished 12° with 47 points in Serie A .
Where to see Milan-Bologna You can see the live match Milan-Bologna here on Virgilio Sport staring 20:45 CET of 21 semptember. Discover who will broadcast the live match Milan - Bologna between Sky and Dazn.
