A late Andrea Poli strike proved to be in vain for Bologna as Franck Kessie's controversial penalty helps hand Milan three vital points and victory to extend their lead at the top of Serie A. The hosts pushed hard in a frantic final few minutes without reward; instead, the Rossoneri head home with the spoils. At full-time, it finishes Bologna 1-2 Milan.
Sinisa Mihajlovic will have much to chew on there. Two penalty calls is what broke his side in the end, and they can take heart from going toe-to-toe with the league leaders. But heart is not points and they may rue this one as a missed opportunity.
Stefano Pioli on the other hand will be delighted. After two games that saw his side come up empty-handed, they have responded, if not strictly in emphatic fashion. A win is a win; they stay top of Serie A.
Cronaca
Formazioni
Statistiche
Both sides wait until February 7 before they return to action now; for Bologna, Parma awaits while Milan enjoy a top-versus-bottom clash with Crotone. Until then however, thank you for joining us - and have a great week!16:58
90'+4'
FULL-TIME: BOLOGNA 1-2 MILAN16:54
90'+4'
A late free-kick deep inside Bologna territory for the hosts is played downfield - and Svanberg can't control it! Milan blast the ball away and that will be the game!16:53
90'+2'
Bologna batter the Milan box, peppering balls in from left, right and centre before Donnarumma snaffles a looping delivery. The Rossoneri are almost home and dry.16:52
90'
Four added minutes incoming. Buckle in.16:49
88'
Donnarumma gets a hand to this one and Ibrahimovic spears the rapid counter-move for Milan. This has turned into a delightfully exciting finale.16:47
87'
Palacio! It's another block to deny another glowing chance for Bologna. Milan absolutely fail to deal with the corner and it will be a second set-piece from the same flag.16:46
85'
The corner is less than satisfactory for the hosts and Olsen subsequently whistles a follow-up over the crossbar. Milan breathe a sigh of relief after that latest push from Bologna's attack.16:44
83'
Soriano! Donnarumma is forced into a close-range save as the attacking midfielder heads in a Danilo ball near the left post. Bologna are pushing for that equaliser with everything they have got.16:43
81'
Olsen feeds that ball with a deft, delicate touch. It has been an inspired raft of changes for Bologna. Milan are suddenly looking a lot more wary.17:59
81'
GOAL! ANDREA POLI PULLS ONE BACK FOR BOLOGNA! 2-1! The hosts are back in it! Rodrigo Palacio helps spark the move, feeding Olsen down the right before the latter squares it back in for a tidy finish from Poli. Game on!
The hosts also replace Schouten with Andrea Poli.16:39
79'
Bologna hook Dijks now and bring on Rodrigo Palacio.16:39
76'
Stefano Pioli continues to bark out orders on the sidelines. He wants his side to see this one through with a clean sheet, ruthlessly vocal when they surrender field position too easily.16:39
73'
Milan bring on Mario Mandzukic now to replace Leao.16:33
71'
Krunic tickles a tasty delivery into the Bologna box and the hosts scramble to get it away. Tomori nearly creates a second headache but cannot make the connection he wants.16:32
69'
A thumbs-up from Barrow after a square-pass overlap comes inches away from unlocking Milan's defence. The hosts refuse to let this one go without a fight as it enters the final quarter.16:29
67'
It's three changes for Bologna overall, as Andreas Skov Olsen replaces Orsolini.16:29
67'
Mattias Svanberg is also on for the hosts, replacing Dominguez.16:28
67'
Bologna make a change now, with Sansone hooked for Emanuel Vignato.16:28
64'
This has really segued into a scrappy affair when it comes to challenges. Both sides are lucky to be not racking up extra yellow cards, particularly as frustrations boil over for Bologna with misplaced balls here and there.16:24
62'
The visitors also pull Tonali for Ismael Bennacer instead.16:22
62'
Milan make their first change now as Rebic makes way for Rade Krunic.16:22
61'
Calabria! That is another lovely stop from Skorupski as the defender drills a keen finish in, only to see it neatly parried away by an outstretched glove. The corner comes to nothing for Milan.16:21
60'
Orsolini curls a low effort towards the left post which Donnarumma neatly reads. Bologna have a third of this game left to snaffle a result out of it.16:21
58'
Bologna have pulled themselves back into this game on the statistical front, having lodged more attempts at goal this half and with 47 per cent of total possession. But this may be beyond their grasp.16:22
56'
This is threatening to boil over now. A challenge leads to players from both sides squaring off and it is Soriano who is shown the yellow card in an effort to get each team to cool their heels.16:17
55'
GOAL! FRANCK KESSIE DOUBLES MILAN'S LEAD! 2-0! To cap off those dramatic minutes, the midfielder converts from the penalty spot, stuttering in his run and drilling low to the right. The visitors are fully in control here.
Penalty to Milan! Ibrahimovic and Soumaoro go up for a high delivery inside the Bologna box and the latter appears to nudge it down onto his own hand. The call is for a spot-kick, leaving Mihajlovic furiously raging at the referee - and the coach is shown a straight red card! He's off!16:15
52'
Barrow goes tumbling but gets no sympathy from the officials for his pleas for a free-kick. Bologna do get one for another foul a moment later, albeit well back inside their own half.16:12
51'
Rebic is flashed the first yellow card of the game, with the Milan man less than impressed by the call.16:13
50'
Kessie! A lob shot - or perhaps a cross seeking Ibrahimovic - is batted away for a soft corner. The visitors show they are still firmly on the money when it comes to carving out an opportunity here.16:09
48'
Orsolini now cracks a free-kick over the crossbar following a routine foul just outside the Milan box. Early opportunities have come knocking for Bologna.16:08
46'
My word, what an early chance for Bologna! Soriano fires in from just outside the box and a wild deflection off a Milan defender wrong-foots everyone entirely. It sails out for a corner, subsequently saved cleanly, but that was a heart-in-mouth moment.16:07
46'
We are back underway for the second half in Serie A. Will Milan see out what could be a routine win here or can Bologna spark an upset?16:06
He's done it on more than a few occasions this season but Lukasz Skorupski is the man who keeps Bologna in a lot of these games. He's had some crucial touches today and it is a stroke of luck against him that means he has conceded today.15:50
Ante Rebic's quick follow-up to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's penalty miss means that it is Milan who are on the front foot against Bologna in Serie A - but the Rossoneri will feel more comfortable with a second. At half-time, it is Bologna 0-1 Milan.15:49
45'+1'
HALF-TIME: BOLOGNA 0-1 MILAN15:49
45'
Calabria! That should have been a better finish from the right-back as he blazes a loose ball spilled into his path by Skorupski well over the crossbar. One added minute incoming.15:48
42'
Milan's latest counter raises the hairs on Bologna's necks, searing them down the left wing - before they turn the tables and counter themselves. Sansone turns Calabria around; Donnarumma taps the midfielder's shot away.15:45
40'
Victory here also feels like it should be the start of a strong run for the Rossoneri. They have Crotone and Spezia up next; two teams fully embroiled with their own survival and not much form between them. They'll have high expectations.15:43
37'
This has been a refreshing half of football after the Coppa Italia histrionics for Milan, and a steadying one after that shock reverse to Atalanta in their last Serie A game. The trick will be keeping themselves on an even keel from here.15:41
35'
Barrow drifts an almost delightful free-kick into Milan's penalty area now, winning a corner from a clearing header. The set-piece is rushed away by the visitors, determined to preserve their lead.15:37
33'
Indeed, a corner and some lovely footwork from Orsolini helps sustain a spell of pressure on the Milan box, with the Bologna man ultimately squeezing a shot just around the wrong side of the right post. Down the other end, Leao miscues an effort straight into Skorupski's gloves.15:36
31'
With a third of the game gone, it is Milan firmly with their foot on the accelerator now. Bologna are yet to register a shot in this game, though at 40 per cent possession, they are not entirely crumbling when it comes to keeping themselves in the hunt.15:34
29'
It's close to 2-0 after a lob shot requires Skorupski to parry again, and then Ibrahimovic is flagged for offside as he attempts to rattle the follow-up in. A few minutes of high drama in Bologna!15:32
26'
But what was Ibrahimovic thinking there? He normally buries those with the sort of enthusiasm small children have for drawing over walls with crayons. That was a soft effort by his standards.15:36
26'
That is so cruel for Skorupski, who kept his eyes firmly in the moment there. He'll be kicking himself that he couldn't hold onto the shot in the first place.15:36
26'
GOAL! ANTE REBIC NETS FOR MILAN! 1-0! Oh, so cruel for Bologna! Skorupski reads a surprisingly tame Ibrahimovic penalty finish, rolled towards the left corner, and parries - straight into the path of the Croatian who tucks the follow-up home.
Penalty to Milan! It's pandemonium in the Bologna box after Rebic wins a corner. Skorupski bats away two close-range efforts from Ibrahimovic before Dijks drags back Leao as he attempts to bag the follow-up. Ibrahimovic will naturally take as the Bologna man is booked...15:28
22'
The visitors build a sustained spell around the Bologna box before they have their pockets picked and their hosts counter. It is an attack doomed to not reach the final third but the recovery digs them out of immediate trouble.15:24
20'
Ibrahimovic! A fine chance for the Swede is snaffled out by Skorupski as he latches onto a throughball just before the Milan man can roll onto it and bury it into the net.15:23
18'
Barrow is unlucky to see a call go against him on the edge of the box as Bologna push forth, the striker on the wrong side of a haphazard tussle that leaves him still standing as the apparently guilty party. 15:21
16'
This has been a well-balanced opening quarter-hour or so in Bologna, with the hosts holding their superior - on paper - opponents at bay without too much exertion. But there is so much to go in this game.15:20
14'
As both sides settle into a midfield tussle, a quick second word on that Hernandez effort; it was even closer than first glance suggested, with Skorupski actually landing a glove on the ball to divert it into the crossbar. That was sailing in. What a goal that would have been.15:18
12'
Off the woodwork! That is a monster delivery from 30 or so yards from Hernandez, beating everyone with the looping ball and cracking it against the top-left joint between crossbar and post. Bologna blast it away to safety.15:16
11'
Bologna have to back-pedal at pace now as a long cut-out ball almost tickles Ibrahimovic's fancy. It is the first real sniff of a chance the Swede has had, before Milan win themselves a free-kick wide on their own right edge.15:14
10'
Kessie gets embroiled in a tumble-down tackle on Bologna's right flank and the hosts pound the resulting free-kick towards Milan's box. Orsolini gets too much weight on it, sending it sailing beyond all assembled near the goal.15:13
7'
Mihajlovic - sporting that tam o' shanter he seems particularly fond of - is less than impressed as his side buckle through the middle as Calabria comes forward. Leao cannot convert the chance however, despite space and time.15:10
5'
Ibrahimovic - whose contributions against Inter in the Coppa Italia were eventful to say the least - is in so many ways the focal point of Pioli's style here. A big game from him typically brings results with it.15:08
3'
Milan, decked out in the colours of their white change strip today, push first with an early throw-in, which Leao cannot convert. Bologna counter - and almost net an early opener after Tomiyasu delivers a beautiful cross within inches of Sansone in the visitors' six-yard area.15:05
1'
We are underway in this Serie A clash between Bologna and Milan!15:04
The teams are preparing to emerge at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara ahead of kick-off.14:54
These sides meet for the second time as the latter half of the season gets underway of course, having met on opening day. Then, at San Siro, an Ibrahimovic double either side of the break handed Milan the spoils; they'll hope he can deliver the goods again.14:50
Subs: Ciprian Tatarusanu, Ismael Bennacer, Diogo Dalot, Samu Castillejo, Mario Mandzukic, Jens Petter Hauge, Soualiho Meite, Pierre Kalulu, Daniel Maldini, Rade Krunic, Antonio Donnarumma.14:45
MILAN (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori, Alessio Romagnoli, Theo Hernandez; Sandro Tonali, Franck Kessie; Alexis Saelemaekers, Rafael Leao, Ante Rebic; Zlatan Ibrahimovic.14:45
Subs: Angelo Da Costa, Aaron Hickey, Nehuen Paz, Andreas Skov Olsen, Ibrahima Mbaye, Andrea Poli, Andri Baldursson, Rodrigo Palacio, Lorenzo De Silvestri, Mattias Svanberg, Federico Ravaglia, Emanuel Vignato.14:45
BOLOGNA (4-2-3-1): Lukasz Skorupski; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Danilo, Adama Soumaoro, Mitchell Dijks; Jerdy Schouten, Nicolas Dominguez; Riccardo Orsolini, Roberto Soriano, Nicola Sansone; Musa Barrow.14:45
Simon Kjaer's injury against Inter means that Chelsea loanee and England international Fikayo Tomori gets a first start for the visitors, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic - fresh from that dismissal - leads the line. Musa Barrow starts opposite for the hosts.14:41
Sinisa Mihajlovic, in his second spell in charge of today's hosts, knew just how to win Serie A as a player, but is yet to recapture those highs in the Emilia-Romagna region. Defeat against Juventus last time out leaves a relegation battle looming; points here would be a huge boon today.14:37
Stefano Pioli's side have looked near-impervious all term, but derby defeat to fellow title rivals Inter last time out in a fiery Coppa Italia clash has cut into their lead at the summit. Victory is the only way to assure they are still there at the end of the weekend.14:31
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2020-21 Serie A season, as leaders Milan look to bounce back from only their second loss of the campaign against mid-table Bologna at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.14:30
Bologna - Milan is a match of 20 day of the season Serie A 2020/2021. The match will be 30 january at 18:00 in the stadium Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna. Referee of Bologna - Milan will be Daniele Doveri with the help of Sergio Ranghetti e Dario Cecconi. At VAR there will be Luca Pairetto.
Currently Bologna is 13° in the standings with 20 points (thanks of 5 wins, 5 draws and 10 defeats); while Milan is 1° in the standings with 46 points (thanks of 14 wins, 4 pareggi and 2 sconfitte). Bologna scored 25 goals and conceded 35; Milan scored 41 goals and conceded 23. The first leg Milan - Bologna was played on 21 semptember 2020 and it ended on a 2-0 score.
At home Bologna scored 14 points (4 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses). Away Milan scored 25 points (8 wins, 1 draw and 0 losses). Bologna in the last three matches of the season challenged Verona, Juventus and Mil obtaining 3 points thanks to 1 win, 0 draws and 2 losses. Milan in the last three matches of the season challenged Torino, Cagliari and Atalant obtaining 6 points thanks to 2 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss. In the last match Bologna was against Milan losing 1-2 while Milan was against Atalanta losing 0-3. The best scorer of the team coached by Sinisa Mihajlovic is Roberto Soriano with 6 goals while the best scorer of the team coached by Stefano Pioli is Zlatan Ibrahimovic with 12 goals.
Bologna and Milan competed 145 times in the league. In the previous matches Bologna won 38 times, Milan won 69 times while the number of draw was 38.
These are the statistics of the two teams in the matches played in the season:
Where to see Bologna-Milan You can see the live match Bologna-Milan here on Virgilio Sport starting 18:00 CET of 30 january. Discover who will broadcast live Bologna - Milan between Sky and Dazn.
