AC Milan produced a commanding display on Friday evening to see off Udinese 4-0, securing both an emphatic victory and a rare clean sheet in the process.
In response to a recent dip in form, manager Sergio Conceicao made a tactical switch, shifting from the familiar 4-3-3 to a more dynamic 3-4-3 setup.
The adjustment initially brought some uncertainty, as both sides struggled to find rhythm in the opening half hour.
The breakthrough came just before halftime when Milan struck twice in quick succession. Rafael Leao lit up the San Siro with a thunderous effort from the edge of the area, “a beauty from the edge of the box”, before Strahinja Pavlovic powered home a header from a perfectly delivered Christian Pulisic corner. These two goals marked a clear turning point in the encounter.
The first real chance of the match actually fell to Milan early on, following a defensive error from Udinese.
Tijjani Reijnders was the first to react, but his strike lacked venom, and Theo Hernandez couldn’t make the most of the rebound from the resulting corner.
Milan pushed to find gaps in Udinese’s defense in the minutes that followed, with Leao nearly latching onto a precise long ball from Mike Maignan.
Yet by the 20-minute mark, neither side had truly taken control, with the Rossoneri still adapting to their new structure. While the play was far from fluid, signs of attacking intent were occasionally visible.
Passing lacked precision as Milan tried to break forward, with several attempts falling short of their target. Around the half-hour mark, they managed a brief moment of cohesion, culminating in Reijnders orchestrating a promising move near the box.
However, his effort was blocked before Hernandez surged in from distance and won another corner.
Moments later, Udinese created danger of their own, exposing gaps in Milan’s backline. Mike Maignan was called into action, and although he initially parried the shot, the rebound nearly fell to Ekkelenkamp—only for Gabbia to intervene decisively.
The half seemed destined to end goalless until Milan found a spark in the final five minutes. Youssouf Fofana typified the shift in energy, pressing high to regain possession and laying it off to Leao.
Without a doubt, the Portuguese fired the ball home into the top corner with his first and only touch, a beautiful goal, and a showing of his confidence.
Barely had the celebrations settled before Milan were at it again. Winning a corner just minutes later, Pulisic whipped in a delightful delivery and there were no doubts as Pavlovic rose highest and put the ball into the back of the net.
It was a pair of goals that shifted not just the game, but perhaps Milan’s momentum for the season.
The second half began as the first did—with neither team truly taking control but the match took an unfortunate turn when Maignan collided with Alex Jimenez in a heavy challenge, resulting in the goalkeeper needing to be stretchered off. Marco Sportiello stepped in between the posts.
The incident led to a noticeable drop in tempo as both teams took time to regroup. A few chances followed for either side, with Reijnders again showing his intent but unable to find the target.
Seeking more intensity, Conceicao introduced Tammy Abraham and Riccardo Sottil for Jovic and the injured Jimenez. The change yielded an immediate reward, as Abraham found Theo Hernandez with a sharp through ball.
The Frenchman drove like the old days, finishing clinically at the near post to extend Milan’s advantage.
Minutes later, the Rossoneri capped off a sublime evening with a stunning counter-attack. Leao linked up perfectly with Reijnders, and the Dutchman finished off what was described as certainly up there among the best team goals of the campaign.
Udinese pushed late on to salvage some pride, but Milan stood firm and maintained their clean sheet their first since February’s win over Verona. It was a statement win, and one that could serve as the foundation for a stronger finish to the season.
