Milan Nel Cuore
A response was needed after the setback at the Olimpico against Lazio and AC Milan delivered one in spectacular fashion. In front of 73,000 fans at San Siro, Massimiliano Allegri's side overturned a difficult first half to beat Torino 3-2 on Matchday 30 of Serie A, with a blistering second-half display opened by Pavlovic's long-range thunderbolt and sealed by quickfire goals from Rabiot and Fofana. Three golden points that see Milan leapfrog Napoli and return to second place, six points behind leaders Inter. A victory built on character that reignites the Rossoneri's ambitions ahead of the crunch clash at the Maradona.
A first half to forget: Torino run the show
Anyone expecting Milan to come out all guns blazing was left disappointed. The opening 35 minutes told the story of a tense, sluggish side unable to cope with the intensity imposed by Roberto D'Aversa's Torino. The visitors arrived at San Siro with a clear game plan: coordinated high pressing, compact lines and rapid transitions through Simeone and Zapata.
The first-half numbers were damning: Torino ended the period with an expected goals of 1.31 compared to just 0.32 for the hosts. Gineitis came close with a shot from distance on 30 minutes, while Pedersen's overlapping runs on the right flank caused constant problems. Milan struggled to build from the back and Füllkrug, making only his second start in red and black, looked isolated up front.
The decision to field a hybrid 3-5-2 / 4-3-3 system created confusion in the defensive setup. Tomori, nervy from the outset, picked up a yellow card that would prove decisive in Allegri's half-time thinking.
Pavlovic's thunderbolt: a goal from nowhere that changed everything
Just when everything seemed to be heading in the wrong direction, a moment of individual brilliance turned the match on its head. On 37 minutes, Strahinja Pavlovic collected the ball on the edge of the area after Saul Coco's headed clearance fell kindly, steadied himself and unleashed a ferocious left-footed drive from roughly 25 metres. The ball crashed against the underside of the crossbar and in, leaving Paleari rooted to the spot.
It was a rare sight for this Milan side, who score very few goals from distance. To see a centre-back break the deadlock with a rocket from outside the box stunned everyone, opponents included. It was Pavlovic's fourth league goal of the season, a remarkable tally for a defender enjoying a campaign of real growth.
Pavlovic's reaction on DAZN
"The goal? Luck." — the Serbian defender said with a laugh. But the sheer power and trajectory of the strike tell a different story: one of a player gaining confidence and authority with every passing match.
Simeone's equaliser and the half-time turning point
The joy lasted just seven minutes. On 44 minutes, Vlasic let fly from outside the box with his left foot, finding the post via a touch from Maignan. The ball ricocheted off the French goalkeeper's shoulder into the most dangerous zone imaginable: the six-yard box. Giovanni Simeone, sharper than De Winter, pounced on the loose ball to tap in for 1-1. It was his eighth league goal of the season, confirming his excellent form.
A gut punch for Milan, who went into the dressing room knowing they had been second best. But it was precisely at half-time that Allegri made the decision that would transform the contest.
The tactical switch
Allegri withdrew Tomori (booked and at risk) and brought on Athekame, switching permanently to a back four. The change gave the team better balance and allowed Milan to push their defensive line into Torino's half with far greater consistency in the second period.
Two minutes of fire: Rabiot and Fofana turn it around
The second half began with a Milan side barely recognisable from the first. The press was high and aggressive, the passing sharper, the attacking intent fearless. Torino, dominant for 45 minutes, suddenly found themselves penned inside their own penalty area.
On 54 minutes, the goal that put Milan back in front arrived. Modric threaded a pass to Pulisic on the right, the American controlled and delivered a pinpoint cross to the far post where Adrien Rabiot stole in ahead of Pedersen to slot into an empty net. It was 2-1, and the Frenchman had also scored in the reverse fixture against Torino earlier in the season.
Before Torino could catch their breath, Milan struck again. On 56 minutes, barely two minutes later, Athekame played a through ball for Fofana, who advanced on Paleari with a touch of class: a deft sole-of-the-boot control, a shift onto his right foot and a clinical finish under the crossbar. 3-1, and San Siro erupted.
Fofana's celebration drew smiles across the stadium. The French midfielder blended the trademark celebrations of Leao and Pulisic, later explaining to DAZN with a grin: "I thought if I celebrate like them, maybe I'll score more often". A moment of levity that captured the joy of a squad rediscovering its spirit.
The finale: Vlasic's penalty and the return of Gimenez
Torino refused to go quietly and continued to create danger. On 67 minutes, Simeone nearly grabbed a second with a first-time left-foot volley that drew a stunning reflex save from Maignan, who somehow got a boot to the ball. A piece of instinctive goalkeeping that preserved Milan's two-goal cushion at a critical moment.
On 83 minutes, Torino pulled one back from the penalty spot. After a challenge by Pavlovic on Simeone inside the area, the VAR invited referee Fourneau to review the incident. The penalty was awarded and Vlasic stepped up to send Maignan the wrong way, finding the top corner with a clinical right-footed strike. At 3-2, the final minutes became a nervy affair.
Milan managed the closing stages with composure. A particularly significant moment came on 77 minutes, when Santiago Gimenez entered the pitch to replace Pulisic. It marked the Mexican striker's return after roughly four and a half months out injured — a crucial boost ahead of the season's run-in. Deep into stoppage time, Odogu replaced Saelemaekers to shore things up and Milan saw out three vital points.
Post-match reaction
Allegri was visibly relieved speaking to DAZN: "It was a very important match after the defeat to Lazio. Torino put us under pressure in the first half. In the second half the lads grew physically." Then, with his trademark dry humour: "I told the boys: please don't ruin my international break, that's all I ask."
Fofana praised the change in mentality: "After the first half we realised we weren't aggressive enough going forward. Pavlovic's goal was incredible — it wasn't luck." Words that playfully contradicted the Serbian defender's own modest assessment.
On the other side, D'Aversa defended his team's showing: "We deserved to be ahead at half-time. There were seven minutes at the start of the second half where we didn't read their system change and got caught out. But three quarters of the glass is full. I'm proud that we came to San Siro with this attitude."
Match details and lineups
MILAN (3-5-2 then 4-3-3): Maignan; Saelemaekers (91' Odogu), De Winter, Pavlovic, Tomori (46' Athekame), Bartesaghi; Modric, Fofana (70' Ricci), Rabiot; Pulisic (77' Gimenez), Füllkrug (70' Nkunku).
Manager: Allegri
TORINO (3-5-1-1): Paleari; Ebosse (89' Kulenovic), Saul Coco, Ismajli; Pedersen, Gineitis (74' Casadei), Prati (63' Ilkhan), Vlasic, Obrador (89' Nkounkou); Simeone, Zapata (63' Che Adams).
Manager: D'Aversa
Referee: Fourneau
Goals: 37' Pavlovic (M), 44' Simeone (T), 54' Rabiot (M), 56' Fofana (M), 83' Vlasic pen. (T)
Bookings: Tomori (M), Pavlovic (M), Gimenez (M), Ilkhan (T), D'Aversa (T)
Attendance: 73,000
Standings and next fixture
This victory lifts Milan to second place in the table, leapfrogging Napoli and closing to within six points of leaders Inter. Should Inzaghi's men drop points in Florence, the gap could shrink further. The title race remains wide open and the defeat to Lazio already feels like a distant memory.
The next assignment is as big as they come. After the international break, Milan travel to face Napoli at the Maradona: a direct clash that could reshape the top of the table. Allegri will have two weeks to prepare and to further integrate Gimenez, whose return to action represents a valuable weapon for the final stretch of the campaign.
Milan showed their best face when it mattered most. The ability to turn around a difficult match with personality and quality is the most encouraging signal Allegri could have received heading into the break. Pavlovic with his thunderbolt, Rabiot with perfect timing and Fofana with composure in front of goal have written an important page in this season's story. Now all eyes on Napoli: the title race is far from over.
Forza Milan, sempre.