After a 2-2 draw in the first ninety minutes of play, AC Milan defeated Barcelona on penalties in Baltimore to cap off their tour of the United States. Early goals for Milan came from Luka Jovic and Christian Pulisic, but Robert Lewandowski’s brace just before halftime saw that lead evaporate. Lorenzo Torriani emerged victorious in the penalty shootout, though. The top and bottom performers have been selected by La Gazzetta dello Sport. Rafael Leao: The winger wreaked havoc down the left side on his preseason debut. He worked with his coaches prior to coming to the United States, which contributed to his natural talent, but when he picked up speed, he consistently outran his opponent.
The good news is that, even in Fonseca’s system which is less tied to transitions, he was getting the ball in his favourite position and attacking as he knows how to: by going at his man, weaving between spaces and getting deep into the box. Christian Pulisic: Milan’s build-up was different yesterday compared to the first two games but Pulisic was precious as a spark in the attacking midfield. He combined with Samuel Chukwueze and Leao, bringing his quality and intelligence. Perhaps it is no coincidence that when Fonseca moved him further forward as a false nine Milan stopped being dangerous. Chukwueze can celebrate too because if Pulisic continues to play well in the centre, he has a spot on the right, and the pair
