AC Milan broke their six-match losing streak in the Derby della Madonnina with a dramatic 2-1 victory over rivals Inter. Goals from Christian Pulisic and a last-minute header by Matteo Gabbia sealed the crucial win, which comes as a major boost to Milan’s Serie A campaign and likely strengthens the position of under-pressure manager Paulo Fonseca.
Coming into the derby, Milan faced significant pressure, having won just once in their last five games, including a 3-1 Champions League loss to Liverpool. Despite injury concerns, Fonseca took a risk by setting up his side in a sturdy 4-4-2 formation, with Tammy Abraham and Álvaro Morata leading the attack.
The match began with both teams trading early chances, but it was Pulisic who broke the deadlock. Taking advantage of an error by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the American midfielder drove forward and finished calmly past Inter’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Inter responded quickly, with Federico Dimarco finishing off a well-coordinated move involving Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez to bring the score level before the half-hour mark. Just before halftime, Inter nearly took the lead, but Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan made a brilliant save to deny Marcus Thuram.
In the second half, both teams pushed for a winner, with Milan briefly awarded a penalty before VAR overturned the decision. With the match appearing headed for a draw, Gabbia rose in the final minutes to head home Tijjani Reijnders’ free-kick, clinching the victory.
This result marks Milan’s first derby win since 2022 and delivers a much-needed morale boost, as they remain competitive in the Serie A title race.
