MILAN SLUMP: SLOPPY FINISHING LEAVES ROSSONERI TEN POINTS BEHIND RIVALS INTER IN TITLE RACE
Milan’s title hopes take a hit! Discover how Parma stunned the Rossoneri and why VAR allowed the winning goal to stand tonight.
Milan paid the price for sloppy finishing and slow defending. Parma handed them their first Serie A loss since the opening weekend, and now Milan sit 10 points behind Inter.
After a 1-1 draw with Como in a rescheduled midweek match, the Rossoneri were already struggling. That game left them seven points behind Inter, saw Max Allegri sent off and suspended, and forced some last-minute changes. Strahinja Pavlovic wasn’t fit enough to start, and Santiago Gimenez was out, but Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek returned to action, and Adrien Rabiot was back from suspension. Then, just before kickoff, Matteo Gabbia pulled out during the warm-up, so Koni De Winter stepped in, and Davide Bartesaghi found himself in a new spot in the back three. Parma, meanwhile, came in with momentum after two straight wins, even though they had Alessandro Circati suspended and a handful of injuries; Ndiaye, Suzuki, Almqvist, and Frigan were all missing.
The match had its moments. Early on, Alexis Saelemaekers whipped in a wild rabona cross, but Loftus-Cheek and Parma’s keeper Corvi crashed into each other trying to meet it. Loftus-Cheek came off worse, stretchered off, and Ardon Jashari took his place.
Corvi stayed busy, standing up to shots from Pulisic and Jashari, then darted off his line to stop Pulisic again from a tough angle.
Right before halftime, Milan nearly broke through. Rabiot nodded down a ball from Bartesaghi, Pulisic found space 14 yards out, but drove his shot wide.
Then came a bit of drama. Rafael Leao got booked for diving in the box; he went down a little too easily. But Milan almost scored moments later. Leao chased a Saelemaekers through ball, Corvi slid out to knock it away, and Pulisic pounced on the rebound. With the net gaping, Mariano Troilo lunged in with a desperate tackle to keep it scoreless.
Parma mostly sat back, but they had their chances too. Emanuele Valeri nearly flicked in a cross at full stretch, forcing Mike Maignan into a difficult save.
Leao came heartbreakingly close to scoring on 64 minutes. Milan recycled a poorly-cleared corner, and Leao’s acrobatic volley hit the inside of the post, rolled along the goal line, and somehow stayed out.
Pavlovic came off the bench and nodded a free kick wide. Then Parma struck. Mariano Troilo leapt over Bartesaghi at the back post and headed in a corner. The referee first blew for a foul but, after checking VAR, ruled that Valenti just blocked Maignan; he didn’t foul him, so the goal stood.
Niclas Füllkrug had a couple of late looks, heading a corner over and then seeing another shot deflected just wide. But in the end, Milan’s missed chances and defensive lapses cost them.
PULISIC HITS BACK: MILAN STAR SHUTS DOWN 2026 GOAL DROUGHT CONCERNS
"I haven't stopped dreaming." Christian Pulisic addresses his goal drought and the frustration of missing out on the Gold Cup squad.
Christian Pulisic isn’t holding back. When critics started questioning his recent form and worried about his 2026 goal drought, he shut them down, calling those concerns “bad questions". The AC Milan forward, fresh off his Time magazine cover, still trusts his ability to step up for the USMNT as they gear up to co-host the World Cup.
All eyes are on him.
The U.S. is set to share the stage for the 2026 World Cup, and Pulisic is set to become the go-to guy for the national team. Landing on the cover of Time isn’t something soccer stars from America get every day, and it just shows how big a deal he’s become, especially after proving himself in Europe. But right as people are finally giving him mainstream recognition, he’s under the microscope for not putting up his usual numbers in front of the goal.
He’s not fazed by the dip.
When Time asked about his goal drought and how he’s handling not scoring for club or country this year, Pulisic didn’t mince words; he’s not sweating it. “I plan on scoring goals. Such bad questions. I’m not concerned about it, man.” You can hear the confidence in his voice.
Dealing with the noise
Pulisic admits this stretch feels extra tough. Missing out on last June’s Gold Cup squad hurt him, mostly because he’s used to shutting people up with his play. “Normally, I just go out there and score, and that quiets everybody. Right now, I’m in my offseason, so everyone’s talking, and I can’t do anything about it. That’s what’s frustrating.”
For Pulisic, attacking is everything. “Going at the goal, creating attacks, that’s what I live for. Sure, you have to do all the other stuff: defend, run, whatever. That’s fine. But what really gives me joy is finding ways to score and actually scoring.”
Chasing the dream
The U.S. opens their World Cup run against Paraguay at the SoFi Stadium on June 12, and Pulisic will lead the team right here at home. He doesn’t like making big public predictions, but at 27, he keeps that childhood dream alive. “That’s just not how I work. But I’ll lie in bed and imagine myself holding the World Cup trophy. I did that when I was a kid, and I haven’t stopped. You need to believe. Why not?”
WHY DID LAUTARO MARTINEZ REJECT A CAREER-DEFINING MOVE TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE?
"I love Milan." Read why 28-year-old Lautaro Martinez rejected Manchester United and Arsenal to stay at the San Siro in 2026.
Inter captain Lautaro Martinez has clearly put an end to any speculation about leaving San Siro, making it known that he has no plans to entertain offers from Europe’s top clubs. Even with regular links to teams like Barcelona, Manchester United, and Arsenal, the Argentine forward is fully committed to what’s happening in Milan.
Martinez has been quite vocal about his dedication to Inter amid constant rumours about his future. Despite frequent connections to some of the biggest clubs on the continent, he insists there’s no reason for him to move on from the current Serie A champions.
Media reports have often tied him to Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal, and Manchester United. But through various transfer windows, Martinez has consistently pushed back on the idea of leaving Inter. At 28, he remains a key figure in the team’s current setup and has stepped up as the club’s captain and on-field leader.
In an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio, Martinez expressed his loyalty to Inter’s project. He made it clear that he isn’t interested in changing clubs despite the speculation.
He said, “No, because I am faithful to the Inter project, I feel at home here. My family is happy, we have a restaurant in the city, and we love Milan. From the first day, everyone treated me in a way I didn’t think possible. I achieved so many personal and team goals here.”
Success on the pitch seems to deepen his connection to the club. Inter recently secured another league title and continues to chase trophies, including the Coppa Italia. On an individual level, Martinez is eyeing the Capocannoniere prize as Serie A’s top scorer. His steady performances underline why he’s considered one of the most reliable forwards in European football.
Since his move from Racing Club in 2018, Martinez has become the defining presence in Inter’s modern lineup. With 173 goals over 372 competitive games, it’s clear how vital he is to the team.
Looking ahead, the club sees Martinez as a central piece in their long-term plans. His leadership and scoring ability make him hard to replace. Settled both on and off the field in Milan, he seems set on continuing his story at the Giuseppe Meazza, despite ongoing interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
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