Inspired duo deny dominant Rossoneri: All the key stats from AC Milan vs. Cagliari | OneFootball

AC Milan played their first Serie A home game of 2025 and also their first under Sergio Conceicao in the league, but they were held to a draw by Cagliari.

Milan took a 51st-minute lead through Álvaro Morata as he pounced on a rebound, but four minutes later Nadir Zortea scored for the away side after errors by Youssouf Fofana and Mike Maignan.

It was a match where the Rossoneri created numerous chances but failed to fully make the most of their pressure, with the 11 shots on target being almost entirely straight at the debutant Elia Caprile.

Dominance and wastefulness

We don’t need to give too much of an explanation regarding the key numbers from the game. Milan should have scored at least twice as per the Expected Goals (xG, quality of chances created) and had four big chances to Cagliari’s zero.

With 68% possession, 24 total shots, 11 of them on target and nine corners, it was a lack of composure and a clinical edge in the final third that let them down.

Worrying points pace

Since the start of November, only Juventus (six) have drawn more games than Milan in Serie A (five out of nine in total – 3W, 1L). Milan have drawn three home games in a row in Serie A for the first time since January 2020.

Milan have failed to win both of their Serie A games against Cagliari this season for the first time since 1999-00 (also drawing twice).

The Diavolo have scored in 28 of their last 29 Serie A matches against Cagliari – since the 2008-09 season, only against Lazio (29) have the Rossoneri scored more goals in the tournament.

Milan have conceded at least one goal in at least two consecutive Serie A games for the second time this season, after conceding two in each of the first three rounds of the current campaign.

Inspired opposition

Some credit must go to Cagliari, who were spirited and organised, restricting Milan to quite a lot of shooting from distance and with the goalkeeper – who only signed a few days ago – playing very well.

In fact, Elia Caprile made 11 saves in the match against Milan: only Leicester’s Mads Hermansen (13 vs. Arsenal on 28 September 2024) has made more saves in a single match this season in the top five European leagues.

Nadir Zortea is the defender who has scored the most goals in Serie A so far (four) – extending the data to the five main European leagues, no one in the role has done better (four also Willi Orbán, Lukas Kübler and Josko Gvardiol).

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Zortea has scored four goals in this Serie A, as many as in the previous five editions of the tournament in which he took part.

Among the Italian players who have provided at least three assists in this championship, only Gaetano Oristanio (three – September 2002) is younger than Mattia Felici (three – April 2001).

Back in the goals

Among players who have not provided any assists in this league season, only Sebastiano Esposito and Lorenzo Lucca (seven each) have scored more goals than Alvaro Morata (five).

Five of Morata’s last six goals in Serie A have come in home games. The Spaniard had only scored two of his previous 11 goals in the competition at home.