BOLOGNA, ITALY — AC Milan delivered a masterclass in clinical finishing to dismantle Bologna 3-0 at Renato Dall'Ara, with the visitors making their limited opportunities count despite the hosts dominating possession. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christopher Nkunku gave the Rossoneri a commanding first-half lead before Adrien Rabiot's early second-half strike put the result beyond doubt in a Serie A clash that highlighted the gulf between efficiency and endeavor.
The opening exchanges suggested Bologna's territorial dominance might yield rewards, with the hosts enjoying the lion's share of possession and probing down the flanks through Juan Miranda and Nadir Zortea. But Milan's defensive organization, marshaled expertly by Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic, frustrated the home side's attacking ambitions. The visitors' counter-attacking threat materialized in the 16th minute when Jens Odgaard forced Mike Maignan into action with a header from Miranda's cross, but the French goalkeeper was equal to the task.
Milan's ruthless streak emerged four minutes later when Christopher Nkunku's header from Zachary Athekame's delivery was parried by Federico Ravaglia, only for Ruben Loftus-Cheek to pounce on the rebound and fire home from close range. The goal against the run of play stunned the home faithful and exposed Bologna's defensive vulnerability when surrendering possession.
The Rossoneri doubled their advantage in the 39th minute through Nkunku from the penalty spot, the Frenchman coolly slotting to the bottom right corner after Ravaglia had brought down Loftus-Cheek in the area. The spot-kick reward came from Milan's incisive movement in the final third, with Luka Modric's vision and Youssouf Fofana's industry in midfield creating the platform for the visitors' attacking forays.
Bologna emerged from the interval with renewed purpose, but their hopes of mounting a comeback were extinguished within three minutes of the restart. Rabiot ghosted into the box unmarked and swept home a left-footed finish past Ravaglia to make it 3-0, capping a devastating counter-attack that left the home defense scrambling. The French midfielder's intelligent positioning and composure in front of goal exemplified Milan's superiority in the decisive moments.
The statistics painted a curious picture of the contest. Bologna held 54.3% possession and registered 13 shots to Milan's 10, yet the visitors' clinical edge proved decisive. Milan put seven of their 10 attempts on target compared to Bologna's meager return of two from 13 efforts, underlining the difference in quality in the final third. Ravaglia made four saves to keep the scoreline respectable, denying Niclas Füllkrug three times after the German striker entered as a substitute in the 72nd minute.
Bologna's frustration manifested in a series of bookings, with Remo Freuler, Lewis Ferguson, and goalkeeper Ravaglia all shown yellow cards as the hosts' discipline wavered. The home side won five corners to Milan's none, yet failed to capitalize on their set-piece opportunities, with Nicolò Casale heading wide from a promising position in the 57th minute.
Milan's tactical discipline shone through as they absorbed Bologna's pressure and struck with devastating precision. Davide Bartesaghi and Koni De Winter provided width and defensive solidity on the flanks, while Modric's experience in the engine room allowed Milan to control the tempo when necessary. The Croatian maestro's ability to dictate play from deep positions gave the visitors a composure that Bologna lacked despite their territorial advantage.
The closing stages saw Milan comfortably manage the game, with Füllkrug and Pervis Estupiñán introduced to provide fresh legs and maintain the visitors' shape. Bologna's substitutions—bringing on Thijs Dallinga, Federico Bernardeschi, Nikola Moro, and Nicolò Cambiaghi—failed to spark the comeback the home supporters craved. Bernardeschi fired wide twice in the final 10 minutes as Bologna's search for a consolation goal proved fruitless.
The result keeps Milan firmly in the title conversation, sitting second with 35 points from 16 matches, while Bologna's inconsistency sees them languishing in seventh place despite flashes of quality. The Rossoneri's ability to punish opponents ruthlessly will serve them well in the challenges ahead, while Bologna must find a way to convert dominance into goals if they harbor ambitions of climbing the table.
This performance sets the standard for Milan when they host Como on February 8, while Bologna will seek redemption when Lazio arrive at Renato Dall'Ara on February 4.