Rossoneri Stumble: Milan Suffer First Defeat Under Fonseca

AC Milan's winless start to the season continued on Saturday night, as they were defeated 2-1 by Parma at the Stadio Ennio Tardini.

The home side took an early lead within two minutes, with Dennis Man converting a teasing cross from Emanuele Valeri. Milan briefly levelled the score when Christian Pulisic finished from close range, but Parma regained the lead through Matteo Cancellieri, who capitalised on a defensive lapse to secure a vital three points.

This result leaves Milan with a single point from their opening two fixtures, marking a far from ideal start to the 2024-25 campaign. The upcoming fixtures against Lazio and Inter present a significant challenge for Paulo Fonseca's side, who are still searching for their first victory.

Fonseca made five changes to the starting line-up that drew with Torino, with Strahinja Pavlovic, Theo Hernandez, Tijjani Reijnders, Yunus Musah, and Noah Okafor all included. Despite the changes, Milan's defence struggled from the outset, conceding a goal within the first 120 seconds.

The opening 20 minutes saw Milan struggling to contain Parma's attacks, with Calabria and Theo consistently being exploited down the flanks. While the visitors failed to create any real attacking pressure, Parma continued to threaten through a series of dangerous crosses and counter-attacks.

Milan eventually managed to create their own opportunities around the half-hour mark, with Christian Pulisic, Noah Okafor, and Tijjani Reijnders all coming close to scoring. However, they were unable to convert any of these chances and Parma continued to dominate proceedings.

Despite Milan's improved play in the closing stages of the first half, Parma remained a threat on the counter-attack. Their high-line was again exposed in the second half, with Mihăilă creating a chance that Mike Maignan was able to save.

Milan came close to equalising within a minute of the restart when Reijnders's shot from distance struck the crossbar. However, they were unable to find the back of the net, and Parma extended their lead in the 77th minute through a simple finish from Cancellieri.

Despite introducing Emerson Royal, Youssouf Fofana, and Samuel Chukwueze, Milan were unable to find a way back into the game. Their first defeat of the season underscores the need for improvement in both defence and attack if they are to achieve their goals this season.