Milan-Cremonese, Nicola: "It's never easy to score points at San Siro. Great team spirit."

Milan, 23 August 2025 – A heartfelt and applause-filled Cremonese side won for the first time at San Siro, beating AC Milan 2-1 and ruining the celebrations for Massimiliano Allegri's return to the Rossoneri bench . Nicola's men put in a commendable performance, initially handing control to a Milan side that, however, failed to capitalize on the opportunity, playing slowly and too predictably. They ended up conceding a goal in the 28th minute when Baschirotto slotted in perfectly between the Rossoneri centre-backs and headed in the 1-0 . It was a tough blow for AC Milan, who only found the winning spark in the final seconds of the first half when Pavlovic headed in the equalizer from Estupinan's cross . The goal seemed to have given Allegri's men confidence, as they created several chances in the first half of the second half but failed to capitalize on them, ultimately paying a heavy price when Bonazzoli, with a splendid overhead kick reminiscent of the one that executed the Rossoneri during his time at Salernitana, put the Grigiorossi back in front. The Grigiorossi then managed to defend the lead against a Milan side that was inconclusive in both build-up play and finishing. Coach Davide Nicola had reason to smile after the match, speaking to DAZN: “Coming to San Siro and managing to take away points is never easy. While we have great respect for our opponents, we expected to be able to put in our performance, and that's what we did. We knew full well it was our first game of the season. You won't always be able to put in performances like that. Not everyone is in top form right now, including us. However, having team spirit, a clear organization of play, and not giving up on playing with humility was what we wanted. The lads did well in this regard, but we know there's still a lot of work to do. It's clear that managing to take away points on such a difficult pitch gives you the confidence to be more meticulous in your daily work.” There's also a lot of work to do for Massimiliano Allegri's AC Milan , who showed little determination today, as the Tuscan coach also underlined: "If we look at the match, we had many shots on goal. The difference, however, is the determination with which we attack, look for the goal, and the determination with which we defend. We conceded two goals that could have been avoided with more attention and determination. Fortunately, it's the first matchday and we have to work on it. Is the squad still incomplete? Making assessments on the squad now makes no sense, also because up to now we've worked well and will continue to do so. I don't think today's defeat is due to the squad or absences. When you play in Serie A, you come across teams that are tough, like Cremonese were today. They won without stealing anything and playing a good defensive game. We made these two mistakes that cost us the defeat. We need more determination when we have the ball and we don't. The first match is always complicated because it's the start of the season and the condition is not yet optimal. These are games that, if you unlock them, you can win." They put it this way. You shouldn't concede goals, and we actually conceded two. We had gotten things back on track at the end of the first half, and at the start of the second half, we had two or three potentially dangerous situations. We didn't do that, and we conceded, knowing full well that they were good at crossing and closing down the box well. We need to work better on these situations because, as I always say, you can't concede two goals in a game. We don't perceive the danger, and we need to improve on that, because otherwise you always risk conceding a goal." On Gimenez: "He's still a bit behind in terms of fitness, but he gave it his all. In the end, he had a great chance with his head that didn't materialize. But it's not just Gimenez's problem, it's everyone's problem. We need to be responsible for when we play and prepare for matches in a certain way: we absolutely can't concede goals like that."