Milan dominated Newcastle United at San Siro with eight attempts on target to one, but Nick Pope saves and wasteful finishing saw their Champions League group start with a disappointing draw.
The Rossoneri made changes after Saturday’s humiliating 5-1 Derby della Madonnina defeat to Inter, bringing in Samuel Chukwueze, Tommaso Pobega and Fikayo Tomori, with Ismael Bennacer and Pierre Kalulu still out of action. Tonali returned to San Siro just weeks after his €80m transfer, though Joelinton and Joe Willock were injured, the Magpies having lost three of their opening four Premier League games.
Tommaso Pobega’s snapshot was beaten away by Nick Pope, then as the move continued Chukwueze’s header at the back post was also saved before another block on Olivier Giroud.
Rade Krunic saw a scorcher pushed out from under the crossbar, then from the resulting corner Pope made a desperate reaction save on the Theo Hernandez free header.
Giroud only hit the side-netting from four yards on a Theo Hernandez low ball, then Leao wasted a golden opportunity by trying to dribble it into the net, then eventually attempting a back-heel flick that went badly wrong, so Pobega’s follow-up was cleared off the line by Murphy.
It was somehow goalless at half-time, despite Milan’s 15 attacks to two, seven on target to zero. After the restart, Tijjani Reijnders came on and immediately tested Pope after a good solo run, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek went off with a muscular problem.
Sandro Tonali was substituted to a standing ovation from the whole stadium, who then chanted his name.
Rafael Leao got in front of his marker to nod an Alessandro Florenzi cross inches over the bar, then desperate defensive blocks denied Christian Pulisic and Theo Hernandez.
Things went from bad to worse for Milan, who lost goalkeeper Mike Maignan to a muscular issue, replaced by Marco Sportiello.
Leao was jeered as he again was sluggish to react with the ball at his feet, while Giroud blasted straight at Pope.
Newcastle had their first and only shot on target deep into stoppages, Shaun Longstaff’s strike fingertipped over the bar by Sportiello.
Milan 0-0 Newcastle
Player statistic
| Davide Calabria |  |
41' |
| 49' | |
Fabian Schär | ||
| Yunus Musah | |
82' | ||
| Olivier Giroud | |
83' | ||
| Rade Krunic | |
89' |
Match statistic
Milan.need to change thé manager I don’t know why always playing kurunic I don’t understand