Rafael Leao was dropped, came off the bench and scored the equaliser for Milan 30 seconds later, giving them a hard-fought 2-2 draw away to Lazio.
Paulo Fonseca took drastic action after one point from two games, dropping Rafael Leao, Theo Hernandez and Davide Calabria, giving Emerson Royal and Youssouf Fofana their first starts. Malick Thiaw also joined Luka Jovic, Ismael Bennacer, Alvaro Morata, Alessandro Florenzi and Marco Sportiello on the absentee list. Luca Pellegrini and Mario Gila were out for the hosts.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
There were truly moving scenes before kick-off with a video tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson, concluding with Dario Marcolin – part of that all-conquering team – carrying out a special jersey for the coach.
There was a huge scare in the opening minutes, as Boulaye Dia anticipated on-rushing Mike Maignan to meet a Taty Castellanos assist, forcing Strahinja Pavlovic to sprint back and clear it off the line.
Pavlovic was decisive at the other end soon after, because he rose to meet the Christian Pulisic corner, as Lazio defenders if anything got in the way of Ivan Provedel.
Lazio fought back, the Castellanos diving header deflected on Manuel Lazzari’s cross, then Maignan making a tricky save on Loum Tchaouna’s header from a Nuno Tavares assist.
It should’ve been 2-0 just before half-time, but Noah Okafor just failed to get there in time to tap a Pulisic low assist into the net from four yards.
Okafor ran into the box only for Nuno Tavares to get back for a decisive interception as he was pulling the trigger, then Alessio Romagnoli was crucial to deflect a Pavlovic effort over from the Samuel Chukwueze pull-back.
Lazio equalised when Nuno Tavares ran onto a Dia pass down the left and flashed it across the six-yard box for Castellanos to tap in.
Incredibly, the game had been turned around completely four minutes later, as Nuno Tavares again sprinted down the left away from Emerson Royal and pulled back from the by-line, this time for Dia to bundle over the line.
Fonseca hit the panic button, making four substitutions, throwing on Rafael Leao, Theo Hernandez and debutant Tammy Abraham.
It certainly worked, because within 30 seconds Theo Hernandez had combined with Leao down the left, rolled across for Abraham, who assisted the goal from Leao.
In what was perhaps a sign of dissent, there was a cooling break moments later with all the players huddling round Fonseca on the touchline, except for Theo Hernandez and Leao, who stood chatting on the other side of the pitch.
Lazio had a double chance, first penalty appeals waved away because Pietro Terracciano sliding in kicked it onto his own arm, then the move continued and Maignan denied Castellanos from close range on the Zaccagni assist.
The Aquile protested again, but Fikayo Tomori cleared it onto Yunus Musah’s arm, which was in a natural position, so it did not warrant a penalty.
Deep into stoppages, Abraham on his return to the Stadio Olimpico almost scored the winner on his debut, running onto the Pulisic through ball to force a great Provedel save at the near post.
Lazio 2-2 Milan
Pavlovic 8 (M), Castellanos 62 (L), Dia 66 (L), Leao 72 (M)
Player statistic
| 8' |  |
Strahinja Pavlovic (Assist: Christian Pulisic) | ||
| 20' |  |
Youssouf Fofana | ||
| Nicolò Rovella | |
39' |
| Taty Castellanos (Assist: Nuno Tavares) |
|
62' | ||
| Mattia Zaccagni | |
64' | ||
| Boulaye Dia (Assist: Nuno Tavares) |
|
66' | ||
| 72' | |
Rafael Leão (Assist: Tammy Abraham) | ||
| Patric | |
85' | ||
| Mattéo Guendouzi | |
90+3' | ||
| 90+1' | |
Filippo Terracciano |
Match statistic
They paid fifteen million for Royal with cheese 😂
Pavlovic’s lack of awareness and what is happening behind him and around him make Thiaw look like Costacurta 😂 Honestly, where did they find these losers? He is constantly like a car crash waiting to happen. And Fofana….😂😂
Can you imagine being gabbia?! Seeing these dysfunctional Frankenstein’s taking your place? It is quite astonishing.
Two clear penalties for Lazio , and Milan have the audacity to be obsessed with “Varotta”!