AC Milan kept their Serie A title hopes alive on Friday night as Luka Modric struck late to seal a 2-1 win away to Pisa at the Arena Garibaldi on February 13, grinding out points the hard way on a cold, nervy evening.
Milan controlled the ball but not the mood. Pisa pressed, chased, and forced errors, turning this into a test of nerve rather than polish.
Massimiliano Allegri made his feelings clear from the touchline. He snapped at Ruben Loftus-Cheek with “He’s walking!” and demanded more from Youssouf Fofana, shouting “Wake up! You’ve only touched the ball once so far.” The message landed because Milan needed urgency, not comfort.
Loftus-Cheek answered the noise with action. He surged into the box, attacked the cross, and powered a header home, prompting Allegri to fire back with “The first run he makes and he scores!” as proof that movement changes games.
Pisa refused to fold despite sitting bottom. Oscar Hiljemark set them up to compete second balls and spring quickly, which kept Milan honest and exposed gaps behind their midfield.
The hosts caught a break when Milan blinked from the spot. Niclas Fullkrug dragged his penalty wide, and Pisa grabbed momentum they never wasted.
Felipe Loyola made amends in style, latching onto a loose ball and curling low past Mike Maignan. The stadium lifted because belief finally matched effort.
Milan wobbled after that equaliser. Fullkrug grazed the post, Allegri prowled, and the visitors looked short on calm.
Then Modric took charge. He combined with Samuele Ricci, reacted quickest to a scuffed return, and lifted a composed finish to restore order and points.
Modric later cut through the hype with “First of all, we couldn’t afford to make any mistakes today. We knew these points would be crucial for the fight at the top of the table, and we got them.” He also admitted the wobble, saying “In the second half, we relaxed a bit and didn’t pay attention. That’s why they scored.” The honesty fit the performance.
The veteran felt the love too. “It’s a privilege for me to hear this chant. I can only thank the fans,” he said, before cooling title talk with “We have to take it one game at a time.”
Late drama followed when Adrien Rabiot saw red for dissent after a foul. Milan dug in with ten and defended their box like a team that knows what is at stake.
The win leaves Milan second on 53 points from 24 games, five behind Inter Milan and four clear of Napoli. A derby looms, and nights like this shape seasons.
