Serie A | Cremonese 0-2 Milan: Pavlovic and Leao leave it late

Francesco Folino made a desperate interception to stop Rafael Leao tapping in the Adrien Rabiot cross from six yards, while Alexis Saelemaekers drilled wide from the edge of the area.

Cremonese came close when Federico Bonazzoli’s volley on a Giuseppe Pezzella cross was deflected inches wide, then on the resulting corner Jamie Vardy swung just off target too.

Rafael Leao looked as if he simply had to score on 34 minutes when sent through by Youssouf Fofana, had drawn out Emil Audero, only to incredibly drill wide of the empty net from nine yards.

Christian Pulisic also sprung the offside trap on another wonderful Fofana pass, but this time Audero came flying out and managed to get a fingertip to the American’s finish. On the resulting corner, Rabiot nodded just over the bar.

Vardy’s strike was charged down in the area by Fikayo Tomori and a Luperto effort deflected over, but Leao wasted another golden opportunity when prodding the Rabiot assist over from six yards as Audero rushed off his line to narrow the angle.

Jari Vandeputte ballooned over from the edge of the box on an Alessio Zerbin pull-back, while Niclas Fullkrug failed to get the tap-in on a Leao roll across, falling awkwardly in the process.

Filippo Terracciano felled former teammate Leao and was booked, so will be suspended for the relegation battle against Lecce, while Fullkrug had penalty appeals waved away for a tussle with Luperto.

Maignan made a tricky one-handed save on the Luperto header going under the bar from a free kick, and Fullkrug couldn’t keep his header down on a Modric cross from a corner.

Davide Bartesaghi went off clutching the back of his right thigh after earning a corner, but as the set play was taken short and Modric whipped in the cross, Koni De Winter glanced it with his head, it struck Pavlovic on the face and shoulder before going in at the back post. Milan rushed to celebrate with Bartesaghi, who was still being helped off the field by medical staff.

Cremonese were unbalanced seeking an equaliser and conceded another on the counter in stoppages. Fullkrug flicked on the ball for Christopher Nkunku to sprint from the centre-circle, rolling across for Leao to sweep in from eight yards with the inside of the right boot.

Cremonese 0-2 Milan

Pavlovic 90 (M), Leao 94 (M)

01-03-2026 11:30 MatchDay 27 Stadio Giovanni Zini

Cremonese

Milan 0 - 2

Player statistic

2nd half

Filippo Terracciano		76'
Youssef Maleh

85'         89' Strahinja Pavlovic (Assist: Koni De Winter)     90+4'

Rafael Leão (Assist: Christopher Nkunku)

Match statistic

47 Possession % 53 15 Total shots 20 3 Shots on target 6 7 Shots off target 9 5 Blocked shots 5 6 Corners 7 2 Offsides 3 14 Fouls 10 Cremonese Milan

Starting lineups

1

Emil Audero Goalkeeper 55 Francesco Folino Defender 3

Giuseppe Pezzella Defender 15 Matteo Bianchetti Defender 66' 5

Sebastiano Luperto Defender 27 Jari Vandeputte Midfielder 82' 2

Morten Thorsby Midfielder 29 Youssef Maleh Midfielder 7 Alessio Zerbin Attacker 66' 90

Federico Bonazzoli Attacker 10

Jamie Vardy Attacker 66' 16

Mike Maignan Goalkeeper 33 Davide Bartesaghi Defender 89' 23

Fikayo Tomori Defender 78' 5 Koni De Winter Defender 31

Strahinja Pavlovic Defender 12

Adrien Rabiot Midfielder 56

Alexis Saelemaekers Midfielder 62' 14

Luka Modric Midfielder 19

Youssouf Fofana Midfielder 62' 11

Christian Pulisic Attacker

78' 10

Rafael Leão Attacker

Substitutes

69 Lapo Nava Goalkeeper 16

Marco Silvestri Goalkeeper 99

Antonio Sanabria Attacker 23

Federico Ceccherini Defender 38

Warren Bondo Midfielder 32 Martín Payero Midfielder 22 Romano Floriani Mussolini Defender 30 Mika Faye Defender 24

Filippo Terracciano Midfielder 66' 9

Milan Djuric Attacker 66' 4 Tommaso Barbieri Defender 66' 33

Alberto Grassi Midfielder 82' 1

Pietro Terracciano Goalkeeper 30

Ardon Jashari Midfielder 37 Matteo Pittarella Goalkeeper 27 David Odogu Defender 4

Samuele Ricci Midfielder 62' 9

Niclas Füllkrug Attacker 62' 18

Christopher Nkunku Attacker 78' 24

Zachary Athekame Defender 78' 2

Pervis Estupiñán Defender

89'