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The AC Milan vs SSC Bari timel ine captures all the key moments from the opening competitive match of AC Milan’s 2025/26 season — a 2-0 Coppa Italia first-round victory at San Siro. Milan’s dominance, goals, tactical decisions, and an early injury made this contest memorable for Rossoneri fans.
Match Overview: AC Milan vs SSC Bari
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Competition: Coppa Italia Frecciarossa 2025/26 — First Round
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Date: Sunday, August 17, 2025
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Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro), Milan
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Attendance: ~71,000 spectators
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Final Score: AC Milan 2–0 SSC Bari
This timeline highlights major events from the match, organized chronologically for clarity.
Pre-Match & Kick-Off (Before 0′)
20:15 CEST: The teams line up at San Siro as part of the Coppa Italia first-round fixtures. Milan unveils its new signings, including Luka Modrić, Samuele Ricci, Pervis Estupiñán and others, to a huge crowd.
Kick-Off: The referee blows the whistle and AC Milan begins its first competitive game of the 2025/26 season in front of a packed San Siro.
First Half Timeline
1′ – Early Opportunities:
Bari starts brightly with striker Gabriele Moncini testing the Milan defense with an early long-range effort that goes wide.
5-10′ – Milan Pressure:
Milan gradually takes control with increased possession and forward movement from midfield.
14′ – GOAL (Milan 1–0 Bari):
Rafael Leão opens the scoring with a powerful header from a Fikayo Tomori cross — Milan’s first goal of the season.
21′ – Booking:
Pervis Estupiñán picks up the first yellow card of the match for AC Milan.
25′ – Near Miss:
Christian Pulisic nearly doubles Milan’s lead, but his strike from distance crashes off the bar.
30′ – Bari Response:
Bari tries to respond, but Cerofolini — Bari’s keeper — makes an important save to deny a long-range effort.
39′ – Defensive Effort:
Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan showcases his shot-stopping ability with a fine save to keep Bari scoreless.
45′ – Half Time:
Milan enters the break ahead 1–0 thanks to Leão’s early goal after sustaining pressure throughout the first half.
Second Half Timeline
46′ – Second Half Begins:
The match resumes with no initial changes, and Milan continues to press Bari high up the pitch.
48′ – GOAL (Milan 2–0 Bari):
Just two minutes into the second half, Christian Pulisic nets Milan’s second goal, finishing after a neat one-two with Santiago Giménez.
60′ – Tactical Shifts:
Milan maintains possession but looks to manage the game while continuing attacks down the flanks.
66′ – Substitutions:
AC Milan makes its first set of changes:
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Luka Modrić and Ardon Jashari come on as fresh legs and make their competitive debuts.
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Yunus Musah also enters as part of the rotation to manage minutes and energy.
75–80′ – Milan Control:
Milan continues pressing, with Saelemaekers and Fofana linking up midpitch while Bari tries to find a response but struggles against a well-organised Rossoneri defense.
81′ – Late Substitution:
Noah Okafor comes on for Estupiñán as Milan continues to control possession and limit Bari’s chances.
Final Minutes & Full Time
90′ – Final Whistle:
The referee blows for full time with the score AC Milan 2–0 SSC Bari, sending Milan safely through to the Coppa Italia Round of 32.
Match Summary
Goalscorers:
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Rafael Leão (14′) – Milan’s opening goal with a header.
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Christian Pulisic (48′) – Second goal early in the second half.
Key Stats:
Milan dominated possession, registered more shots, and controlled the game while Bari defended bravely, ultimately unable to score.
Substitutions of Note:
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Modrić & Jashari make their competitive debuts for Milan in the 66′.
Post-Match Context
This clash marks a continuation in the competitive timeline between AC Milan and SSC Bari, where Milan historically has the upper hand in head-to-head meetings in official competitions. Their latest cup tie in 2025 reinforces Milan’s strong record over Bari in competitive fixtures.
The result propels Milan into the next Coppa Italia round, while Bari returns to focus on its Serie B campaign for the 2025/26 seaso