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Milan Player Ratings: Milan 2-1 Bologna

Milan won but at what cost?

AC Milan v Bologna FC - Serie A Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

This match against Bologna was one of the last key matches to finish out the season. During the week AC Milan faced a lot of distractions both on and off the pitch. On the pitch the squad has been criticized for their lack of chances and off the field there was drama surrounding the players attitudes. The opening minutes of the match was open as both teams were creating chances. This back and forth continued until Suso broke the deadlock scoring from the edge of the box. Going into half Milan led 1-0. However the big story of the first half was the situation on the bench. There seemed to be a heated argument between Gattuso and Bakayoko.

Much of the second half followed suit as both teams were not solid defensively. In the 67th minute Fabio Borini put Milan up 2-0 as he got the ball off a rebound and buried it home. Milan looked to finally get a comfortable win until tragedy struck. Bologna scored in the 73rd minute off a corner and just a minute later Lucas Paqueta was sent off. This madness continued for the rest of the match as both teams were very physical until the final whistle. As the final whistle blew Milan rejoiced as their hunt for the Champions League continued.

We now look at the player ratings for AC Milan. Be sure to comment your thoughts down below and follow us on Twitter @SBNRossonero

STARTING LINE-UP

Gianluigi Donnarumma: Aside from the few mistakes with the ball at his feet Donnarumma was solid in this match. At times he made spectacular saves to keep Milan in the match. However mistakes with the ball at his feet almost cost Milan some goals. 7/10

Ignazio Abate: In a very surprising performance Abate was great in this match. Many still view Abate as a solid backup option but in this game he was more than that. He was all over the field, pushing forward when needed and running back whenever Milan were in trouble. It is nice to see a Milan veteran still prove he can play in such a crucial match. 7.5/10

Christian Zapata: Getting the starting nod because of the suspension to Romagnoli, Zapata was mediocre in this match. It might be just me but on the ball Zapata looks uncomfortable and at times makes me nervous that a giveaway could happen at any second. 6/10

Matteo Musacchio: Well this match against Bologna really proved that Romagnoli covers up for many mistakes at the back for Milan. With only Musacchio, Milan looked shaky at times and struggled to stop many Bologna attacks. Much like Zapata I feel as if Musacchio could make a mistake at anytime. 6/10

Ricardo Rodriguez: After his last poor performance many thought Rodriguez would bounce back in this match. Instead we saw much of the same as at times he was a ghost on the pitch. Hopefully in the final matches Rodriguez improves his form. 5.5/10

Franck Kessie: Another performance where Kessie put maximum effort for 90 minutes. People can say many things about Franck Kessie but nobody can say he doesn't put effort in for 90 minutes. Kessie played fine as he usually does and in the final minutes of the match he shielded the ball away from Bologna players to keep possession and dwindle the clock down. 6.5/10

Lucas Biglia: We did not get to see much of Biglia in this match. With only 26 minutes in an injury occurred that forced him to be subbed off. Surprisingly Jose Mauri was the one to come on instead of Tiemoue Bakayoko. There seemed to be some controversy on the sideline with this substitution. 5.5/10

Lucas Paqueta: This was a very up and down game for Lucas Paqueta. At times he looked brilliant and creative. But other times he lost his cool and this ultimately led to him being sent off for arguing with the referee. 5.5/10

Suso: For the first time in many games Suso looked dangerous in this match. Suso finally showed some creativity and created many chances for Milan. All of this hard work paid off as he shot from outside the box and snuck it in the bottom right corner to put Milan ahead. 6.5/10

Krzysztof Piatek: Back in the starting lineup Piatek wanted to end his goal drought. Sadly this did not happen but Piatek still played well. Something that stood out in this match was the heart of Piatek. Many times throughout the match you could see he was doing everything to secure a Milan victory. At one point Piatek yelled intensely at the squad to wake up after a close chance by Bologna. 6/10

Hakan Calhanoglu: Like last match Calhanoglu got the start on the wing. At times Calhanoglu was creative but many times his decision making is subpar. Calhanoglu is a fine player but in my mind he is not at the standard that Milan are working towards. 5.5/10

SUBSTITUTES

Jose Mauri: This was the surprise substitution of this match. But Mauri actually played fairly decent in this match. He was strong defensively and looked comfortable in possession. Mauri might be getting more minutes because of the argument between Bakayoko and Gattuso. 6.5/10

Fabio Borini: Borini came in and did exactly what he is always asked, to run his ass off. Another shock in this match was that Borini’s hard work actually paid off with a goal. Not only did he score but this was the goal that won Milan the match. 6/10

Samuel Castillejo: Coming on in the final minutes of the game Castillejo didn't see much of the ball but his work rate defensively helped Milan hold the lead and secure the victory. 6/10