Massimiliano Allegri's team were given a run for their money, but their star striker once again delivered a world-class performance to secure the three points.
AC Milan took an important step towards retaining their Serie A crown as they came from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win over Roma at San Siro on Saturday.
Pablo Osvaldo opened the scoring in the first half, but the Rossoneri responded with a brace from Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the break as Massimiliano Allegri's team recorded three vital points in preparation for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final tie with Barcelona.
Pablo Osvaldo opened the scoring in the first half, but the Rossoneri responded with a brace from Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the break as Massimiliano Allegri's team recorded three vital points in preparation for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final tie with Barcelona.
Milan started the game brightly, dominating possession and pressing the opposition deep in their own half. Urby Emanuelson was the first to threaten Maarten Stekelenburg's goal in the eighth minute when he saw a low shot from the right wing saved by the Netherlands international.
However, the Rossoneri received a blow in the 10th minute as Thiago Silva was forced to leave the pitch after suffering a muscle injury. But it did not stop Milan's attacking momentum as Massimiliano Allegri's men continued dominating proceedings.
Ibrahimovic forced Stekelenburg into a fine save in the 11th minute with a powerful free kick and moments later Stephan El Shaarawy narrowly missed to the left with a skilful volley from inside the penalty area.
The tempo dropped in the following minutes as most of the action commenced in the centre of the pitch. Roma, however, were slowly improving and looked more threatening on the counter.
In the 40th minute El Shaarawy rattled the post with a superb strike from outside the box, and the rebound fell to Antonio Nocernio, who failed to connect cleanly with the ball to convert. Milan were tightening the grip on Roma, but against the run of play the Giallorossi took the lead in the 44th minute.
A long-range strike by Daniele De Rossi was deflected by Osvaldo into the net from just outside the six-yard box as Christian Abbiati was caught by surprise. The goal meant the Rossoneri had to withdraw at half-time with a one-goal deficit, much to the dismay of fans and players alike.
The restart saw Roma continue to take advantage of mistakes by the hosts in the build-up of their attacks. In one such instance, Abbiati gifted the ball to Francesco Totti with a stray pass, but luckily for the goalkeeper the Roma veteran could not find the target with his chipped effort.
El Shaarawy saw a powerful shot blocked in the following attack, but the real trouble for the Giallorossi was yet to come. In the 51st minute De Rossi handled the ball in the box and conceded a penalty, which Ibrahimovic duly converted to draw the game level.
AC Milan continued to press forward in the remainder of the game, but were repeatedly frustrated in their search for a winner. Sulley Muntari struck the bar with a powerful finish, but it was Ibrahimovic who bagged the winner in the 83rd minute when he powered past Stekelenburg and Simon Kjaer to complete his brace with a simple finish.
Following the win, AC Milan move to 63 points at the top of the Serie A table, while Roma sit sixth with 45 points. The Rossoneri host Barcelona on Wednesday for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, before visiting Catania in the league next week, while the Giallorossi host Novara.
Top of the Match
Flop of the Match
However, the Rossoneri received a blow in the 10th minute as Thiago Silva was forced to leave the pitch after suffering a muscle injury. But it did not stop Milan's attacking momentum as Massimiliano Allegri's men continued dominating proceedings.
Ibrahimovic forced Stekelenburg into a fine save in the 11th minute with a powerful free kick and moments later Stephan El Shaarawy narrowly missed to the left with a skilful volley from inside the penalty area.
The tempo dropped in the following minutes as most of the action commenced in the centre of the pitch. Roma, however, were slowly improving and looked more threatening on the counter.
In the 40th minute El Shaarawy rattled the post with a superb strike from outside the box, and the rebound fell to Antonio Nocernio, who failed to connect cleanly with the ball to convert. Milan were tightening the grip on Roma, but against the run of play the Giallorossi took the lead in the 44th minute.
A long-range strike by Daniele De Rossi was deflected by Osvaldo into the net from just outside the six-yard box as Christian Abbiati was caught by surprise. The goal meant the Rossoneri had to withdraw at half-time with a one-goal deficit, much to the dismay of fans and players alike.
The restart saw Roma continue to take advantage of mistakes by the hosts in the build-up of their attacks. In one such instance, Abbiati gifted the ball to Francesco Totti with a stray pass, but luckily for the goalkeeper the Roma veteran could not find the target with his chipped effort.
El Shaarawy saw a powerful shot blocked in the following attack, but the real trouble for the Giallorossi was yet to come. In the 51st minute De Rossi handled the ball in the box and conceded a penalty, which Ibrahimovic duly converted to draw the game level.
AC Milan continued to press forward in the remainder of the game, but were repeatedly frustrated in their search for a winner. Sulley Muntari struck the bar with a powerful finish, but it was Ibrahimovic who bagged the winner in the 83rd minute when he powered past Stekelenburg and Simon Kjaer to complete his brace with a simple finish.
Following the win, AC Milan move to 63 points at the top of the Serie A table, while Roma sit sixth with 45 points. The Rossoneri host Barcelona on Wednesday for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, before visiting Catania in the league next week, while the Giallorossi host Novara.
Christian Abbiati
75
24
The Rossoneri goalkeeper did not have a save to make before he was given no chance by Osvaldo's close-range deflected effort. Was later very lucky to escape unpunished after gifting the ball straight to Totti with a woeful attempted clearance.
Philippe Mexes
113
15
Sprayed the ball about impressively in the first half, making good use of Mesbah's willingness to get forward down the left-hand side. Also looked very comfortable defensively throughout the game.
Daniele Bonera
93
38
Started the game at right-back but was moved to centre-half just 10 minutes in following the injury-enforced withdrawal of Thiago Silva. Was lucky not to have followed his team-mate down the tunnel moments later after leading with his forearm as he jumped for a ball with Marquinho. Cleared Taddei's cut-back when Milan found themselves stretched just before half-time but played his part in a solid second-half showing.
Thiago Silva
98
20
Lasted just 10 minutes before being forced off with the same injury which had curtailed his participation in the midweek Coppa Italia clash with Juventus. Was clearly struggling in the warm-up, and was unnecessary risked ahead of the Barca Champions League clash.
Sulley Ali Muntari
169
12
As ever, was tremendously busy in the middle of the park, breaking up play at every opportunity, and he was not afraid to get involved going forward, trying his luck from distance on a couple of occasions during their opening period. He also sent over a wonderful cross from the left-hand side which Ibrahimovic should have done better with. Was desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet after seeing a thunderous volley tipped onto the crossbar by Stekelenburg.
Djamel Mesbah
96
35
Pushed forward right from the first whistle but while he saw plenty of the ball and was pretty competent in possession, he never really put over any menacing crosses or threatened in an attacking sense. The January arrival also continues to look pretty suspect on the back foot.
Antonio Nocerino
74
35
Was relatively quiet and blew the one decent chance which came his way when he failed to get much purchase on his follow-up when El Shaarawy's shot rebounded back off the foot of the post during the first half.
Massimo Ambrosini
92
22
Did a very good job protecting his back four, making several interceptions, the most notable of which came when he stripped Totti of possession on the edge of the area. Also made one brave block on a shot from Gago. It was the veteran midfielder's poor clearance which led to Roma opening the scoring but he made amends by winning the penalty with a tremendous surge into the area.
Urby Emanuelson
73
67
Again selected in the trequartista role in spite of an anonymous midweek display in Turin, and he started brightly enough, drifting out to the right-hand side before cutting in on to his left foot for a low strike which was easily saved by Stekelenburg. However, he went missing again thereafter, only resurfacing occasionally to misplace a pass or overhit a corner. Unsurprisingly withdrawn 10 minutes into the second half.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Top of the Match
258
21
Dropped deep a lot early on in order to get himself on the ball and that resulted in a couple of overly ambitious long-range strikes, one of which drew a terrific finger-tip save with a 30-metre free kick. Looked frustrated during the first half and was booked for a nasty challenge on Marquinho. However, he was calmness personified when called upon to draw Milan level from the penalty spot and then scored a wonderful winner by lobbing the ball over Stekelenburg and heading it home.
Stephan El Shaarawy
159
12
Full of running and constantly hassling and harrying the Roma defenders, the teenager came close with a volley of a high degree of difficulty some 16 minutes in. El Shaarawy then went even closer just before the break when he saw a wonderful curling effort from the edge of the box come back off the right post. Was not quite as dynamic in the second period and was replaced by Aquilani late on.
• Substitutions
Gianluca Zambrotta
62
35
Came on for the injured Thiago Silva just 10 minutes in, the versatile defender slotted in at right-back with Bonera moving into the centre. It wasn't long before he was called into action, and he did well to deal with a wonderful cross from Gago. However, the former Barcelona man became increasingly nervy and contributed to Roma's opener with a dreadful attempted pass up the left-hand side, which put the hosts back under pressure.
Alberto Aquilani
74
21
Thrown on just before the end in place of El Shaarawy and did not have sufficient time to really get into the game.
Kevin-Prince Boateng
100
19
Made a timely return from injury 10 minutes into the second period, coming on in place of the ineffective Emanuelson. Did not make much of an impact but he will be all the better for the run-out.
Maarten Stekelenburg
69
18
Made a terrific finger-tip save from an Ibrahimovic free kick and also later displayed good handling in holding onto a well-struck strike from El Shaarawy. Was sent the wrong way by Ibrahimovic for the penalty - hardly a criminal offence - but then saved well with his feet when the forward found himself in space in the area with just 20 minutes remaining before miraculously tipping Muntari's volley onto the crossbar.
Gabriel Iván Heinze
21
29
Played a nice ball into Borini early on, but looked defensively suspect during the first half, mis-timing an attempted headed clearnce at one point. Showed plenty of heart, though, and made several big challenges as Roma came under mounting pressure in the second half.
Simon Kjaer
29
36
Was pretty dominant in the air and also displayed impressive strength in muscling Zlatan off the ball, leaving the Swede flopping about on the floor appealing in vain for a penalty. However, he was singularly to blame for Milan's winner, completely losing Ibra before then being brushed aside as the former Barca man headed the ball into an empty net.
Aleandro Rosi
13
27
Was forced onto the back foot right from the off by Mesbah but stood up very well to the challenge posed by the Algeria international and became increasingly adventurous as the half wore on, digging out a brilliant cross for Borini at the tail end of the opening period. His distribution was poor at times but he can be proud of his efforts.
Marquinho
16
26
Was really in the wars, taking a forearm to the face from Bonera before being chopped down by Zlatan towards the end of the first half. Was never afraid to shoot but never looked remotely like scoring.
Taddei
13
24
Looked vulnerable each and every time El Shaarawy drifted out to his wing but he never stopped battling and tried to get forward whenever he could.
Daniele De Rossi
21
23
Fired in the shot which Osvaldo deflected into the Milan goal but never really got a grip on the game in the manner that Luis Enrique would have liked. In addition, De Rossi gave away the penalty from which Ibra equalised - and he could have no complaints about the decision, the midfielder raising his hands as he slid in to block a shot from Ambrosini.
Fernando Gago
14
21
Got through plenty of work from a defensive perspective, making one particularly important interception when Milan looked well placed to break late in the first half, and also distributed the ball to relatively good effect. Was neat and tidy in everything he did but ineffective at the same time.
Pablo Osvaldo
20
20
Was subdued early on but came to life around the half-hour mark and then showed his predatory instincts by diverting a mis-hit shot from De Rossi past Abbiati. Did not really get another sight of goal thereafter, though.
Francesco Totti
Flop of the Match
38
45
A pretty dismal display from Totti, who looked slow and ponderous in possession. Indeed, he was muscled off the ball by Ambrosini with embarrassing ease during the first half. His worst offence, though, was his horribly ill-advised decision to attempt to chip Abbiati from the edge of the area after the goalkeeper had cleared the ball straight to him. Was replaced 10 minutes into the second half.
Fabio Borini
17
21
Fearless as ever, Borini was Roma's liveliest attacking player early on and was not afraid to mix it with Thiago Silva, as evidenced by the tangle which led to the Brazilian going off injured. However, he took the wrong option at times and faded as the game wore on, resulting in him being replaced by Bojan shortly after the interval.
• Substitutions
Erik Lamela
22
16
Saw 10 minutes of action at the end but in spite of his best efforts, was unable to make an impact.
Miralem Pjanic
30
18
Thrown on in place of Totti 10 minutes into the second half but did not really influence the game.
Bojan Krkic
16
25
Came on for Totti in the 56th minute but proved just as ineffective as the man he had replaced.
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic Striker Milan | 22 | 8 |
 | Antonio Di Natale Striker Udinese | 19 | 4 |
 | Edinson Cavani Striker Napoli | 18 | 2 |
 | Germán Denis Striker Atalanta | 15 | 3 |
 | Diego Alberto Milito Striker Inter | 14 | 3 |
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