By Our Reporter at San Siro
MILAN – There is no stadium in the world quite like the San Siro, and yesterday afternoon, the “Cathedral of Football” provided the perfect stage for AC Milan to reclaim their place at the summit of Serie A.
Under the towering, brutalist concrete tiers of the Giuseppe Meazza, the Rossoneri dismantled a stubborn Hellas Verona 3-0, ensuring 2025 ended with a roar of “Forza Milan” echoing through the Milanese air.
For much of the first half, the visitors seemed content to play the role of party-poopers at one of football’s most hallowed venues. But the San Siro has a way of inspiring late drama. In the first minute of stoppage time, the deadlock was finally shattered.
A teasing corner from veteran Luka Modric was flicked on by Adrien Rabiot, allowing the “American Boy” Christian Pulisic to ghost in at the back post and volley home.
The 70,000-strong crowd had barely returned to their seats for the second half when the match was put beyond doubt.
Christopher Nkunku, the summer signing who has struggled to find his feet in Italy, chose the bright lights of the Meazza to finally announce his arrival. In the 48th minute, he drew a foul from Victor Nelsson and coolly dispatched the resulting penalty.
Just five minutes later, the Frenchman turned the game into a rout.
After another Modric effort was parried onto the post, Nkunku was the sharpest man in the stadium, pouncing on the rebound to double his tally and send the Curva Sud into a frenzy.
Verona, who have famously never won a Serie A match at the San Siro in 34 attempts, looked shell-shocked.
The hallowed turf has rarely been a kind place for them, and as the winter sun dipped behind the stadium’s iconic red girders, they were left chasing shadows.
The victory moves Massimiliano Allegri’s side back to the top of the table, ending the calendar year on a high.
As the San Siro lights illuminated the pitch at the final whistle, it was clear: when this stadium is rocking, there is nowhere more daunting in world football.
