Cremonese Vs Milan — Pavlovic and Leão Find Late Winners as Milan Edge Crisis Visit to Stadio Zini
AC Milan came from a low point in recent form to take a 2-0 victory at Cremonese, a result that mattered for both clubs. Cremonese Vs Milan saw Strahinja Pavlovic score in the 90th minute and Rafael Leão add a stoppage‑time finish five minutes later, turning a tight contest into a decisive late win for the visitors.
Cremonese Vs Milan: decisive late moments at Stadio Zini
Strahinja Pavlovic’s 90th‑minute goal arrived after a corner and a subsequent VAR review that confirmed the ball had gone in off his shoulder rather than his arm. Rafael Leão then converted a simple finish five minutes into stoppage time to seal the 2-0 final score. The late turnaround rescued Milan from a display that had earlier featured several wasted chances.
Where the result leaves Milan’s campaign
The victory moved Milan closer to Champions League contention and had immediate effects on their standing in the title race. One account places Milan 10 points behind Inter, while another places them 13 points adrift with 12 rounds remaining; Milan are second in the table. The win brought Milan back within 10 points of Inter entering the upcoming derby weekend in one assessment, and it is noted that Inter recently beat Genoa 2-0. With the local derby approaching, those margins frame Milan’s realistic hopes for the Scudetto as limited, leaving the derby largely a contest of pride.
Milan’s recent form, squad issues and selection context
Milan’s season had featured a 24‑game unbeaten run that ended with a 1-0 home loss to Parma, where an 80th‑minute winner stood after a VAR check. That defeat followed a narrow last‑gasp win over Pisa and a 1-1 home draw with Como, suggesting a loss of momentum. Milan have been unbeaten on the road this season and had previously lost at home to Cremonese on the opening matchday.
Injury and selection notes name Ruben Loftus‑Cheek as sidelined for several weeks after a serious facial injury; Matteo Gabbia is listed as uncertain with a flexor issue; Santiago Giménez is absent. Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leão have recently returned to fitness, and Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Fullkrug were noted as in contention for attacking roles.
Cremonese’s slide and survival picture
Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese continue to slide toward relegation territory. They have gone a 13th straight match without a win, sit 17th in the standings and are outside the drop zone on goal difference. Cremonese have failed to score in 10 of 12 winless matches and last tasted success in December. A 3-0 loss to Roma at the Stadio Olimpico allowed Fiorentina to overtake Cremonese in a fight among six clubs to avoid the final relegation place, and Davide Nicola’s managerial position is described as under serious threat. The club reached the top flight one year ago after winning the Serie B playoffs.
Stadio Zini is the venue for this renewal of the regional rivalry, and Cremonese fans had harbored hopes of a repeat of last August’s opening‑day shock when Federico Bonazzoli’s strike sealed a 2-1 win. It is also noted that Milan failed to score on their last three visits to Zini, although only one of those fixtures took place this century.
Related domestic results and wider context from the weekend
Several other league and cup events from the same round provide context. At Roma, visitors fought back from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 with Juventus; Wesley França, Evan Ndicka and Donyell Malen had put the hosts 3-1 up before Jérémie Boga and Federico Gatti forced a late share of the spoils, with Gatti’s leveller coming in the third minute of stoppage time in front of more than 65, 000 fans. Como sit three points behind Roma in fifth and are scheduled to host the second‑place team in two weeks’ time.
