AC Milan's sudden rhythm changes caught Roma completely off guard.
Kaká's control of the tempo was just right—when Roma's midfield was about to press forward, he immediately turned, dribbled forward, and pierced through their midfield line in an instant.
At the same time, Pato's start was perfectly timed.
Suker also smoothly made his supporting run!
But this was only the beginning of Roma's troubles.
Faced with an unfamiliar tactic, their previous experience was useless.
When AC Milan switched to a new style, Roma looked very unadapted.
And what exactly was Milan playing?
Possession, pressing, defense, and counterattack—all rolled into one.
When you think they are counterattacking, suddenly they play possession and confuse you with rhythm changes.
When they want to press, Milan repeatedly lofts the ball into the backfield.
And then there were Suker and Kaká!
Those two started their "double-core" play.
Roma had no clue how Milan distributed tactical resources, but those two completely exploded in effectiveness.
One Suker already gave them headaches.
Add Kaká, and Roma felt their heads spinning.
"Mark Suker tightly!"De Rossi shouted, rushing toward Suker.
But Suker's close ball control was flawless; he constantly shifted left and right in tight space.
He had invested his last two attribute points into agility, restoring some of his old flexibility.
His tight dribbling and escapes became even sharper.
"Damn it!"De Rossi failed to keep up as Suker pushed the ball sideways.
When De Rossi turned and stretched his foot to block Suker's forward run, Suker suddenly stopped and paused on the ball.
As De Rossi's weight shifted fully to the right, Suker burst left.
Suker slipped through a narrow gap.
"Suker's through!"He broke past two defenders in midfield.
When facing the backline, the fearful expressions on Roma defenders' faces were clear.
Suker sprinted straight ahead.
Approaching the penalty box line, he feinted a shot.
"Block!"Roma goalkeeper Doni shouted in panic.
Panucci and Juan rushed up desperately to block.
At that moment, Suker's right foot slowly dropped, gently passing rightward.
Swish!Kaká dashed in from the right, picked up the ball, drove into the box, and fired a powerful right-footed shot—scoring again!
At 34 minutes in the first half, AC Milan scored once more.
Suker and Kaká.
Two perfect combinations.
Roma's defense was left in total confusion.
So, were Pato and Ronaldo just decoys?
Was Suker and Kaká the real offensive core?
At 44 minutes, Suker once again charged the opponent's defense.
He pushed forward while repeatedly stabbing his finger upwards.
Panucci saw this, but combined with Suker's previous signals, he didn't know how to choose.
Should he defend the ground or the aerial ball?
While hesitating, Suker jumped.
"Damn!"Suker realized the ball was behind him and cursed inwardly.
Clearly, Kaká was pressured during the pass.
But Suker reacted quickly—twisting his body midair, he turned half a circle and headed the ball down to Ronaldo.
Faced with this sudden change, Ronaldo was nervous but calmed down.
He stopped the ball on his right with his left foot, shook off Juan's marking, created shooting space, and fired a tight-angle shot.
Swish!The ball hit the net again.
"Ronaldo scores!! AC Milan's third goal!"
"Three goals in the first half for AC Milan!"
"Suker, Kaká, and Ronaldo all scored! AC Milan is in full bloom!"
The entire San Siro stadium erupted.
They felt Milan had returned to their form from two years ago—the unstoppable force.
Especially given their incredible form.
Roma was no weak team.
But they conceded three goals in the first half.
This proved how effective AC Milan's attack was.
And Suker and Kaká!
The "double-core" duo's play greatly distracted Roma's defense.
They didn't even know who to mark.
During halftime, Roma players argued anxiously.
Some said to focus on limiting Kaká.
Some said to continue suppressing Suker.
Others said both had to be contained simultaneously.
But could Roma really limit both?
The truth was, AC Milan's new tactic confused and unsettled them deeply.
In AC Milan's locker room, the players were relaxed.
Three goals scored!
No goals conceded!
The tactic was incredibly effective!
Though it wasn't a long-term system—if opponents found its flaws, it could collapse.
But at least for now, no one could do that.
Just like Roma, everyone was baffled.
The key point was that many couldn't understand this match.
AC Milan's attack was sharp but too complex, contradictory to their usual main tactical system.
But not understanding was exactly right!
Ancelotti, nicknamed the "Master of Mysticism," didn't only build tactical systems but also focused on details and tactical tricks.
Like AC Milan's "fake possession, real counterattack."
Without digging into details, analyzing game footage deeply, and understanding the core of the tactics, you wouldn't find the root cause.
This was why Ancelotti dared to bring out this tactic confidently.
"In the second half, start defending after 55 minutes!"Ancelotti continued instructing.
He was very satisfied with the players' performance.
The tactical impact was beyond his expectations.
But this was good news.
Without such a sharp counterattack, he wouldn't dare challenge Barcelona.
After watching this match, Ancelotti felt very excited.
There was a chance!
They had a chance to defeat Barcelona!
Second half began; both teams switched sides.
At first, Roma stayed cautious, needing to stabilize their defense.
But they soon found Milan had no intention to attack.
For ten full minutes, Milan held back.
Then Milan began substitutions.
Their formation shifted to a 4-4-2 defensive counterattack system.
Dense defense plus sharp counters.
Roma realized they'd been tricked.
But just as they prepared substitutions, Milan changed personnel simultaneously.
Milan replaced several defenders, signaling the situation was lost.
"Defend! Defend!""Hold on!""Three minutes left!"
AC Milan players were full of morale.
Leading by three goals, they were about to win.
Their tactic was a resounding success.
This made them even more motivated.
"Roma has no chance now. If they lose, they might also fall from first place."
"This match, AC Milan's performance was outstanding. They quickly scored through clever tactical arrangements, expanded their lead in the first half, and by the time Roma tried to reverse the situation, it was too late!"
With Aldo Cerella's voice, the match entered its final moments.
The referee looked down at the time and blew the final whistle promptly.
"The match is over! AC Milan won at home against league leaders Roma. Congratulations to AC Milan on their tactical success! We look forward to their future exciting performances!"
Amid cheers from the San Siro crowd, the players finished their acknowledgments and returned to the locker room.
In the locker room, players celebrated excitedly.
This match was more than just a victory.
Tactical success was a key factor!
It gave them hope of beating Barcelona!
Of course, Barcelona was not Roma—the opponents would be even stronger.
But AC Milan must maintain their form.
Facing strong opponents, they must never show weakness; they must dare to fight for victory!
Especially since it would be at their home!