Roma and Milan Play Out Draw After Late Pellegrini Penalty at Stadio Olimpico

Key Takeaways:

• Roma and Milan finished level at 1:1 at the Stadio Olimpico in the 22nd Serie A round
• Koni De Winter opened the scoring for Milan in the 62nd minute, only for Lorenzo Pellegrini to equalise from the spot in the 74th minute
• Milan climbed to 47 points, five adrift of leaders Inter, while Roma rose to third with 43 points and a superior goal difference to Napoli

Match Analysis

Roma and Milan shared the spoils with a 1:1 draw in the headline Sunday fixture of Serie A’s 22nd round at the Stadio Olimpico. The visitors endured significant early pressure but managed to take the lead through Koni De Winter’s well-placed header just after the hour mark. Roma, however, rallied with Lorenzo Pellegrini converting a penalty in the 74th minute, securing their first draw of the campaign across all competitions.

Finisce in parità lo scontro tra Roma e Milan all’Olimpico! ⚖️ #RomaMilan pic.twitter.com/P7A2eT25J4

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA) January 25, 2026

Both sides rotated their line-ups heavily following midweek European action and league commitments. Gian Piero Gasperini made six alterations to the Roma starting XI after their 2:0 success over Stuttgart in the Europa League, reintroducing Gianluca Mancini and Evan Ndicka in defence, and recalling Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen to the front line, while Wesley was preferred on the left flank. In midfield, Bryan Cristante replaced Nicolo Pisilli.

For Milan, Massimiliano Allegri implemented three changes after their 1:0 victory versus Lecce. Davide Bartesaghi returned as left wing-back, while Luka Modrić took Ardon Jashari’s spot in midfield. Christopher Nkunku partnered Rafael Leão up front in place of Christian Pulisic.

Pre-Match Tribute and Atmosphere

Prior to kick-off, the Roma “Curva Sud” paid tribute to Antonio De Falchi, a dedicated “Wolves” supporter who tragically lost his life after an altercation with Milan fans in 1989, aged just 19. A stirring choreography unfolded as Anna, De Falchi’s sister, and his nephews signalled to unveil a giant banner depicting De Falchi in his “Giallorossi” shirt, accompanied by the phrase “Imperitura memoria” displayed through a coordinated mosaic of orange, red, and white cards. The visiting Milan fans responded with provocative chants.

First-Half Developments

The opening exchanges were marked by strong intent from Roma, with Donyell Malen forcing Mike Maignan into his first save in the opening seconds. Alexis Saelemaekers responded at the other end, driving a speculative effort high over the target. The hosts amassed a sequence of promising opportunities, including a brace of efforts from Manu Koné and Malen in quick succession thwarted by Maignan in the eighth minute. Malen later went close with a header following a set-piece and narrowly missed with a volleyed effort minutes later.

Much of the half was then dictated by midfield battles, until Malen drew another sharp save from Maignan in the 33rd minute. Shortly before the interval, Luka Modrić intervened to block a shot from Mehmet Zeki Çelik, whose subsequent attempt drifted wide, and Matìas Soulé fired off target moments later. Maignan maintained the deadlock with a reflex stop against Çelik in first-half stoppage time, ensuring Roma entered the break goalless despite registering 10 shots compared to Milan’s lack of efforts on target.

Second-Half Action and Decisive Moments

The second period initially saw Adrien Rabiot test Mile Svilar with a low drive in the 50th minute. The breakthrough came in the 62nd, as Milan’s short corner routine resulted in Modrić delivering a pinpoint cross for De Winter to nod in, securing his debut goal for the Rossoneri. Notably, De Winter had netted his first Serie A goal against Roma back in September 2024 while on loan at Genoa.

Roma responded in the 74th minute when Bartesaghi was penalised for handball inside the box. Pellegrini stepped up and calmly dispatched the resulting penalty, with Maignan correctly reading the direction but unable to keep the ball out. This contrasted with the sides’ previous meeting, when Maignan had denied Dybala from the spot in the closing moments. Both Bryan Cristante and substitute Niclas Füllkrug failed to convert late opportunities for the hosts and visitors, while Roma were denied a second penalty for Christian Pulisic’s late handball appeal.

League Table Consequences

The 1:1 draw means Milan retain second place on 47 points, trailing Inter by five, whereas Roma advance into third with 43 points, edging Napoli on goal difference.