Late-Stage Chill: Modric Sparks Milan in a Goalless Juve–Milan Derby
5 October 2025
Match Report
The clash between Juventus and Milan ended in a goalless draw in round six of Serie A, a dull encounter with few chances and little drama as both sides guarded against defeat.
Much of the play stayed in midfield, with short passes and limited incisive moves, and only a handful of moments of quality emerged from a few players.
The fear of losing overshadowed both teams and coaches, producing a display that did not live up to the hype surrounding the title race in Italy.
Three players stood out: goalkeepers Michele Di Gregorio and Mike Maignan, alongside Milan’s Luka Modrić in the engine room. The Croatian maestro reminded everyone that age is just a number, delivering moments of class when it mattered.
Modrić showed why he remains a constant threat in big games since arriving in Milan, delivering precise passes and intelligent movements that unsettled Juventus’ defense and hinted at the quality he can still conjure in the big moments.
Against Napoli he was among Milan’s best, with accurate through passes and smart distribution that cut through lines, and he carried that influence into this match as well.
Against Juventus he produced meaningful moments, including a long ball that set a teammate free and a follow‑up that earned a penalty after a foul, though Christian Pulisic failed to convert the spot kick.
In the closing minutes of regulation, Modrić produced a brilliant through-ball that sliced through Juventus’ lines and sent Rafael Leao through, but the goalkeeper produced a superb save. Modrić’s passing craft continues to work like magic when teammates are in the right positions in the final third.
Over 90 minutes, Modrić completed 68 of 76 passes, created two shots on goal, and completed six long balls from ten attempts. He also contributed defensively with two clearances by head, four ball recoveries, and three wins in duels, including one aerial duel.
Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan was pivotal as well. Despite limited shots on goal, he produced a crucial save when a cross led to a dangerous chance, finishing with three saves to preserve the clean sheet.
Juventus’ stopper Michele Di Gregorio also produced several important stops, keeping his side in the contest with key saves against Leao and Pulisic, helping to maintain the goalless balance.
Team snapshots: Milan began the season with six matches and only one defeat, opening with Cremonese, then steadied with five unbeaten results, including away wins at Lecce and Udinese and a goalless draw with Juventus. At home they beat Bologna and Napoli, sitting third with 13 points after six rounds, two behind leaders Napoli. Juventus started with three straight wins, then drifted into a run of draws; in the last five matches across Serie A and the Champions League they drew all five, sitting fifth with 12 points, level with Inter on points but behind on goal difference.
In six league games, Milan have won three and drawn three, scoring nine and conceding three, while Juventus have 12 points from six games, with a balance of three wins and three draws but a marginally lower goal difference than their city rivals.
Conclusion: A tactical stalemate that leaves both teams with room for improvement as they chase the early-season pace. The takeaway is that defensive solidity remains the order of the day in this rivalrous derby, with both sides still capable of more when the narrative demands it.
Punchline 1: Modrić’s passes are so precise, even gravity reads the offside lines just to stay out of his way.
Punchline 2: Milan’s defense is so organized, even a goalless draw feels like a well-scheduled heist—everyone’s in position, but no one’s stealing a goal.
