My Ultimate Gacha System-Chapter 309 - 297: Coppa Italia Final - Milan Vs Atalanta I

Chapter 309: Chapter 297: Coppa Italia Final - Milan Vs Atalanta I

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

6:44 PM

The whistle blows and Milan kick off with Giroud tapping the ball back to Tonali who immediately shifts it wide to Leão without taking an extra touch, and the Portuguese winger controls on the half-turn before driving forward down the left flank where space opens because Atalanta’s defensive line hasn’t settled into position yet.

Hateboer steps across to close him down and his body angle forces Leão toward the touchline rather than allowing him to cut inside, and Leão recognizes the pressure before it arrives and releases the ball back to Bennacer who has drifted into the center circle as the deepest midfielder.

The tempo is already high and both teams are playing at pace that suggests neither wants to feel out the match gradually, and Milan’s initial possession lasts only four touches before Atalanta’s press triggers.

1’ - 7’ |

Atalanta press immediately and Demien closes down Bennacer while the Moroccan midfielder receives with his back to goal, and the pressure forces a hurried pass toward Theo Hernandez on the left flank where Milan’s fullback has pushed high into Atalanta’s half.

The pass is slightly behind Hernandez and arrives at shin height rather than foot height which costs him a fraction of a second in his control, and Lookman is already closing the space from his defensive position because Gasperini’s instructions were clear about pressing Milan’s fullbacks when they receive in advanced areas.

The ball is poked away before Hernandez can turn and Atalanta recover possession near the halfway line where Ederson collects and immediately looks forward for options, and Demien shows for the ball by dropping five yards deeper to create a passing angle that bypasses Tonali’s positioning.

Demien receives with his back to goal and Tonali is tight behind him with his body pressing against Demien’s shoulder while trying to prevent the turn, and for two seconds the ball is shielded under Demien’s right foot while he scans the positioning ahead through peripheral vision.

He feels the pressure building as Tonali’s weight increases against his back, and his decision comes in the moment before the tackle arrives—he rolls the ball under his sole and spins sharply to his left while his body rotates away from the challenge.

「LEGENDARY SKILL ACTIVATED」

Johan Cruyff — Turn Innovator

Tonali commits his weight forward expecting Demien to shield longer and the turn takes him completely by surprise, and suddenly there’s three yards of space opening ahead because the Italian midfielder is wrong-footed and needs time to recover his balance.

Demien drives forward five yards into Milan’s half before their defensive line can compress, and he threads a pass between Tomori and Kalulu toward the space where Scamacca is making a diagonal run from right to left across the penalty area.

The pass is weighted perfectly and arrives just ahead of Tomori’s sliding challenge, and Scamacca stretches his right foot to reach the ball but the bounce takes it slightly higher than expected and it skips off his toe rather than catching cleanly before rolling wide of the near post.

Scamacca slaps the turf once in frustration while his body collapses forward onto the grass, and Demien stands with hands on hips while exhaling through his nose because the chance was there and the execution was correct but sometimes the ball doesn’t cooperate regardless of technical precision.

Commentary Booth

"What a chance for Atalanta already!" the lead commentator shouts while the replay begins. "Walter’s vision there was exceptional—that turn to create space, the weighted pass splitting two defenders—but Scamacca couldn’t quite reach it cleanly."

"This is exactly what Atalanta need to do," his colleague adds while the tactical camera shows the space Demien exploited. "Get Walter on the ball between the lines, let him turn, and release runners behind Milan’s high defensive line. That chance came in the first minute and it could have changed the entire dynamic of this final."

7’ - 15’ |

Milan restart with a goal kick and Maignan rolls the ball short to Kalulu who is positioned fifteen yards from his own goal, and the build-up is patient with short passes moving side to side while Atalanta’s press remains organized but Milan gradually find gaps through quick combinations.

In the seventh minute Brahim Díaz receives between the lines and turns quickly away from Ederson’s challenge, and he slides a pass into the channel behind Scalvini where Leão is already in full stride having timed his run to stay onside by inches.

Scalvini races to cover but Leão is faster and his acceleration creates separation before the Italian defender can get close enough to make a challenge, and he reaches the byline before cutting the ball back low across the six-yard box where bodies converge.

Giroud arrives first and his positioning is perfect because he’s anticipated the cross before it was delivered, and he side-foots the ball past Musso from four yards out with his right foot while the goalkeeper is still adjusting to the change of direction.

GOAL: ATALANTA 0-1 AC MILAN (7’)

The Milan end of the stadium erupts with noise that crashes down from every section simultaneously, and red and black flags wave frantically while smoke rises from flares creating clouds that drift across the upper tiers.

Giroud runs toward the corner flag with both arms spread wide and his shirt billows behind him, and Milan players pile on top of him while the away supporters behind the goal bounce in unified motion creating earthquake effect.

The scoreboard updates above the center circle and the numbers glow white against black.

ATALANTA 0-1 MILAN

On the pitch Atalanta players don’t argue or show frustration through body language, and de Roon claps once toward the defense while his voice carries clearly despite the stadium noise around them.

"Stay tight," he says, and his tone is instructional rather than critical because the goal came from good Milan play rather than defensive error.

Musso retrieves the ball from the net without looking at anyone and jogs back toward the center circle where the ball needs to be placed for restart, and his expression stays neutral because showing emotion after conceding accomplishes nothing except giving opponents confidence.

15’ - 23’ |

Play restarts and Atalanta try to respond immediately through increased tempo, and Lookman drives down the left flank after receiving from Mæhle before crossing early toward the penalty spot where Scamacca and Koopmeiners are arriving.

The ball clears everyone and reaches Hateboer on the opposite flank where the Belgian has continued his run after the initial attack began, and he controls before cutting inside past Theo Hernandez who commits too early to the challenge.

His shot is struck cleanly with his right foot from eighteen yards but Tomori throws his body into the path and the ball deflects off his outstretched leg and behind for a corner, and the Atalanta supporters in the southern end raise their voices for the first time since Milan scored.

Koopmeiners takes the corner and the ball swings toward the near post with inswinging trajectory, and Scalvini rises above Giroud using his superior height advantage but his header lacks power and direction and goes straight at Maignan who catches cleanly.

The goalkeeper immediately launches a counter-attack with a long throw that travels forty yards downfield toward Leão again, and the winger controls the ball on his chest before laying it off to Tonali who has supported the attack by pushing forward from his defensive midfield position.

Tonali drives forward into space that exists because Atalanta’s shape is stretched following the corner, and Ederson sprints back to cover but Tonali releases early to Saelemaekers on the right before defensive pressure can arrive.

The cross comes in fast and flat across the penalty area and Musso comes off his line decisively, and he punches the ball clear with both fists while bodies collide around him trying to reach it first. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The rebound falls to Brahim Díaz at the edge of the box and he strikes first time on the volley without taking a touch to control, and the ball skims wide of the post by less than a yard while traveling at speed.

The match stretches end-to-end now with both teams trading attacks without maintaining sustained possession, and the tempo increases with every passage because neither side wants to slow the game down and allow their opponent to establish rhythm.

In the fifteenth minute Demien drops deeper to receive from Ederson who has won the ball in midfield, and two Milan players close quickly—Tonali from the right and Bennacer from the left—while trying to trap him between their positions.

He shields the ball with his body while his back is turned to goal, and he waits for movement ahead rather than forcing a pass into areas where Milan’s defensive shape is compressed.