NEW YORK - Manchester City suffered a second straight defeat in the preseason after losing 3-2 to AC Milan on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium.
It looked like being a routine performance from City as they looked to bounce back from Tuesday's 4-3 defeat to Celtic, as Erling Haaland put the Premier League champions ahead after 19 minutes. The mood quickly changed, though, as Milan raced into a 2-1 lead following a quickfire brace from young striker Lorenzo Colombo.
City defender Rico Lewis was twice exposed down the right channel by Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze, and Colombo was left with two easy finishes. A heavily-changed City meant business in the second-half, as James McAtee scored a close-range header following a cross to the back-post by Lewis.
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Both teams went in search of the winning goal, and it was Milan that found it after substitute Marco Nasti put the Italian club ahead with 12 minutes remaining. Even with five goals at Yankee Stadium, the biggest cheer came after 82 minutes.
United States men's national team duo Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic were brought on for Milan, although some fans were upset they weren't able to see them introduced earlier. Below, Mirror Sports U.S. brings you five talking points from Milan's win over City in preseason.
Erling Haaland delivers following 'improvement' statement
Ahead of Saturday's game, Haaland declared that he's improved on "a lot of things" ahead of the 2024-25 season, which may be hard to believe for some fans. The 24-year-old is already one of the best soccer players in the world, but his statement checks out as the striker looks ready to chase his own Premier League goalscoring record next season.
"Hopefully I will be a better footballer and a better human this season," Haaland told reporters on Friday. The Norwegian striker needed just 12 minutes to score against Celtic on Tuesday and put City ahead against Milan inside 19 minutes on Saturday after a neat finish into the bottom-left corner.
The speed, presence, and intelligence of Haaland have been displayed since he signed for Borussia Dortmund and only improved since he joined City in 2022. However, the 6-foot-4 giant appears to have benefitted from a summer break without international soccer and could be an even bigger problem for opposition teams next season.
Oscar Bobb looks ready to shine
City forward Oscar Bobb scored a memorable goal last season, one which helped Guardiola's team seal a record fourth-consecutive Premier League title. He came off the bench to score a 91st-minute winner in a 3-2 win over Newcastle and made 14 league appearances in total last season.
The young Norwegian, who plays internationally with Haaland, was the most exciting player in the first half and had the fans inside Yankee Stadium on their feet. It was down to his clever footwork on the right wing that led to Haaland's opener, and Bobb should have scored one himself shortly after.
The connection Bobb has with Haaland is clear to see, and one reason for City's lack of signings this summer may be due to the amount of young talent coming through. Bobb is certainly up there with the most exciting.
Rico Lewis found out against Samuel Chukwueze
It was on City's U.S. tour in 2022 that Guardiola was impressed by young defender Rico Lewis, and he's become an active member of the squad ever since. Lewis, 19, already has a lot of experience with 30 Premier League appearances and has put in some stunning performances, but he struggled against Milan on Sunday.
Lewis was tasked with defending Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze, while he continued to push forward as instructed by Guardiola. Lewis was seen breathing heavily with his hands on his knees inside 10 minutes, and things quickly got worse as he was struggling to deal with the pace of Chukwueze.
Each of Milan's first-half goals came from Colombo, but Chukwueze assisted both as he breezed past Lewis on each occasion. Lewis did make up for it slightly by assisting James McAtee early in the second half, in what was a needed boost for the young defender.
Lorenzo Colombo puts pressure on Alvaro Morata
Young striker Lorenzo Colombo enjoyed a dream first half for Milan, scoring a brace as the Italian team responded brilliantly to Haaland's opener. Colombo, 22, joined Milan at the age of eight but has spent the majority of his time on loan since making his first-team debut in 2020.
Milan has just signed Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata in a deal worth $14 million, but Colombo could be given a chance this season by new head coach Paulo Fonseca. Morata is already facing competition from current strikers Luka Jovic and Noah Okafor, but Colombo looks ready for his first full season.
Colombo has gained valuable experience with Italian teams Cremonese, SPAL, Lecce, and Monza, scoring seven goals in Serie B and nine in Serie A. Fonseca has a decision to make, but either way it looks like Milan has a talented young striker.
Alessandro Florenzi suffers another injury
Serie A veteran Alessandro Florenzi could be facing another lengthy spell on the sidelines after he was helped off by trainers in the first half. Milan had just taken the lead when Florenzi went down, and it looked bleak when the stretcher came out.
He ended up being assisted off the field instead but had tears in his eyes, and will face an anxious wait to reveal the extent of the damage. He was unable to put any weight on his right leg and will undergo an instant examination.
Florenzi signed for Milan in 2022 after spending his entire career with Roma but suffered a hamstring injury early into the 22-23 season and only made six league appearances. Florenzi managed to enjoy a full season in 23-24, but Milan could be left short again.
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