Milan vs Bologna: Cisse Shines as Amorim’s Unbeaten Run Continues at San Siro

FolioPitch.com – 28 October 2026 | Milan hosted Bologna at the San Siro on Wednesday evening, and the Serie A official line-ups Milan vs Bologna confirmed that Rúben Amorim would again lean on his youthful attacking core. Alphadjo Cisse, Omari Hutchinson and Davide Bartesaghi were tasked with supporting Gonçalo Ramos upfront, while Bologna boss Raffaele Palladino handed starts to Samuel Mbangula and Federico Bernardeschi in a brave attacking setup.

The Serie A official line-ups Milan vs Bologna revealed a Milan side still missing a host of senior names. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was the latest addition to a growing injury list after suffering a medial hamstring tear in his left thigh, joining Adrien Rabiot, Diego Moreira and Mario Gila on the sidelines. Samuel Chukwueze, Matteo Gabbia, Alexis Saelemaekers and Pietro Terracciano were also unavailable, forcing Amorim into a makeshift but youthful starting XI. Mike Maignan, whose red card at Bournemouth applies only in the Europa League, returned in goal.

Bologna arrived 13th on eight points but with momentum from back-to-back away wins at Lecce and Cagliari. Palladino, who replaced Domenico Tedesco in September, was without Riccardo Orsolini, Roberto Piccoli and Emil Holm, all nursing hamstring problems, while Jay Enem and Lorenzo De Silvestri were also absent. Neither side had any suspended players, meaning both coaches could select from what remained of their squads.

The match itself burst into life inside the opening quarter of an hour. Bologna took a surprise eighth-minute lead when Samuel Mbangula finished off a slick move, converting Nadir Zortea’s assist to silence the San Siro. The response from Milan was swift and emphatic. Six minutes later, Cisse restored parity with a composed finish, turning provider Fikayo Tomori’s pass into the equaliser. The Serie A official line-ups Milan vs Bologna had promised attacking intent, and both sides delivered it in a frantic first half.

Milan’s starting XI read: Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic, Estupinan; Musah, Jashari; Hutchinson, Cisse, Bartesaghi; Ramos. Bologna lined up: Skorupski; Darmian, Casale, Theate; Zortea, Ferguson, Pobega, Alhassane; Bernardeschi, Odgaard, Mbangula. Tommaso Pobega, who left Milan for the Rossoblù in 2025, started against his former club at the stadium where he once plied his trade.

Amorim’s men remain unbeaten in Serie A under the Portuguese coach, sitting fifth on 18 points after Sunday’s 2-0 win at Udinese, which steadied the ship following a chastening 3-0 Europa League defeat at Bournemouth. Lazio’s 6-2 thrashing of Sassuolo on Tuesday had briefly opened a seven-point gap to the Rossoneri, adding extra urgency to this fixture. Next up for Milan is Saturday’s Derby della Madonnina against Inter, making rotation and injury management all the more critical.

The Serie A official line-ups Milan vs Bologna also highlighted the depth available to both benches. Milan named Christian Pulisic, Francesco Camarda and Luka Modric among the substitutes, with Modric introduced at half-time for Tomori in a tactical switch. Bologna’s bench included Nicolò Cambiaghi, Artem Dovbyk and Nikola Moro, giving Palladino options to change the game from the dugout.

By the interval, Milan had turned the contest around to lead 2-1, with Cisse’s equaliser followed by a second goal that rewarded the home side’s dominance. The Serie A official line-ups Milan vs Bologna had set the stage for an open, attacking encounter, and the first half fully justified the billing. Juan Luca Sacchi, the referee, had little to do beyond managing the tempo of a clean, fast-paced game.

For Milan, the performance offered encouragement amid a punishing injury crisis. The youthful front line of Cisse, Hutchinson and Bartesaghi showed energy and invention, while Ramos provided a focal point. The return of Maignan added composure at the back, even if the defence was reshuffled. With the derby looming, Amorim will hope his depleted squad can recover in time for the biggest test of his tenure so far.

Bologna, for their part, demonstrated why they had won their previous two away games. Mbangula’s early goal showcased their counter-attacking threat, and Pobega’s presence in midfield gave them bite against his former employers. Palladino’s side remain a work in progress, but their ambition at the San Siro suggested they will not be dragged into a relegation scrap.

In conclusion, the Serie A official line-ups Milan vs Bologna told a story of two coaches navigating significant absences while trusting their attacking instincts. Milan’s unbeaten Serie A run under Amorim survived another test, but the derby against Inter will demand far more from a squad stretched to its limits. Bologna departed with credit, if not points, having pushed the Rossoneri all the way in a lively San Siro encounter.