The 2020–21 AC Milan season was the 122nd season in the club's history and their 87th (109th overall) in the top-flight of Italian football. Milan competed in Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Europa League.
Season overview On 22 July 2020, manager Stefano Pioli extended his expiring contract with Milan for two additional seasons. This came after multiple reports linked Ralf Rangnick to the club. The previous day, Milan had secured a play-off spot in the UEFA Europa League for the 2020–21 season thanks to an away win against Sassuolo.
On 1 October, Milan qualified for the group stage of the Europa League after defeating Primeira Liga side Rio Ave in a marathon 24-kick penalty shoot-out. The win also continued an unbeaten run for Milan in all competitions that stretched back to 8 March 2020.
On 5 November 2020, the club fell to its first defeat in 24 matches with a 0–3 loss at home to Lille in the Europa League. It was Milan's longest unbeaten streak in 24 years.
On 20 December 2020, Rafael Leao scored after 6.76 seconds in a championship match against Sassuolo. This was the fastest goal ever in Serie A and in the top 5 UEFA leagues.
On 23 December 2020, in a championship match against Lazio, Milan became the first team in over 70 years to score at least 2 goals in 15 consecutive league games, the record being 18 consecutive games.
After the winter transfers window, Milan remained without South American players active into main rosters, after the sales of Léo Duarte and Mateo Musacchio. It was the first time since 24 years (1997).
On the final day they secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the 2013-14 season
Players
Squad information
. PlayerPosition(s)Date of birth (age) Signedin Contractends Signed from Transfer fee Notes Apps Goals Goalkeepers1Ciprian TătărușanuGK20202023 Lyon€500,0005090Antonio DonnarummaGK20172021 Asteras Tripolis€300,000From Youth system3096Andreas JungdalGK20192022 Vejle€800,000From Youth system0099Gianluigi DonnarummaGK20152021 Milan PrimaveraFreeFrom Youth system2510 Defenders2Davide CalabriaRB / LB / CM20152022 Milan PrimaveraFreeFrom Youth system15155Diogo DalotRB / LB / RM20202021 Manchester UnitedLoan33213Alessio RomagnoliCB / LB20152022 Roma€25,000,000Captain221919Théo HernandezLB / LM20192024 Real Madrid€20,000,000811520Pierre KaluluRB / CB20202025 Lyon II€480,00018123Fikayo TomoriCB / RB20212021 ChelseaLoanOption for €28M22124Simon KjærCB20202022 Sevilla€2,500,00058146Matteo GabbiaCB / DM20172023 Milan PrimaveraFreeFrom Youth system240 Midfielders 4 Ismaël BennacerDM / CM20192024 Empoli€16,000,0006518Sandro TonaliCM / DM20202021 BresciaLoan€10M loan + €15M option37010Hakan ÇalhanoğluAM / CM / LW20172021 Bayer Leverkusen€20,000,0001723218Soualiho MeïtéCM / DM / AM20212021 TorinoLoan€500,000 loan + €8M option21021Brahim DíazAM / RW / LW20202021 Real MadridLoan39727Daniel MaldiniAM / LW / ST20202024 Milan PrimaveraFreeFrom Youth system11033Rade KrunićCM / AM / LM20192024 Empoli€8,000,00056279Franck KessiéCM / DM20172022 Atalanta€28,000,00018430 Forwards7Samu CastillejoRW / LW / SS20182023 Villarreal€25,000,000 108109Mario MandžukićST / LW20212021 Free agentFree11011Zlatan IbrahimovićST20202022 LA GalaxyFree1328412Ante RebićLW / ST / SS20192025 Eintracht FrankfurtUndisclosed632315Jens Petter HaugeLW / RW / SS20202025 Bodø/Glimt€4,000,00024517Rafael LeãoST / LW / RW20192024 Lille€28,000,000731356Alexis SaelemaekersRW / LW / RB20202024 Anderlecht€7,200,000554
Transfers
Summer window Deals officialised beforehand were effective starting from 1 September 2020.
In DatePlayerMoving fromFeeNotesSourceMF Alexis Saelemaekers Anderlecht€3.7MFrom loan to definitive purchaseDF Simon Kjær Sevilla€2.5MFrom loan to definitive purchaseFW Emil Roback Hammarby€1.5M Joined Primavera teamDF Pierre Kalulu Lyon II€0.48MGK Ciprian Tătărușanu Lyon€0.5MFW Ante Rebić Eintracht FrankfurtUndisclosedFrom loan to definitive purchaseFW Jens Petter Hauge Bodø/Glimt€4M
Loan in DatePlayerMoving fromFeeNotesSourceMF Brahim Díaz Real MadridFreeMF Sandro Tonali Brescia€10M€15M option to buy + €10M add-onsDF Diogo Dalot Manchester UnitedUndisclosed
Loan returns
DatePlayerMoving fromFeeNotesSourceFW Ismet Sinani Sicula LeonzioFreeDF Leroy Abanda Neuchâtel XamaxFreeRe-joined Primavera team
Total spending: €23.68M
Out
DatePlayerMoving toFeeNotesSourceMF Suso Sevilla€24MObligation to buyFW Siaka Haidara LeccoFreeFrom Primavera teamGK Matteo Soncin PergoletteseFreeFrom Primavera teamDF Tommaso Merletti RenateFreeFrom Primavera teamMF Emanuele Torrasi ImoleseFreeFrom Primavera teamDF Ricardo Rodríguez Torino €3M After return from loanGK Pepe Reina LazioFreeAfter return from loanMF Lucas Biglia Fatih KaragümrükFreeEnd of contractMF Giacomo Bonaventura FiorentinaFreeEnd of contractDF Alberto Barazzetta Giana ErminioFreeFrom Primavera teamFW André Silva Eintracht FrankfurtUndisclosedFrom loan to definitive purchaseEintracht Frankfurt newsFW Riccardo Forte CaveseUndisclosedAfter return from loanMF Lucas Paquetá Lyon€20M15% sell-on feeMF Alen Halilović Birmingham CityFreeAfter return from loan
Loans ended DatePlayerMoving toFeeNotesSourceGK Asmir Begović BournemouthFree
Loans out
DatePlayerMoving toFeeNotesSourceFW Frank Tsadjout CharleroiFree Loan confirmedGK Alessandro Plizzari RegginaFreeAfter return from loanMF Marco Brescianini Virtus EntellaFreeFrom Primavera teamMF Alessandro Sala CesenaFreeFrom Primavera teamFW Frank Tsadjout CittadellaFreeAfter anticipated return from loanMF Tommaso Pobega SpeziaFreeAfter return from loanDF Gabriele Galardi ViterbeseFreeFrom Primavera teamMF Emir Murati Pro SestoFreeAfter return from loanDF Gabriele Bellodi AlessandriaFreeAfter return from loanFW Gabriele Capanni CesenaFreeAfter return from loanDF Diego Laxalt CelticFree
Total income: €47M
Winter window Deals officialised beforehand were effective starting from .
In
DatePlayerMoving fromFeeNotesSourceFW Mario MandžukićUnattachedFree
Loans in
DatePlayerMoving fromFeeNotesSourceMF Soualiho Meïté Torino€500,000 Loan with option to buyDF Fikayo Tomori Chelsea Undisclosed Loan with option to buy
Loan returns
Total spending: €0.5M
Out DatePlayerMoving toFeeNotesSourceDF Mateo Musacchio Lazio€1M FW Ismet Sinani U.S.G. SedicoFree
Loans out
DatePlayerMoving toFeeNotesSourceDF Léo Duarte İstanbul BaşakşehirFree 18-month loan with option to buyDF Andrea Conti ParmaFreeLoan with option to buyDF Gabriele Galardi LuccheseFreeAfter anticipated return from loanFW Lorenzo Colombo CremoneseFreeMF Emir Murati ViboneseFreeAfter anticipated return from loanFW Luan Capanni Racing SantanderFreeMF Alessandro Sala Pro SestoFreeAfter anticipated return from loan
Total income: €1M
Pre-season and friendlies
Competitions Overview
Serie A
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches The league fixtures were announced on 2 September 2020.
Coppa Italia
UEFA Europa League
Qualifying rounds and play-off round
Group stage
The group stage draw was held on 2 October 2020.
Knockout phase
Round of 32 The draw for the round of 32 was held on 14 December 2020.
Round of 16 The draw for the round of 16 was held on 26 February 2021.
Statistics
Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred out during the season
Goalscorers NameSerie ACoppa ItaliaEuropa LeagueTotal111FW Zlatan Ibrahimović151117279MF Franck Kessié130114312FW Ante Rebić110011410MF Hakan Çalhanoğlu4059519DF Théo Hernandez7018617FW Rafael Leão601721MF Brahim Díaz403 815FW Jens Petter Hauge203597MF Samu Castillejo102356MF201112DF Davide Calabria20025DF Diogo Dalot10133MF Rade Krunić1011413DF Alessio Romagnoli100120DF Pierre Kalulu10023FW Fikayo Tomori10024DF Simon Kjaer00129FW Lorenzo Colombo001Own goals2013Totals7412398 Players in italics left the team during the season
Assists NameSerie ACoppa ItaliaEuropa LeagueTotal110MFHakan Çalhanoğlu90211219DFThéo Hernandez5027312FWAnte Rebić402617FWRafael Leão600556MFAlexis Saelemaekers302564MFIsmaël Bennacer202479MFFranck Kessié4005DFDiogo Dalot10211FWZlatan Ibrahimović20197FWSamu Castillejo002221MFBrahim Díaz30024DFSimon Kjaer200132DFDavide Calabria100113DFAlessio Romagnoli10015FWJens Petter Hauge00118MFSoualiho Meïté01033MFRade Krunić20120DFPierre Kalulu100Totals4611764
Clean sheets NameSerie ACoppa ItaliaEuropa LeagueTotal199GKGianluigi Donnarumma14011521GKCiprian Tătărușanu0123Totals141318
Disciplinary record NameSerie ACoppa ItaliaEuropa LeagueTotal19DFThéo Hernandez921179MFFranck Kessié821013DFAlessio Romagnoli72956MFAlexis Saelemaekers512712DFDavide Calabria7717FWRafael Leão51624DFSimon Kjær312612FWAnte Rebić411517FWSamu Castillejo555DFDiogo Dalot4154MFIsmael Bennacer41533MFRade Krunić31410MFHakan Çalhanoğlu4411FWZlatan Ibrahimović211131199GKGianluigi Donnarumma112318MFSandro Tonali11113146DFMatteo Gabbia2218MFSoualiho Meïté2220DFPierre Kalulu11221MFBrahim Diaz1129FWMario Mandžukić11227FWDaniel Maldini11Totals601151116008122 Updated as per 23 May 2021
Goal of the season Winner: Ante Rebić (vs. Juventus)
Runner-up: Brahim Díaz (vs. Juventus)
Third/ fourth place: Rafael Leão (vs. Benevento) and Fikayo Tomori (vs. Juventus)
References