Milan got here out on high in a frenetic encounter to remain two factors behind Napoli, whose 2-1 win at Fiorentina was their seventh in as many video games to this point this season, after a nervy ending in Bergamo which noticed Atalanta pull again two late targets after going three down with 12 minutes remaining.
And requested by DAZN if he remembered Milan profitable the league in 2003-04, the final time that they had 19 factors from their first seven video games, the 21-year-old mentioned: “No, I actually was younger again then”.
However then he added: “We do not speak about these items however it (the league title) is the one goal Milan have this season.”
Having heard Tonali converse whereas ready for his personal interview, Milan coach Stefano Pioli praised the midfielder for his constructive perspective as he delighted in his staff’s victory.
“We performed rather well with depth, power and high quality. It is a good finish to a troublesome set of fixtures and the staff is enhancing each in Serie A and the Champions League,” mentioned Pioli.
There are indicators {that a} three-way title race is taking form with Inter Milan an additional two factors again in third, whereas Roma are additionally lurking in fourth on 15 factors following their 2-0 win over Empoli earlier on Sunday.
Tonali was certainly one of Milan’s finest performers on the Gewiss Stadium and, after captain Davide Calabria had put the away aspect forward with simply 28 seconds on the clock, he made essentially the most of goalkeeper Mike Maignan holding Atalanta at bay when he doubled Milan’s lead two minutes from half-time together with his second objective of the season.
Milan saved a lid on Atalanta and will have added to their lead by way of Alexis Saelemaekers earlier than Rafael Leao did curl residence the third within the 78th minute.
Duvan Zapata’s 86th-minute penalty and a Mario Pasalic tap-in deep in stoppage time saved the sport alive till the ultimate whistle however Milan ran out deserved winners.
“I noticed a very sturdy Milan staff, they’ve qualities which only a few groups in Italy have… they actually impressed me,” mentioned Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini.
Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli have an ideal 21 factors because of their come-from-behind victory on the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence, which got here by way of strikes from Hirving Lozano and Amir Rrahmani both aspect of half-time.
It was a tricky defeat for Fiorentina, who misplaced similarly to how they fell at residence to Inter just a few weeks again after deservedly taking the lead by way of Lucas Martinez Quarta.
Vincenzo Italiano’s aspect keep fifth on 12 factors, 9 behind Napoli and three away from Roma in fourth.
“We suffered a bit after we went forward, however we additionally had conditions the place we might have put ourselves 3-1 forward which we did not handle to use,” mentioned Spalletti to DAZN.
Lorenzo Pellegrini, who was named within the Italy squad for the upcoming Nations League Last 4, despatched Roma on their manner in opposition to Empoli together with his sixth objective in all competitions this time period three minutes earlier than half-time.
It got here the day after the 25-year-old prolonged his contract with the membership till 2026.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan made positive of the factors for Jose Mourinho’s aspect two minutes after the restart together with his second of the marketing campaign, guiding the ball residence after Guglielmo Vicario had simply managed to tip Tammy Abraham’s fierce drive onto the bar.
Bologna eased strain on coach Sinisa Mihajlovic with a snug 3-0 win over Lazio which ended a worrying run of outcomes and moved them as much as ninth on 11 factors.
Sampdoria sit fifteenth on six factors, two fewer than Thirteenth-placed Udinese after the pair drew 3-3 in certainly one of two mid-afternoon matches.
Verona are additionally on eight factors in twelfth after stretching their unbeaten run underneath new coach Igor Tudor to 4 matches with a 4-0 crushing of Spezia.
