AC Milan starting XI (3-5-2): Maignan, Tomori (subbed for Chukwueze), Gabbia, Pavlovic, Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Modric (subbed for Jashari), Fofana, Estupiñan (subbed for Jimenez), Pulisic, Gimenez

Bench: Pittarella, P. Terracciano, Athekame, Bartesaghi, De Winter, Musah, Ricci

Goals: Pavlovic 45+1’

Cremonese starting XI (3-5-2): Audero, F. Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti (subbed for Ceccherini), Zerbin, Collocolo, Grassi (subbed for Bondo), Vandeputte (subbed for Payero), Pezzella, Okereke (subbed for Sanabria), Bonazzoli (subbed for De Luca)

Bench: Nava, Silvestri, Folino, Floriani Mussolini, Sernicola, Castagnetti, Lordkipanidze

Goals: Baschirotto 28’, Bonazzoli 61’

The visitors made their intentions clear early, defending with grit and hitting Milan on set pieces. Their breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute, when Milan’s marking fell apart at a corner. Alessio Zerbin recycled the ball back into the area, where Federico Baschirotto rose highest to head powerfully past Mike Maignan, giving Cremonese a shock lead.

Milan eventually found their rhythm and pressed relentlessly for an equaliser. Their persistence paid off just before the interval. In first-half stoppage time, Pervis Estupiñán floated a clever ball into the box, and defender Strahinja Pavlović met it with a close-range header to level the match at 1-1. The San Siro faithful breathed a sigh of relief as Milan seemed poised to push on after the break.

But Cremonese were not finished. In the 61st minute, the away fans erupted when Federico Bonazzoli produced a moment of brilliance. Meeting a looping cross in the box, the forward executed a spectacular overhead kick that flew past Maignan into the net - a goal worthy of winning any match.

From then on, Milan dominated possession but lacked incision in the final third. Olivier Giroud and Rafael Leão both forced stops from goalkeeper Emil Audero, who delivered a commanding display to preserve Cremonese’s lead. The visitors defended with discipline and repelled wave after wave of Rossoneri pressure until the final whistle.

The defeat is a bitter setback for AC Milan, who entered the season aiming to challenge for the Scudetto. Their inability to convert dominance into goals highlighted familiar problems in attack and left manager Sergio Conceição with plenty to ponder.

For Cremonese, however, it was a night to remember: a first-day triumph, a highlight-reel winner and only their second-ever Serie A victory at the San Siro. The win provides a huge boost to their survival hopes and sends a clear message that they are not in the topflight to make up the numbers.