AC Milan staged a second-half comeback to finish 2-2 against Celtic in a pre-season friendly held at Celtic Park on Saturday. The match, which served as Milan's first stadium friendly of the summer, saw the visitors overcome a two-goal deficit thanks to a brace from 19-year-old forward Francesco Camarda.
Milan manager Ruben Amorim had Milan lined up in a 3-4-2-1 with Loftus-Cheek and Ossola playing behind 19-year-old Kostic at centre-forward. The side was missing several key first-team players who are still on holiday following the 2026 World Cup, including Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Rafa Leao, Christian Pulisic, and Goncalo Ramos.
Despite an encouraging spell of possession in the opening exchanges, Milan fell 1-0 behind after a hospital backpass from Pavlovic, which allowed Camilo Duran to sneak in and put the hosts in front in the 11th minute. Celtic doubled their advantage in the 28th minute after another defensive error, this time by Ricci, enabled Duran to set up James Forrest for the finish. Following the interval, Amorim made wholesale changes, swapping eight players out and introducing Mario Gila, David Odogu, Filippo Terracciano, Samuel Chukwueze, Youssouf Fofana, Yunus Musah, Aurelien Guernier, and Camarda. Only Lorenzo Torriani, Bartesaghi, and Loftus-Cheek remained from the first half.
The tactical changes paid off quickly. Camarda halved the deficit with a penalty in the 47th minute and added his second goal in the 52nd minute, heading in a cross from Chukwueze. Despite the comeback, the match was marred by an injury to new signing Mario Gila, who was forced off after 45 minutes of play. Following the match, Milannews.it highlighted the performances of Camarda and Chukwueze while noting that Pavlovic, Tomori, Ricci, and Ossola were all rated at 5 or below.
It was a mix of youth and experience on the field for Milan in Glasgow: There was a familiar back three of Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic with Zachary Athekame and Davide Bartesaghi at wing-back, but it was a blended midfield and attack that featured Samuele Ricci, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and teenagers Christian Comotto, Lorenzo Ossola and Andrej Kostic.
Celtic (4-3-3): Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Murray, Tierney; McGregor, Engels, McCowan; Forrest, Duran, Tounekti.
