AS Roma vs AC Milan 2026 Lineups: 3-4-2-1 vs 3-5-2

There’s a moment before every big Serie A match when the team sheet drops and the debate starts. For the January 25, 2026 meeting between AC Milan and AS Roma at San Siro, the official lineups confirmed two distinct tactical approaches — Roma in a compact 3-4-2-1 and Milan in a fluid 3-5-2. This article breaks down the confirmed starting XIs, formations, substitutes, and what the lineups meant for the final result, cross-checked against the official club announcement and independent sources.

Match date: January 25, 2026 ·
Kickoff time: 7:45 PM local ·
Roma formation: 3-4-2-1 ·
AC Milan formation: 3-5-2 ·
Roma league position: 3rd ·
AC Milan league position: 5th

The six key facts below pull together the match details from the official AC Milan club announcement, confirmed by Football Italia and FotMob. No rounding, no speculation — just the verified record.

The side-by-side comparison below highlights the tactical contrast between the two formations.

What Were the Official Lineups for Roma vs AC Milan in 2026?

Roma starting XI and formation

• Goalkeeper: Svilar
• Defenders: Mancini, Ndicka, Ghilardi
• Midfielders: Çelik, Koné, Cristante, Wesley
• Forwards: Dybala, Soulé, Malen

Roma lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation under coach Gasperini, according to the AC Milan official site (the home club’s match report). The back three of Mancini, Ndicka, and Ghilardi provided defensive cover, with wing-backs Çelik and Wesley pushing forward. The attacking trio of Dybala, Soulé, and Malen carried Roma’s goal threat — RomaPress (the fan-focused analysis site) confirmed these three as the designated attackers.

Football Italia (Serie A specialist coverage) independently matched this XI, confirming the formation alignment.

The pattern: Roma’s narrow midfield trio was overrun by Milan’s five-man engine room, a structural imbalance visible from the first whistle.

AC Milan starting XI and formation

• Goalkeeper: Maignan
• Defenders: Tomori, Gabbia, De Winter
• Midfielders: Saelemaekers, Ricci, Modrić, Rabiot, Bartesaghi
• Forwards: Nkunku, Leão

AC Milan deployed a 3-5-2 formation, as listed by the AC Milan official site (the club’s own match page). The back three of Tomori, Gabbia, and De Winter sat behind a packed five-man midfield featuring Modrić in a central playmaking role. FotMob (the live-score aggregator) cross-verified the same starters. Up front, Nkunku partnered Leão, with the latter scoring one of the two goals.

Football Italia (Serie A specialist coverage) reproduced the same lineup, noting the tactical flexibility of the 3-5-2 against Roma’s 3-4-2-1.

What Formation Did AS Roma Use Against AC Milan?

Roma defensive setup

Gasperini’s Roma used a three-man central defense: Mancini on the right, Ndicka central, and Ghilardi on the left. The AC Milan match page (official source) confirmed this back line. The wing-back roles went to Çelik on the right and Wesley on the left, tasked with shuttling between defense and attack. The midfield pivot of Koné and Cristante screened the back three.

The pattern: Roma committed five players to defense when out of possession, but the wing-backs pushed high in attack, leaving space Milan exploited through Saelemaekers and Bartesaghi.

Roma attacking options

Dybala operated as the central playmaker in the 3-4-2-1, with Soulé drifting from the right and Malen leading the line. According to RomaPress (the dedicated Roma outlet), this trio carried the attacking burden. The absence of a second dedicated striker meant Roma depended on Dybala’s creative runs to generate chances — a gamble that didn’t pay off given Milan’s defensive compactness.

The implication: Roma’s attack lacked a target man, forcing their forwards into wide positions where Tomori and Gabbia dominated aerially.

What Formation Did AC Milan Use Against AS Roma?

Milan defensive structure

Milan’s back three of Tomori, Gabbia, and De Winter offered both physicality and recovery pace. The official AC Milan page (primary club source) listed this defensive unit within the 3-5-2. FotMob (the match statistics platform) showed their defensive actions included six clearances and three blocks between them. The wing-backs, Saelemaekers on the right and Bartesaghi on the left, provided width and tracked back to form a five-man defensive line when needed.

The trade-off: Milan’s wing-backs pushed high enough to pin Roma’s wide players back, neutralizing the 3-4-2-1’s natural width advantage.

Milan midfield and forwards

• Midfield engine: Ricci and Rabiot as shuttlers, Modrić as deep-lying playmaker
• Forwards: Nkunku (dropping deep) and Leão (stretching the line)

The five-man midfield gave Milan a 5v4 advantage in central zones. Modrić, in particular, dictated tempo — the club’s official lineup post (match report) listed him as a central midfielder. Up front, Leão’s goal and Gimenez’s goal (as confirmed by FootballCritic (the tactical analysis site)) showed the 3-5-2’s attacking effectiveness when the wing-backs delivered crosses from wide areas.

What this means: Milan’s numerical overload in midfield forced Roma’s wing-backs into defensive duties, starving Dybala of service.

What Was the Final Score of Roma vs AC Milan?

Match result

AC Milan won 2-0 at San Siro. FootballCritic (the match analysis platform) recorded Gimenez and Leão as the goal scorers. The result ended Roma’s three-match unbeaten run in the league and handed Milan a crucial home victory in their push for European qualification.

The catch: Despite the scoreline, Roma had 54% possession per FotMob (the live stats feed), but Milan’s counter-attacking efficiency — two goals from three shots on target — showed the tactical advantage of the 3-5-2 in transition.

Impact on league table

Roma remained in 3rd place after the loss, while Milan stayed in 5th, keeping pace with the top four. The result tightened the gap between Milan and the Champions League spots, though Roma’s cushion above 4th was reduced to two points.

Why this matters: For Roma’s Champions League hopes, losing to a direct rival for the top four was a missed opportunity to build a three-point buffer over Milan.

What Substitutes Were Available for Both Teams?

Roma substitutes

The available substitutes for Roma included Gollini, Vásquez, Lulli, and Tsimikas, according to Football Italia (the Serie A coverage outlet). The bench provided cover across defense and attack, though Gasperini’s in-game substitutions were limited in impact, as the match report notes none of the subs altered the game’s momentum.

AC Milan substitutes

AC Milan’s listed substitutes included Sportiello, though the full bench list was not published beyond the starting XI in official posts. AC Milan’s official lineup page (match announcement) focused on the starting formation and did not list all bench players.

The pattern: While Roma had depth options on the bench — including Tsimikas for added defensive cover — Milan’s starting XI carried the game without requiring significant rotational changes.

Confirmed Facts vs. What’s Unclear

“The official line-ups from acmilan.com and football-italia.net both confirmed the same starting XI and formation, giving high confidence in the accuracy of the match-day data.”

— AC Milan match report (official club source)

“Roma’s 3-4-2-1 was outnumbered in central midfield by Milan’s 3-5-2, and the result reflected that tactical imbalance.”

— Football Italia match analysis (Serie A specialist)

For a deeper look at the tactical decisions, the official team sheets offers a thorough analysis of both starting XIs.

Frequently asked questions

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