The clash against Lazio wasn't officially a derby, but the tension said otherwise. Rome versus Milan. Passion versus pride. The Stadio Olimpico was boiling, the crowd ferocious. Milan sat quietly on the team bus, headphones in, hoodie up. He wasn't listening to music—just the sound of his own breathing, steadying his nerves. Even the veterans were tense.
Don't let the noise get to you," said Riccardo Montolivo, adjusting his captain's armband. "Lazio's no joke at home. And their fans? Animals."
The tension was thick in the Stadio Olimpico air. Matchday 3 of the 2017/18 Serie A season—AC Milan vs Lazio. A historic clash, and this time, the Romans were eager to spoil the Rossoneri's momentum.
Coach Vincenzo Montella went over the final tactics in the locker room. His tone was sharper than usual. "Immobile's in top form. Luis Alberto's pulling the strings. Stay compact. If they break us down the middle, we're finished."
Milan nodded, laser focused. He earned his spot in the starting eleven.
Starting XI: Donnarumma, Conti, Romagnoli, Musacchio, Rodríguez, Kessié, Biglia, Calhanoglu, Suso, Milan, Cutrone
Milan, Earned his first start on the left wing, bounced slightly on his toes during the national anthem. The roar of the crowd echoed around him. This wasn't San Siro. It was hostile, buzzing, and vicious.
Coach Vincenzo Montella clapped his hands on the touchline. "Keep the ball moving! No mistakes!"
Milan exchanged a quick nod with Hakan Çalhanoğlu. "Ready?" the Turk asked.
"Always," Milan said with a grin.
Kickoff.
Lazio came out blazing. Ciro Immobile was a menace up front, and Sergej Milinković-Savić dominated the midfield. In the 12th minute, Immobile converted a penalty after a handball from Ricardo Rodríguez. 1-0.
By the 28th minute, things worsened. A clumsy challenge from Franck Kessié earned him a second yellow. Milan were down to ten men.
Just before halftime, Luis Alberto made it 2-0 after a blistering counter-attack. The home fans erupted.
Montella made changes during the break, but he kept Milan on.
"You've got the legs," he said. "Make them suffer."
The second half began, and Milan didn't flinch. In the 54th minute, he picked up the ball near midfield, skipped past two defenders, and delivered a perfect pass to André Silva, who slotted it home. 2-1.
Momentum shifted.
In the 67th minute, Milan danced through two more Lazio defenders on the wing and blasted a low strike into the far corner. 2-2. The away fans, small but loud, went wild.
Lazio grew desperate. AC Milan, though outnumbered, controlled the rhythm. In the 84th minute, Milan linked up with Çalhanoğlu, who returned a one-two. Milan slid in and toe-poked it past Strakosha.
3-2.
Full-time.
The Milan bench stormed the field. Montella hugged his coaching staff, while Donnarumma ran half the pitch just to leap onto Milan's back.
Social media erupted.
The stadium erupted once more for the boy wonder. It could've only been him.
@ACMilan: "DOWN TO 10. DOWN 0-2. PHANTOM RISING. 💀🔥 #LazioMilan #ForzaMilan"
@FabrizioRomano: "Milan Martinez Villa. 16 years old. 2 goals, 1 assist. A star in the making."
@SerieA: "History written in the Roman City. Milan Martinez Villa with a heroic performance."
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🟩 Milan Martinez Villa — Matchday 3 vs Lazio
Position: LW
Minutes Played: 90
Final Score: Lazio 2 – 3 AC Milan
Match Rating: ★ 9.3/10
Man of the Match.
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🔢 Key Stats:
Goals: 2 ⚽ (67', 84')
Assist: 1 🎯 (54' to André Silva)
Shots (on target): 4 (3)
Key Passes: 3
Dribbles Completed: 6
Passing Accuracy: 88%
Duels Won: 8
Fouls Won: 2
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📈 Impact Moments:
54' — Precise cross from the left wing to assist André Silva's equalizer.
67' — Cut inside and fired a low strike past Strakosha.
84' — Showed composure under pressure to slot home the winner after a solo drive.
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🗞️ Media Highlights:
Sky Sport: "A Phantom in Rome — Milan Martinez tears through Lazio's defense like it's training."
La Gazzetta dello Sport: "AC Milan's Boy Wonder rescues the Rossoneri again!"
DAZN Italy: "Lazio had the lead, but Milan had Martinez."
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Fan posts flooded in:
@RossoneriQueen: "I swear this kid's from another planet. Milan Martinez Villa, my heart can't take this."
@CalcioTalk: "The Boy Wonder just destroyed Lazio with 10 men. Let that sink in."
@IlTifosoMilanista: "'The Phantom' danced through Rome tonight. 2 goals, 1 assist. Future Ballon d'Or?"
On the team bus, Milan sat by the window, watching Rome blur by. His phone buzzed nonstop.
Cutrone leaned over. "You're trending everywhere."
Milan smiled. He earned it.
Back at Milanello, the team gathered to review footage. Montella paused the screen on Milan's first goal.
"That," he said, pointing at the screen, "is why we believe."
The squad clapped. Bonucci patted Milan's back.
"Boy Wonder," he said. "Keep your feet on the ground, yeah? But keep flying."
And Milan nodded, grounded—but already dreaming of the next match.