Substitute Ronaldinho popped up seven minutes from time to salvage a point for AC Milan in a 1-1 draw at 10-man Atalanta on Sunday but that might not be enough to save coach Leonardo from the chop.
Meanwhile, the last unbeaten record in Serie A disappeared as Juventus were at Palermo to drop to third in the table.
Milan may have come from behind to earn a draw but their hosts played almost an hour with 10 men and it took the seven-time European champions 45 minutes to break down their lowly opponents with a numerical advantage.
PHOTO: REUTERS
It was also only Milan’s fourth goal in seven league matches in which the struggling giants have managed just two wins.
Atalanta deservedly took the lead on 21 minutes as Simone Padoin’s cross from the right caused confusion in the Milan backline.
Center-backs Nesta and Giuseppe Favalli were both drawn to Cristiano Doni at the neat post, leaving Simone Tiribocchi free behind them as Ignazio Abate had failed to cover from right-back.
When Doni missed the ball it fell to Tiribocchi, who had time to pick his spot and beat Marco Storari in the Milan goal.
Serbian midfielder Ivan Radovanovic then made the hosts’ hopes of holding out for victory look decidedly tougher as he was sent off six minutes before the break for a needless second booking, pulling Pato’s shirt when the forward was practically on the halfway line.
After the break the former European champions fashioned an early chance as Thomas Manfredini over-committed himself in trying to reach an Andrea Pirlo cross leaving Pato free to shoot from 10m but Consigli made a point blank stop.
Milan played much of the second half just in front of Atalanta’s penalty box and the 10 men finally cracked on 83 minutes when Nesta lifted the ball over the backline and Ronaldinho volleyed home in one brilliant movement.
Juventus could have gone top if they had won in Sicily but first half goals from Brazilians Edison Cavani and Simplicio gave Palermo a deserved 2-0 win.
Sampdoria failed to take back top spot from Inter as they were held to a 1-1 home draw by Parma.
Francesco Totti scored a brace in AS Roma’s 2-1 win over Napoli that saw him move level with Gabriel Batistuta in eighth place on the all-time top Serie A goalscorers list.
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