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Massimo Oddo and Ruben Olivera were sent off, but Massimo Ambrosini's stoppage-time header allowed Milan to beat Sampdoria.
San Siro finally opened its doors to all fans after last night's inspection on the new turnstiles. Ronaldo again started following his brace in the 4-3 win over Siena, though Paolo Maldini, Kakha Kaladze, Alessandro Nesta and Serginho were out of action with Cristian Brocchi suspended. Sampdoria faced up to life without star striker Francesco Flachi, who this week failed a random drugs test for cocaine.
Samp nearly took the surprise lead after seven minutes, as Palombo unleashed a sudden snapshot from 25 metres that smashed against the base of the upright to Nelson Dida's left.
It was an early warning and moments later Milan were left in 10 men. Emiliano Bonazzoli and Massimo Oddo wrestled on the edge of the area and the referee judged it to be a clear goal-scoring opportunity, showing the ex-Lazio man a straight red card. Oddo insisted he had been fouled first, but Carlo Ancelotti had to make changes and introduced Marcos Cafu for Ricardo Oliveira.
Milan also threatened as Luca Castellazzi beat away a touched on free kick for Marek Jankulovski, then Ronaldo just failed to redirect Cafu's low cross.
The Rossoneri were furious on 21 minutes when Ronaldo sprinted towards the goal and was blocked by a decisive Giulio Falcone tackle. He got a touch to the ball, but the trailing leg hacked down Il Fenomeno with the sphere still very close to the Brazilian. Milan wanted a similar outcome to the Oddo-Bonazzoli tussle.
Kaka skipped past a defender and fired a fierce strike that Castellazzi somehow managed to deflect over the bar with his elbow.
Cafu struck the side-netting from an acute angle, but Dida required a stunning save on Christian Maggio's equally impressive overhead kick.
10-man Milan continued to push and Castellazzi got down well to turn Kaka's right-foot free kick round the post. The Brazilian was on fine form and slipped past Maggio with a nutmeg only to be brought down on the edge of the area by Ruben Olivera. It was his second yellow card, so both teams were left in 10 men before half-time.
Ronaldo sent Clarence Seedorf clear on goal and he fired wide, but his blushes were saved by the offside flag. Bonazzoli nodded over from a Ziegler corner kick.
After the break Bonazzoli drilled just wide, then Gennaro Gattuso missed a Ziegler corner and Seedorf had to almost make a goalline clearance.
Milan's Brazilian contingent was in full force moments later, as Kaka changed pace to leave his marker behind and the cross went just past Ronaldo. Cafu rushed on to the loose ball and this time Massimo Ambrosini nodded over.
Pippo Inzaghi replaced a tired Ronaldo for the final 20 minutes and within a few moments he had set up a good chance for Kaka and forced Castellazzi into a tricky save. Cafu had penalty appeals for a clash with the goalkeeper as he ran on to Pirlo's pass, but the ball had already gone out.
The match was slowly going towards a goalless draw, but Ambrosini popped up at the 90th minute with a trademark header. Jankulovski whipped in the cross and Cristian Zenoni slipped over on the wet grass, so Ambrosini had free rein to nod home at the back post.
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