Milan scraped a last-gasp victory over Fiorentina with Rafael Leao after 90 seconds and a chaotic Nikola Milenkovic own goal in stoppages in a game full of chances at both ends.
Olivier Giroud and Theo Hernandez returned from suspension, with Rafael Leao back from being rested for the midweek draw with Cremonese, but Junior Messias joined Mike Maignan, Davide Calabria, Alexis Saelemaekers, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alessandro Florenzi on the treatment table. The Viola were coming off five consecutive wins between Serie A and the Conference League, but missed Riccardo Sottil, Nico Gonzalez and Gaetano Castrovilli, with Giacomo Bonaventura pulling out in the warm-up.
There were banners thanking Ivan Gazidis ahead of his final game as CEO of Milan.
Barely 90 seconds into the match, Giroud knocked down the ball to send Rafael Leao running and sweep into the far bottom corner with the inside of the right boot.
Ciprian Tatarusanu used his knee to deny Arthur Cabral from close range, then Cristiano Biraghi almost equalised on eight minutes with a cross-shot that smashed against the near post after Barak had turned Fikayo Tomori.
Dodo pulled a muscle trying to sprint with Leao and made way for Lorenzo Venuti, but the Viola were dominating possession and it was no surprise when they equalised.
Barak, who only played because of Bonaventura’s injury in the warm-up, turned Pierre Kalulu and saw his finish take a deflection off Malick Thiaw to squirm under Tatarusanu.
Pierre Kalulu made a crucial block on Biraghi and Nikola Milenkovic did the same on Sandro Tonali, but Lorenzo Venuti made an acrobatic goal-line clearance when Brahim Diaz had dinked it over Pietro Terracciano and Theo Hernandez was ready to make sure.
After the restart, Terracciano made a desperate save from point-blank range on Giroud, meeting the low Kalulu ball from the right. Leao then saw his strike deflected wide
Tomori had to sprint back for a crucial sliding tackle on Jonathan Ikone, where he just about got the ball.
Only a Tatarusanu reaction fingertip save prevented Kalulu scoring an own goal as he was sold a dummy by Luka Jovic, then Giroud’s acrobatic volley flashed wide.
Leao missed a sitter on 77 minutes when the ball fell kindly for him from 14 yards, but he was leaning back and ballooned over the bar.
It remained wide open at both ends, as Tomori sprinted back for the goal-line clearance on Jonathan Ikone.
In stoppages, Aster Vranckx whipped in a cross from the right, Ante Rebic and Terracciano both went for the ball and didn’t seem to connect with it, so it bounced in off Milenkovic. There were protests for both a potential foul in the build-up and whether Rebic was disturbing the goalkeeper.
Milan 2-1 Fiorentina
Leao 2 (M), Barak 27 (F), Milenkovic og 91 (M)
Marotta got it wrong this time.
And made the ref overlook 2 fouls in the build up to Milan‘s 2nd goal.
One might say.
If he keeps picking Diaz and krunic whilst a whole host of better players are available, we are truly stuffed! He has completely lost it!
@Rosario
and who are these better players? on the right wing specifically
serieAfan
He could’ve deployed Rebic there, and had him interchange with Leao who has also been deployed there. During his time with Brugges, Charles has also played on the right wing. Certainly would’ve provided more ball retention than the completely hopeless Diaz. Alternatively, he could’ve switched to a 3 man defence whilst Tomori is a liability and played with two attacking wing backs in Dest and Theo and given Leao more of a roaming role, to make him difficult to pick up. Teams have worked out how to deny space to him and Theo. In this system, we are completely lob sided.
In this modern game of football, you have no chance of you’re not first to second balls more times than you are not! That and inability to deny spaces when out of possession are central to this team’s problems! Fiorentina were literally first to everything especially in first half!