Milan upset all the odds with an astonishing 4-0 victory away to leaders Napoli, including Rafael Leao’s brace and an Alexis Saelemaekers solo run, putting them third and setting up the Champions League quarter-finals.
This was the first of three meetings between the clubs, as they’ll also face off in the Champions League quarter-finals on April 12 and 18. Victor Osimhen, Matias Olivera and Bartosz Bereszynski were out injured, so Giovanni Simeone stepped into the centre-forward role. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Junior Messias and Pierre Kalulu didn’t make the trip and the Rossoneri switched back to a 4-2-3-1 formation after a month of experimenting the three-man defence.
There wasn’t the usual atmosphere, as the Napoli ultras staged a silent protest against rising ticket prices and stricter security measures.
Brahim Diaz didn’t get enough power to his finish in the opening minutes, while Simeone blasted over from 12 yards on the Piotr Zielinski assist.
It was Milan who took the lead with a really well-worked move, as Brahim Diaz shimmied away from Stanislav Lobotka at the by-line and sent Rafael Leao clear, beating Alex Meret with a delightful lob. The Portuguese forward had not found the net in all competition since January 14.
The Rossoneri doubled their lead when Ismael Bennacer got down the left, his cross was only glanced to Brahim Diaz, who took a touch, sent Mario Rui past with a dummy and fired in from six yards. The Spaniard had not scored in Serie A since October.
Lobotka unleashed a rocket from distance that Mike Maignan could only parry with his chest, while Brahim Diaz’s effort was fingertipped over on the counter-attack.
Maignan palmed away a powerful Zielinski strike and after the restart Giroud’s angled drive skimmed the far post at the end of a rapid counter-attack.
Kim Min-jae went for goal from the tightest of angles and almost caught Maignan out at the near post, then moments later Mario Rui was released by an inspired Kvaratskhelia pass only to be denied by the goalkeeper’s face.
Just as Napoli were pinning Milan back, they were caught out by a classic counter-attack for 3-0. Sandro Tonali won it back in midfield and immediately launched Leao down the left, where he confused Amir Rrahmani with a dummy before smashing into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
The offside flag was up when Meret made a desperate reaction save on Giroud, but the fourth goal did arrive when substitute Alexis Saelemaekers gathered from Davide Calabria and dribbled through three defenders to nutmeg Meret with the finish.
Saelemaekers was fired up and rode several tackles before forcing a tough save from Meret, while Fikayo Tomori made a decisive block on Giacomo Raspadori.
It was Raspadori who fired wide on the counter when he should’ve set up Kvaratskhelia, while Saelemaekers again stung Meret’s gloves from distance.
Napoli 0-4 Milan
Leao 17, 59 (M), Brahim Diaz 25 (M), Saelemaekers 67 (M)
Player statistic
| 17' |  |
Rafael Leão (Assist: Brahim Díaz) | ||
| 25' | |
Brahim Díaz | ||
| 35' |  |
Olivier Giroud | ||
| Stanislav Lobotka | |
40' |
| 59' | |
Rafael Leão (Assist: Sandro Tonali) | ||
| 63' | |
Rade Krunic | ||
| 67' | |
Alexis Saelemaekers (Assist: Davide Calabria) |
Match statistic
