Milan-Chelsea 0-2 in the Champions League: red for Tomori is decisive

Late night in San Siro. Milan lose to Chelsea for the second time in a week, but this defeat matures in a totally different way from that of Stamford Bridge: under a man and a goal after 21 minutes for a highly contested episode, the Rossoneri can do very little against a team that in London had already shown that it had something more than the Italian champions. It ends 0-2, but that of the Meazza is in fact a non-match, despite the good will that the Devil also puts us outnumbered, to honor the 75 thousand who rushed to the Meazza. Too decisive the decision of the referee Siebert, who chases Tomori for a penalty foul on which not even the Blues had made any claims. And losing like this, almost without being able to play it, is really angry.

The “crime”

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There is not even time to assess whether the structure chosen by Pioli – Gabbia confirmed in the center of the defense, Diaz on the right side of the attack – is the right one to balance the confrontation with Chelsea, after the heavy knockout of the first leg. Compared to the anti-Juve eleven the only difference is the central presence of Krunic instead of Pobega, while the Blues are those seen at Stamford Bridge a week ago, with Jorginho instead of Loftus-Cheek in midfield and Chalobah in the position of Fofana in defense. The problems, for a Milan that still starts the match with impetus, always come from the two attacking midfielders, Sterling and Mount. It is the product of the Academy of Blues that becomes the protagonist of the action that decides everything, when the first quarter of the game has not yet been completed: perfect cut in the area, Tomori is late and chases him, resting his left hand on his shoulder . Mount kicks and does not beat Tatarusanu, regretting with the London bench for the wasted chance: no one protests, but Siebert whistled. Penalty. More: red directed at Tomori for the interruption of a clear scoring opportunity (without groped to intervene on the ball). The Var cannot interfere on the extent of the contact, which seems very slight and very short, but it is there. It is a rigorino, but really “ino”, of those that in Europe are almost never given. Pioli is a fury, Tomori is incredulous, but after a few minutes Milan finds themselves at 0-1 – Jorginho from the spot is not the Jorginho of Italy-Switzerland – and in ten men. He only counts that.

Aubameyang and game over

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In a nightmare evening, the former’s goal cannot be missed. Which arrives, on time, signed by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Giroud could have scored just before, right against the team with which he won the Champions League: nothing, header to the side. Instead “Auba” at 34 ‘does not forgive, finalizing a splendid plot conceived by Kovacic (a distant relative of the anonymous footballer who performed at the Meazza in the Nerazzurri) and finished by the usual Mount. Tatarusanu collects the 0-2 ball in goal, disconsolate. Pioli slowly redesigns the team, starting with the alternation between Diaz and Dest. And Milan avoids embarking at least, even in a second half that has very little to say, if not in terms of general goal difference. The Rossoneri audience, still furious about the red in Tomori, supports the Devil and in the meantime inquires about the result in Zagreb, when ever heavy in terms of qualification. At least from there discreet news arrives: the equal of Dinamo prevents the escape to +4 of Salzburg, which at this point becomes the team on which to make the race in the sprint towards the second round. Two wins in the last two rounds of Group E will be enough, perhaps even a win over the Austrians and an equal in Croatia, as long as Chelsea lend a hand. What matters is that Milan are still masters of their European destiny. Little consolation tonight, but tomorrow it will make all the difference in the world.