The Rossoneri are third in the group: qualification for the round of 16 is now possible
– MILAN
From nothing to everything in the space of three days. Too much grace, old Devil. Milan regains everything they lost in the championship against Udinese and does so on the most important evening. Gala evening, evening of stars, evening of European Rossoneri DNA which, no, cannot be just rhetoric when observing a similar performance in front of a similar opponent. And that is, an objectively stronger team, costing an enormous amount. Milan brought down Mbappé’s PSG, this time Leao won the duel with former Rossoneri fan Kylian and Pioli took home the most prestigious success of his career, fortifying a bench that wasn’t in question anyway. Milan are back in full qualifying mode and they do so by tripping up their former child prodigy Donnarumma, who was massacred with insults and whistles as expected.
THE CHOICES
—
After the change of system, imposed by infirmary needs and which collapsed with Udinese, Pioli restored the usual 4-3-3 since the doctors returned Pulisic, Chukwueze and Hernandez, called to the squad, in one fell swoop. revenge against his brother. First choice offensive trident therefore – Pulisic-Giroud-Leao -, and a midfielder who recorded the return from the first minute of Loftus-Cheek and Musah preferred to Krunic, but not on Rade’s clods: the US international in fact went to the centre-left and Reijnders placed himself in front of the defense and was also entrusted with the task of giving a hand on Mbappé. Luis Enrique confirmed the eleven from the first leg, handing the attacking phase over to his number 7, more than Vitinha, Kolo Muani and Dembelé. In the middle of the pitch, the crystalline talent of 17-year-old Zaire-Emery, dazzling in the first leg and decidedly less flashy this time. But what worked above all was the emergency response plan on Mbappé, with Reijnders who – as expected – climbed on the outside to close gaps for him and passage channels for his teammates. Not a real cage, but more of a collective “escort” to protect the defensive line. The work of Reijnders was particularly valuable, as he recovered his lost luster by taking care of Vitinha – not an easy alternative – when Mbappé wasn’t his job, and he didn’t give up accompanying the attacking phase in certain cases.
COMPACTNESS
—
Overall level of the match: decidedly high. The first half was sensationally beautiful, with two teams playing for forty-five minutes as if they were the last five of a direct elimination match. Straight by straight, with a crazy desire to score on every run. Milan’s merit, compared to other similar situations, was above all one: even in a context of continuous restarts, made and suffered, it never became disunited. So ragged the first time, but compact this time. Of course, he inevitably had to accept several duels – Dembélé was almost unstoppable – but he remained well afloat thanks to the consistency he lacked in Paris. And thanks also to a benevolent look from above, when Dembélé’s left-footed shot hit the crossbar. Be careful, though: we are not talking about a Parisian monologue, far from it. The Devil responded blow for blow and it was yet another match in this Champions League with many regrets in front of goal. Two photocopied actions that led to the squandering of clear scoring opportunities. The first in the 6th minute, an imperious shot from Leao to the left, a low cross to Loftus-Cheek who, all alone, raised his aim just beyond the spot. The second at 11: low cross from the right by Calabria and a horrible encore granted by Musah with a soft right foot into Donnarumma’s arms.
REACTION
—
San Siro boiling with anger also because between one waste and another PSG had passed: corner from the right, burst from Marquinhos and head from Skriniar who arrived face to face with Maignan in total solitude. Total defensive amnesia. At this point, down by a goal and with the ghosts of previous matches, Milan could have melted away but instead they reacted with great personality and only took three minutes. Giroud cut in from an off-center position and unloaded a left-footed shot which Donnarumma deflected upwards. Leao understood everything, coordinated and put in an overhead kick, with the ball under Gigio’s arm. Shocking movements of significant magnitude at the Meazza. Other? Here I am. Maignan who anticipates Mbappé brilliantly when he launches towards goal, Mbappé who dribbles from an appetizing position, Giroud who takes the outside of the net and could have done better, Tomori who challenges Donnarumma with a free kick and Leao who unloads a right-footed shot just wide. Special mention for Loftus-Cheek, which can be summed up with just one adjective: monumental. Of struggle and government: uncontainable.
RESTARTS
—
Applause at the end of the first half which becomes apotheosis in the 5th minute of the second half when Hernandez crosses for Giroud, who goes over Skriniar and passes Gigio. Two to one, San Siro goes crazy and after a quarter of an hour they fall silent in the face of Donnarumma’s miracle on Hernandez’s free kick: the ball is taken out of the way a few centimeters from the post. PSG obviously tries to push, but tonight’s is a Milan that continues to not disunite, closing by gritting its teeth and restarting every time it can. Above all, two notes remain in the second half notebook: another super save by Donnarumma on a very treacherous right-footed shot by Okafor and an outside post by Lee. Then, after seven minutes of injury time, the party can really explode: Milan are back and it was a spectacle.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED