AC Milan could regain its place as leader of Serie A this Sunday evening. It missed. Olivier Giroud’s teammates lost at home for the first time this season against Juventus (0-1), third at kick-off.
A dull and disappointing match, this is what we must remember from this clash between the two most successful clubs in Italy. The two teams observed each other during the first thirty minutes and created very few chances. Only Rafael Leao in the Milanese ranks seemed to be able to create the difference in this match. The Portuguese rushed down his left side several times, facing a tormented Federico Gatti, without ever finding a well-positioned partner in the Turin area. Olivier Giroud was the only Milan striker to worry Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, a quarter of an hour into the game, already following good work from Leao.
AC Milan was weighed down shortly before half-time by the expulsion of Malick Thiaw. The Milan defender wrapped himself around Moise Kean for several meters without letting go, after a great move from the Italian striker. A gross mistake which truly clipped the wings of the Rossoneri. In the process, Stefano Pioli had to make a tactical change to rebalance his team. American striker Christian Pulisic was replaced by Frenchman Pierre Kalulu. The Milanese offensives were greatly lacking in weight afterwards, like Olivier Giroud, who missed his match and was replaced in the 60th minute of play by Luka Jovic.
The Rossoneri were punished on the hour mark with a strike from outside the area by Manuel Locatelli. The shot from Juve’s Italian midfielder is blocked by Rade Krunic and completely deceives Antonio Mirante on the wrong foot (63rd). The third Milan goalkeeper, aged 40, was effective until the final whistle, preventing the Old Lady from increasing the score against the physically exhausted Milanese who struggled to be dangerous offensively in the absence of Theo Hernandez.
With this victory, Juventus comes back to within a small point of their evening opponent and signs their third away victory of the season. Milan, for its part, sees Inter regain first place in the standings. the Rossoneri have also not prepared in the best way for their trip to the Parc des Princes next Wednesday to face PSG in the Champions League.
