MILAN. An illusion that lasted seven minutes, before the Liverpool trident brought Milan back to planet earth. Al Diavolo does not succeed in the feat against the Reds, who win the sixth match out of six in the Champions League at San Siro – despite the large turnover adopted by Jurgen Klopp – and throws the Rossoneri out of Europe, who cannot even count on Europa League parachute. Tomori’s paw makes San Siro dream for a few minutes, then Salah – after a short block from Maignan on a shot by Oxlade-Chamberlain – immediately puts things back in order. In the second half, Kalulu’s mistake paves the way for Mané, even if the goal that cuts the legs of the Rossoneri bears the signature of Origi. A 2-1 that condemns Milan to a last place in the group that recalls the journey of Inter a year ago, even if the iron group in which Stefano Pioli’s team found itself cannot be compared to what it has seen the Nerazzurri leave the scene. Without the mid-week commitments in the cup, Milan will be able to focus exclusively on the championship. The hope of the Rossoneri, in a night that remains bitter, is to find the strength to restart and complete the path made a few months ago by the ‘cousins’, who sewed the tricolor on their chest at the end of the season.
Pioli, decimated by absences especially in the offensive department, relies on the Krunic-Diaz-Messias trio behind Ibrahimovic, with Saelemaekers jolly off the bench. In the middle of the field is Tonali and not Bennacer next to Kessie. Abundant turnover instead for Klopp, already certain of the first place in the group, in view of the tour de force that awaits the Reds in the Premier League. The attack department is an exception, where Mané, Salah and Origi operate. Milan started a bit contracted, the game did not take off after two half opportunities on each side in the first ten minutes (conclusion from outside without too many pretensions by Williams and equally weak header by Tomori), so at the first real opportunity, after almost half ‘hour of confrontation without a real master of the field, the result changes immediately. Minamino’s smooth shot on the development of a corner kick displaces Alisson, who freaks out but leaves the ball inside the small area, where Tomori rushes like a hawk, which makes San Siro explode with joy. Taken the slap, Liverpool lights up: Origi works well in the area and finds the space to kick, but Maignan controls in two halves. The Rossoneri ecstasy, however, is short-lived: at 36 ‘in fact, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s violent shot is not managed well by the French goalkeeper, who sends a short shot right by Salah, forgotten by Theo Hernandez, who does not miss the tap-in. door unguarded.
In the second half the match is more sparkling, also because the Devil is forced to win and Liverpool with some more space know how to hurt. At 9 ‘Salah is still treacherous but this time Maignan controls. Two minutes later, however, Kalulu’s error in the setting phase is fatal, and Mané snatches the ball in the three quarters. The Rossoneri goalkeeper saves on the Senegalese winger, but can do nothing on Origi’s flying tap-in. This time, unlike the 1-1 draw, Milan feel the pinch, and only manage to produce a shot from outside high over the crossbar by Krunic. Pioli plays the Saelemaekers and Bennacer cards, also because the bench cannot offer anything else, but the game has now run away, amid the despair of the hosts, however, always supported by the incessant cheering of San Siro. Although Klopp saves a scarce half hour of play to the phenomena in the team Salah and Mané are still the guests in fact to go close to the trio with Origi, leading. In the final, the Rossoneri attacked more with pride than with their legs and head, but still managed to produce a good chance with Kessie, who wasted Alisson in front of Alisson and was blocked by the Brazilian goalkeeper. Closing an evening marked by many individual errors, unforgivable at these levels in Europe. But this Milan, even against a Liverpool without many starters, it was difficult to ask for more.