Milan-Naples 1-0
After the victory in the championship, Milan also won at San Siro in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League: 1-0 with goals from Bennacer, in Naples expelled Anguissa. The return Tuesday 18.
ANSA Agency
Real Madrid beat Chelsea 2-0 (1-0) in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League: Karim Benzema scored in the 21st minute of the first half. (HANDLE)
Bennacer’s goal gives Milan the first round in the double confrontation with Napoli, in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Spalletti’s team leaves San Siro with regrets and bitterness, those of having to face the return on Tuesday without Anguissa (expelled) and Kim (on warning and yellow card). Match worthy of the European stage, that of the Meazza, with chances, rhythm and competitive intensity. So much so that at the start it seemed that the hands of the devil on Pulcinella should remain a suggestion. Because between the choreography frescoed by the South and reality it didn’t seem like we had to see all the 22 points behind the championship. But Pioli had said on several occasions that the Champions League would have been something else and his forecasts have kept their promises. Because between the wind and a heavy rain at the start, it is Napoli that cools the Rossoneri spirits: a rapid path that cools the certainties of Milan and which from the very first exchanges risks becoming a cold shower.
After just one round of the clock, the hosts could already be down: Anguissa takes the goal from the right, the ball slips into the small area without Kjaer or Maignan intervening and Kvaratskelia gets walled up on the line by Krunic as the beaten goalkeeper. Not even the time to recover that Milan have to run for cover again with Pioli’s 16 who hits Anguissa. Di Lorenzo tries in sequence with a header, then Kvara with a movement to return from the left and in the 12th minute it’s Zielinski’s turn with a violent left foot from distance. You have to wait for the 25th minute to see Milan: Leao goes away to Rrahmani, also resisting the return of Anguissa, before launching a left that does not close enough and goes off to the left of Meret. The play has the merit of lengthening Napoli, and Milan pass in the 40th minute. Diaz recovers the ball in the middle, runs away through the central streets and serves Leao on the right. The Portuguese closes the triangulation with Bennacer, who pushes it in with his right foot, thwarting Meret’s touch. Before the break, Tonali would also have the ball to double, then also three consecutive shots from the flag in a matter of seconds, with Kjaer in the last corner, soaring his head and hitting the inside crossbar. Spalletti, who at the start had chosen the Elmas solution as an anomalous attack reference to make up for the absences of Osimhen and Simeone, began the second half without putting his hands on men and set-up. And after 5′ Kvara cuts a right footed shot for Elmas, good at timing well and heading, with Maignan forced to retreat to deflect onto the crossbar. Napoli stays there and Di Lorenzo crushes a right that finds Kjaer’s back. Up until the 20th minute the guests pushed, then in the 29th minute Anguissa put his body in to stop Theo Hernandez and got his second yellow card in 4 minutes. A few seconds later, yellow also arrives for protests against Kim, who was warned. In 10, Napoli tries the same and only Maignan’s left hand denies Di Lorenzo the equal. Oliveira also tries with a header, but the back shot fails. Cardinale is missing from the San Siro party, but the devil is dancing. Of course there will be a new Dantesque group at Maradona on Tuesday.
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