Milan crushed Maradona and landed a heavy blow in the championship fight: 1-0 in Naplesthe first network of Olivier Giroud allows the Rossoneri to regain success after the two draws with Salernitana and Udinese and brings Pioli’s team back to the top of the standings with 60 points, +2 over Inter (who have one game less) and +3 over Napoli. The positive streak of Spalletti’s blues, which came from eight consecutive useful results, is interrupted.
THE MATCH – Pioli finds Ibrahimovic on the bench, Giroud plays from 1 ‘supported by Kessie (revived as playmaker), Leao and Messias. Spalletti instead relies on Osimhen with Zielinski, Politano and Insigne. Match blocked, but there is no shortage of episodes with both teams asking for a penalty: at 5 ‘Milan protests for a contact between Koulibaly and Bennacer, at 12’ Naples does the same for a touch by Tomori on Osimhen. In both cases Orsato doesn’t whistle and lets play. The Rossoneri rely on Leao’s flare-ups, the Azzurri try to trigger Osimhen but the result is not unblocked and we go to the interval on the result of 0-0. The recovery begins without changes, but Milan immediately raises the pressure and in the 49th minute find the advantage: Calabria kicks low from outside the area, Giroud gets on the trajectory of the conclusion and deflects it into the net mocking Ospina. Eleventh goal of the season for the Frenchman, the eighth in the league, but above all the first away with the Rossoneri shirt. The goal conceded shakes Napoli who in the 55th minute risk capitulating, but Ospina is good at rejecting the left in turn Bennacer. Spalletti then changes inside Diamond e Ounas and Napoli increases in intensity. Pioli loses Giroud due to injury and inserts Rebic together with Krunic (Tonali notes). Inertia goes to the side of Napoli that builds dangerous actions, hitting Kalulu’s closures and Maignan’s gloves. Spalletti also sends Mertens, Lozano and Zambo Anguissa on the field, but it is still Osimhen who becomes dangerous by finding the closure of Maignan. On the overturn in front, Theo Hernandez (previously booked for a hint of a fight with Osimhen, he was warned and will miss Empoli) flies and kicks violently with his left-handed, but Ospina is good at repelling. Zlatan Ibrahimovic enters the final, on the pitch for the first time since 23 January, and Saelemaekers wastes the opportunity to close the game in recovery. The result does not change anymore: Milan wins at Maradona and gets back on top of the standings.
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