Milan returns to the Champions League semi-final after 16 years: the Rossoneri draw 1-1 with Napoli at Maradona in the second leg of the quarterfinals, unlock Olivier Giroud who after having missed a penalty (saved by Alex Meret) redeems himself in the first half on Rafael Leao’s blaze, for Spalletti’s Azzurri the goal in added time is not enough Victor Osimhen. Mike Maignan was also decisive, who in the 82nd minute saved a penalty kick from Khvicha Kvarataskhelia that could change the fate of qualifying. Stefano Pioli’s team is back among the top four in Europe, the last time it happened in the 2006/07 season, an edition which was then won by Devil in the final against Liverpool in Athens. Milan are now waiting to find out who will be their opponents in the next round, whether Simone Inzaghi’s Inter for a new European derby or Roger Schmidt’s Benfica.
FIRST HALF – Spalletti finds Osimhen again from the first minute and replaces the suspended Kim Min-Jae and Zambo Anguissa with John Jesus e Ndombele. Pioli confirms the same eleven of San Siro, with Giroud e kjaer in the field. The Azzurri have to recover and start at a very high pace, crushing the Devil in his twenty meters, Kvaratskhelia tries to worry Maignan but fails. Politano is more dangerous, but his conclusion fades away. In the 21st minute the episode that could change the match: Milan’s counterattack, Leao enters the area and unloads for Brahim Diaz, but the Portuguese is brought down by compatriot Mario Rui. The Polish referee Marciniak has no doubts and awards the Rossoneri a penalty: Giroud goes from the penalty spot, but his half-height shot is rejected by Meret. The Rossoneri protested, asking for the penalty to be repeated due to the presence of four Azzurri players in the area at the time of the serve, but for the VAR everything is fine: the feet of the Neapolitan players do not touch the pitch. Giroud tries to redeem himself a few minutes later, but Meret surpasses himself and denies the Frenchman the goal with his foot. In the 34th minute Spalletti scored twice he loses Politano and Mario Rui due to injurythey enter instead Lozano e Olivera. In the 36th minute it was Napoli who asked for a penalty due to contact between Leao and Lozano, the referee Marciniak did not concede and the VAR confirmed the decision, despite the images leaving some doubts. In the 43rd minute, after another blaze, Milan pass: bad ball lost by Ndombele, Leao flies away and runs almost 80 meters ball and chain, passes Di Lorenzo and Rrahmani, enters the area and supports Giroud with the comfortable ball for the 0-1. In injury time Osimhen scores the equalizer, but Marciniak cancels because the Nigerian forward stops Kjaer’s postponement attempt with his arm. We then go to the locker room on 0-1.
SECOND HALF – The second half begins without changes but with Napoli immediately close to equalizing with Kvaratskhelia, who enters the area from the left and shoots just over the crossbar. The Rossoneri had a good opportunity on the counterattack, but Brahim Diaz was stopped on the edge of the blue area. Kvara tries again in the 58th minute, but the result is the same as the previous attempt with the high ball. Pioli changes, Diaz out for Messiah, but it’s still the home team that makes themselves dangerous with Lozano’s initiative. Spalletti sends on the field Diamond for Ndombele and immediately after the substitution Napoli risks surprising Milan with Theo who jumps empty, but Olivera doesn’t take advantage of it with his header. In the 68th minute Giroud raises the white flag and Pioli sends on the pitch Origi. In the 74th minute Rrahmani also tries with a header, high ball. Spalletti plays his cards Ostigard e Raspadori for Rrahmani and Zielinski. In the 82nd minute the episode that could reopen the match: Tomori’s hands on Di Lorenzo’s cross and a penalty for Napoli, Kvaratskhelia goes from the penalty spot but Maignan hypnotizes him and saves by diving, locking up the result; for the Frenchman it is the 14th penalty saved in his career out of 45 faced. Pioli wants to defend and takes away an exhausted Leao for Saelemaekers. Maignan wants to defend his unbeaten run and in the 91st minute he surpasses Ostigard’s thrust on Kvaratskhelia’s cross-shot. However, in the 93rd minute he could do nothing on Osimhen’s header, which equalized the score. However, a 1-1 draw was not enough for Napoli: the Azzurri were eliminated, Milan celebrated at Maradona and flew to the semi-final.
