Milan’s regret is not so much that of having lost 2 times in 7 days against Chelsea, as that of not having been able to play on equal terms with a team that is stronger, but perhaps not as strong as the 0-2 at San Siro would say, following the 3-0 at Stamford Bridge. In London the absences and a bit of presumption, here a penalty and an expulsion, which after a quarter of an hour indelibly stain the Rossoneri night. Because in 10 against 11 you can win in Italy (AC Milan did it against Sampdoria), certainly not against a great European player, who is still world champion..
The German referee Siebert is more decisive than Jorginho which transforms the penalty, after the useless protests of Milan. Tomori lose Set upHe chases him in vain, puts his hands on his shoulder a couple of times, disturbing him from behind, but the opponent still manages to kick, on Tatarusanu who rejects with his feet. Potter on the bench complains about the parade, Mount does not protest, Tomori hopes to be away and instead the referee whistles the penalty and waves the red. Honestly, a little too much. Especially the expulsion can be discussed for a long time: there was the foul and the clear scoring opportunity, Mount kicked and the advantage did not materialize, ok on the penalty, but the double punishment goes beyond logic and probably the regulation.
In the first quarter of an hour, played on a par with Chelsea, Pioli had freed Theo across the board, steadily widening Tomori on the left wing. A move to exploit the accelerations of the Frenchman, on which Potter immediately unleashes a man no less than Mount and who knows that the action that generates penalty and expulsion does not come from here, because instead Theo never follows the opponent appointed to mark him and when Mount scrambles for the door, Tomori’s delay is obvious. Could Pioli have ended up as a prisoner of his own trap? He will never tell us, but the doubt remains.
From then on it’s a whole different game. Giroudin truth in the waning phase at the 11th consecutive as a starter, and it must be understood, he misses an opportunity that at another time would not have failed. Brahim’s cross is beautiful, still in good condition (he did more in a game and a half than CDK in 2 months). It is the flicker of illusion, because then the former Aubameyang replicates the goal of the first legeffectively closing the question, also because Pioli does not even wait for the interval for the most obvious change, and what change: inside the disastrous Dest of the first leg, out of Brahim Diaz, the best of the Rossoneri until then. A way to rearrange the team with 4-4-1 and try to contain the size of the defeat. Mission accomplished also because in the second half Chelsea clearly lifted his foot from the accelerator: if in London he had won by roaring, here he just needed a thread of gas.
What AC Milan fails to limit is the number of yellow cardstoo many in view of the next two decisive games: Giroud, Krunic, Cage, Flees, Touré dance And Tonaliin addition to the expelled Tomori. It is also a sign of discouragement and nervousness. In the second half, before the obvious changes in the championship perspective, a couple of numbers by Leao, just to make us understand that there is (sensational mistake by Dest, who kick badly and high from an excellent position), a lunge by Tonali and then everyone wondering how it ended between Zagreb and Salzburg. And at least this is good news: the draw keeps the Italian champions in the running. It will not be easy, but despite 2 defeats like this, Milan still has time to grab the round of 16.
THE TABLE Milan-Chelsea 0-2 (first half 0-2)
Scorers: 20 ‘pt pen Jorginho (Che), 34’ pt Aubameyang (Che)
Assist: 34 ‘pt Mount (Che)
MILAN (4-3-2-1): Tatarstan; Lottery, Gabbia, Tomori, Theo; Tonali, Bennacer (from 17’st Pobega), Crunic; Leao, Brahim Diaz (38 ‘st West) Giroud (17’ st Rebic). Coach: Pioli. Role: Mirante, Jungdal, Dest, Coubis, Ballo-Toure, Pobega, Rebic, Origi, Messias.
CHELSEA (3-4-2-1): Cloak; Chalobah, Thiago Silva; James (17th Blues) Kovacic, Jorginho, Chilwell; Sterling (valley 17 ‘stLoftus-Cheek) Mount (valley 1’ st Gallagher); Aubamayang. All: Potter. Available: Bettinelli, Mendy, Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Broja, Zakaria, Gallagher, Azpilicueta, Havertz, Chukwuemeka, Cucurella.
Bookings: 19 ‘pt Giroud (Mil), 19’ pt Mount (Che), 29 ‘pt Sterling (Che), 33’ pt Gabbia (Mil), 36 ‘pt Krunic (Mil), from 21’ st Pobega (Mil)
Red card: 18 ‘pt Tomori (Mil)
