11.18pm – Milan punished, De Rossi happy: Pioli needs half a feat
(Carlos Passerini) Goes to Rome the first act of the Euroderby. Deservedly. The Milan he completely missed his approach in the first half and the Giallorossi took advantage of it, now taking a big lead. Pioli loses the tactical duel with De Rossi. And now, on the return to the Olimpico on Thursday, it will take half a feat to overturn the result and go on to win the pass to the semi-final. Even if everything remains open, with only one goal difference. He decides on a header than usual Left-handed, match winner also in Saturday’s derby. The Rossoneri complained about a suspected offside in the previous action, but rather than protesting, there is a need for self-criticism: too much arrogance. Even from the big names. Leao didn’t do anything and was replaced. Like Pulisic. The reaction was late, with the two crossbars of Adli and Giroud centered at the end. But it was late.
For the night which is worth a huge part of the season, both coaches had chosen to rely on their best men: Pioli confirming the now tried and tested “three plus one” with Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek and Leao behind Giroud; De Rossi responding with a surprise move, Lukaku and Dybala in attack more El Shaarawy right outside to swab Theo Hernandez. All-out running and old style marking, almost man-to-man, on the Frenchman: a tactical idea that throws the Devil’s strong point, the left flank, into a tailspin and will have an enormous impact on the development of the match.
How much talent at San Siro: the anticipation is high, we all still have the show of the two days of the Champions League in our eyes and in our minds, there is the curiosity to understand if and how far our Euroderby is really from those levels of excellence. Answer: yes, it’s far away, but there was no lack of spectacle here either. The atmosphere is electric, the stadium has been sold out for days: 75,023 spectators. Milan-Roma is also the direct clash between properties made in the USA: on one side Cardinale, on the other the Friedkins.
«We must try to be the best version of ourselves» asks Pioli before the start. It won’t be like that. He’s there in defense for the Giallorossi Smalling and not Llorente: The Englishman is a clear choice to counter Giroud and his tricky headers. On the other hand, due to disqualification, he is out Tomori: absence that weighs. In fact on a corner kicked masterfully by Dybala Here is Loftus-Cheek’s glaring placing error which leads to the Giallorossi’s lead: as in the derby, this time too Mancini is relentless with his header. The Rossoneri’s anger exploded over a suspected offside by Lukaku in the previous action, which ended with a great save by Maignan: the linesman didn’t raise his flag, the referee didn’t blow the whistle. Offside or not, VAR cannot intervene there anyway.
Milan’s reaction was immediate, but ineffective: Lukaku headed off the line twice in the same action. But overall, Roma is better. Clearly. Reijnders tries a couple of times from outside the area, but Svilar is clear. Leao is a shadow. Ibrahimovic suffers in the stands: Lukaku, perhaps in honor of the old derbies, wants to leave his mark on the pitch. He will be among the best in the end.
The spaces are widening, here and there, but it is Roma who are closer to doubling their number. Until the final quarter of an hour, when Adli forced Svilar to deflect a dangerous right-footed shot onto the crossbar. Enter Okafor and Chukwueze. The Devil finally lights up. Giroud hits the crossbar from two steps in the 87th minute. Then, the last thrill: a light touch of the hand in the area by Abraham judged not to be a penalty by Turpin and Var. The curtain falls. See you again on Thursday for the second act.
11.00pm – It ends here, Roma hit at San Siro
Roma makes the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals theirs, at San Siro another goal from Mancini decides.
10.54pm – 4′ injury time
Last minutes for Milan, they will play until the 94th minute
10.52pm – Giroud crossbar, 87′
Chukwueze enters the area from the right and serves Giroud, who shoots a few steps from the goal and hits the crossbar
10.42pm – Leao and Abraham out, 81′
Pioli removes a dull Leao, inside Okafor. In Roma without Dybala, there is Abraham
10.39pm – Another change for Milan, 78′
Another substitution for Pioli, Chukwueze in and Pulisic out
10.37pm – Double chance Milan, 77′
Ball in the area for Leao, who kicks but is blocked by Spinazzola. Then Lukaku commits a borderline foul on Loftus-Cheek, but Adli’s free-kick hits the wall
10.36pm – Milan opportunity, 75′
Adli was close to a feat, whose cross almost missed Svilar, who was very good at deflecting the ball into a corner with the help of the crossbar
10.33pm – Milan still attacking, 72′
Milan looking for an equalizer, another shot from the edge by Reijnders who however is losing the personal duel with Svilar, still punctual in the rebound. Yellow for Loftus Cheek, punished for a foul on Dybala
10.29pm – Milan opportunity, 69′
Milan can’t find any space, they try from a free kick: header from Theo Hernandez from a corner, ball out
10.26pm – Slow pace now, 65′
Milan tries to find spaces but fails, Roma defends in a truly orderly manner and doesn’t seem to fail
10.22pm – Double chance Rome, 62′
Yet another ball lost by Leo, Roma close to doubling their lead first with Pellegrini and then with Cristante: both shots end up wide. Yellow for Adli for a stomp on the Giallorossi captain
10.20pm – First Milan substitution, 59′
First substitution for Pioli, Adli comes on instead of Bennacer
10.18pm – Giroud down, 56′
Bennacer brushes for Giroud, who goes to the ground after a contact which however appears too weak. There is nothing, the referee lets it go
10.17pm – Rome protests, 53′
Giallorossi protests for a possible touch of the hand in the area by Gabbia: for the referee there is nothing, arm attached to the body, we play
10.09pm – Lukaku wastes, 50′
Bad ball lost by Reijnders with El Shaarawy restarting, but Lukaku — served from the outside — loses too much playing time
10.07pm – Reijnders tries immediately, 47′
Third shot from the edge by the Dutch midfielder but, as in the previous two, Svilar was ready and blocked the ball on the ground
10.06pm – Second half begins, 46′
The second half begins, the ball goes to Milan. No changes
9.49pm – The first half ends, Roma ahead
After 3′ of injury time the first half of Milan-Roma ends, with the Giallorossi going into the locker room with the lead thanks to Mancini’s goal. There were many protests from Pioli for an alleged offside by Lukaku on the occasion which then led to the decisive corner. But De Rossi can be satisfied, with his team starring in an excellent first part of the match
9.47pm – Roma still attacking, 45′
Spinazzola is irrepressible on the left, with the winger entering the area and trying to finish towards Maignan’s goal: only outside the net
9.47pm – Milan opportunity, 42′
Reijnders tries again from the edge, Svilar is reactive again
9.43pm – Yellow card for Cristante, 40′
Cristante is booked for fouling off a restart by Loftus-Cheek
9.39pm – Dangerous Rome, 37′
Dangerous diagonal from El Shaarawy, with Maignan intervening (but not very well) just enough to avoid Lukaku’s winning tap-in
9.35pm – Milan opportunity, 34′
Leao tries to coordinate a ball from the right, which is overturned by the Portuguese, but is blocked by the Roma defense
9.32pm – Problems for Pellegrini, 30′
Pellegrini remains on the ground after a clash, but the Roma captain gets back up after a few minutes
9.29pm – Rome occasion, 27′
Throw on the right for El Shaarawy, who puts it in the middle for Lukaku. Gabbia’s slide was fundamental, favoring Maignan’s exit
9.26pm – Milan persists, 24′
Milan continues to attack, but on the other side Roma took to the field with a lot of personality. The Giallorossi spread dangerously every time they have the ball
9.20pm – Milan opportunity, Lukaku saves on the 21st minute line
Milan tries to react, immediately earning a corner. On the developments of the corner, Giroud rises higher than anyone else twice, but on both occasions Lukaku saves on the goal line
9.18pm – Roma goal, 18′
9.16pm – Opportunity for El Shaarawy, 16′
Roma dangerous, with Lukaku running to the right (possible offside, yellow due to protests by Pioli) and serving El Shaarawy in the center, blocked by Gabbia at the moment of the shot
9.15pm – Reijndera on the ground, 14′
Reijnders remains on the ground after a clash with Celik, the Rossoneri midfielder remains on the ground in pain
9.11pm – Calabria Fundamental, 11′
Dangerous restart by Roma, who attack with several men. Dybala again at the center of everything and an interesting ball from the Argentine for Pellegrini, but Calabria’s corner saves Milan
9.09pm – The first shot is from Reijnders, 8′
Here it is Milan, the Rossoneri’s first shot on target of the match. Reijnders tries, but his shot is deflected by Svilar. Giroud invokes the encouragement of San Siro
9.06pm – Roma ahead again, 6′
Very satisfied with the start of Roma Daniele De Rossi. Dybala always alive in the game, the ball goes to Pellegrini whose shot however ends up high
9.05pm – Possession of Rome, 4′
Roma started well, holding the ball for a long time in these first minutes. Dybala is immediately active, exchanges with Lukaku and tries, but the shot is high
8.59pm – Let’s start, 1′
Milan-Roma begins, the first ball is touched by the Giallorossi
8.50pm – Teams on the pitch, which I will publish at San Siro
The two teams are entering the pitch, a huge crowd at San Siro. Sold out, at times the Europa League anthem
8.30pm – Pippo Inzaghi also at the stadium: «What an atmosphere!»
«When Milan and Roma face each other it is normal for there to be a great atmosphere. It’s not the Champions League but it’s still a very important event. I’m happy to return to San Siro this evening after a long time. They are two teams that are doing very well. Perhaps playing the second leg at home could benefit Roma. Milan are playing great football; while Roma with De Rossi is doing great things: I am happy to be able to witness this challenge.” Thus, to the microphones of Sky Sport, a few minutes before the starting whistle of Milan-Roma of the Europa League, Pippo Inzaghi. “De Rossi? I’m happy for him. Rome is his home and he is doing an excellent job”, added Pippo Inzaghi.
8.11pm – Roma in difficulty away from home
Roma have won only two of their last 14 away matches in a European competition (W2, D6, L6), and have not won in 8 consecutive away matches in the knockout phase (D4, L4), where they have scored just three goals.
7.58pm – Milan-Roma, the official lineups
No surprises from Pioli and De Rossi, the probable line-ups for the day before have been confirmed
MILAN (4-2-3-1)Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Gabbia, Theo Hernandez; Bennacer, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud. All. Pioli.
ROME (4-3-3) Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Smalling, Spinazzola; Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini; Dybala, Lukaku, El Shaarawy. All. De Rossi.
7.55pm – Milan is a taboo for Roma today
According to what reported by Opta, Milan are on a positive streak for nine consecutive games against Roma in Serie A (6W, 3D). Not since the 1970s has there been such a comforting series of results for the Rossoneri, when they did not lose to Roma for 20 consecutive matches between 1971 and 1979.
7.41pm – First Italian derby in Europe between Milan and Rome
7.26pm – Cardinale is also in the stands
Gerry Cardinale, owner of RedBird, will also be at San Siro for the Europa League match against Roma. With him Jack Markell, US Ambassador to Italy, and Douglass Benning, US Consul in Milan. READ the full article HERE
7.24pm – Milan-Roma, where to watch the Europa League match on TV
All-Italian challenge in the quarter-finals. On the one hand, Stefano Pioli’s Milan; on the other, Daniele De Rossi’s Roma. The Rossoneri seem to have found balance and condition and arrive at the San Siro match (sold out) with seven victories in a row between the championship and Europa League. The Giallorossi will rely on Lukaku, with Dybala and the former El Shaarawy completing the trident. READ HERE where to watch the match on TV
