Milan took advantage after fighting off the siege of Napoli

A goal from Ismael Bennacer temporarily selected the Milan side in their tie against Napoli (1-0). Although everything remains to be decided, the seven-time European champions are closer to starring in another exciting battle between Italian teams in the semifinals, this time a full derby against Inter, who on Tuesday put in a pass in their 0-2 win at Benfica.

Lorenzo Spalletti have to improvise Eljif Elmas as false nine because of Goalscorer Victor Osimhen and Gio Simeone are missing, while Giacomo Raspadori is out with an injury.. It didn’t matter as Napoli did not disappoint and, as usual this season, they appeared with great determination and starred in a tremendous start ready to avenge the 0-4 received ten days ago in Serie A against the still champion of Italy.

Kvaratskhelia is 0-1 after 53 seconds

Only 53 seconds into the game, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had a very clear chance after doubts on the goal Mike Maignan and Simon Kjaer in a compromised transfer of Rade Krunic, but he recovered by getting the ball on the same line.

It was the first of a succession of unhinged Naples that ended each of its games in a grueling siege. Maignan confidently responded to two whips from Zambo Anguissa and Piotr Zielinski.

Milan have been unable to find their creative players in the face of the immense pressure that the remaining Serie A leaders have subjected them to since Ismael Bennacer, promoted to midfielder by Stefano Pioli, seems to have lost his place in no-one’s zone

But the ‘rossoneri’ know how to resist taking advantage of the fact that Napoli have slightly dropped their infernal rhythm and Rafael Leao found a space to escape on his own starting from his field before finishing his gallop with a cross shot that misses him (24′).

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It seemed like a mirage as Napoli continued to exert a huge superiority, but before the break it appeared Brahim Díaz to mark an unusual game. The player on loan from Real Madrid succeeded in the pressure at the same time Mario Rui and Stanislav Lobotkawith a wonderful feint in his own half, and put a direct one, opened Rafael Leao on the right, who helped first on the left so that Bennacer shot goalkeeper Alex Meret short of the post (40′).

Kjaer, on the crossbar, stroked to make it 2-0

Seeing is believing. Milan, completely out of the game until then, found themselves ahead in the market and before the break they even managed to make it 2-0 when Kjaer heads the crossbar for a corner the reborn Bennacer noticed.

In the second half, Napoli came back on the charge. Maignan tapped in a header from Elmas that slipped through and Kvaratskhelia made herself more noticeable with her unpredictable one-on-ones, but Milan held their defense together and finished their fifth consecutive Champions League game with a clean sheet, including two in the round of 16 tie against Tottenham.

Red to Anguissa but Maignan, providential

The expulsion of Zambo Anguissa saw two yellow cards in just four minutes for two fouls on Theo Hernández allowed Milan to take a step forward, ventilate, but this Naples does not give up and Giovanni Di Lorenzo, with his point-blank shot, forced Maignan to draw a miraculous hand.

Pioli, with the same eleven from the 0-4 league, showed that he has got the measure of Spalletti. The pass to the semifinals is still open but Napoli will have to bounce back from a week without two of their key players. Waiting for the reappearance of Osimhen, Spalletti He could not count on the dismissed Zambo Anguisa or the centre-back Kim, who was also punished by seeing a yellow card.

MILAN

10

NAPLES

Milan: Magnan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Krunic, Tonali; Brahim Díaz (Rebic, 80′), Bennacer (Saelemaekers, 67′), Rafael Leão; Giroud
The
Naples: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Min-Jae Kim, Mario Rui (Olivera, 81′); Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski (Ndombélé, 81′);
Hirving Lozano (Raspadori, 69′), Elmas, Kvaratskhelia (Politano, 81′)

Goal: 1-0 Bennacer (40′)

Referee: István Kovács (Romania). Pula to Zambo Anguissa (70′ and 74′). Yellow cards for Zielinski (38′), Pioli (44′), Bennacer (60′), Di Lorenzo (70′), Min-Jae Kim (78′), Saelemaekers (93′), Rrahmani (93′ ), Calabria ( 96′)

Spectators: 74,742 at San Siro​
The

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