AC Milan 0-0 Juventus: Five things we learned – Allegri ball and Leao’s improvement

AC Milan vs Juventus is always a highly anticipated game in Italy and this time it was no different with both teams fighting for a Champions League spot.

The game was quite balanced, with both teams having chances and possession of the ball was mostly even. Yet, it felt like Milan had a little bit more to offer when it came to creating a chance in front of goal.

Unfortunately for the Rossoneri, they didn’t make the most of their chances, but the defensive solidity at the back prevented Juventus from striking too.

That being said, the Bianconeri also did well in defence. They were quite structured and, excluding a few moments, didn’t allow their opponents much space.

In the end it’s definitely the Diavolo that benefit more from the draw that and here are five things we observed during the game.

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1. Much better from Leao but not nearly enough

Rafael Leao was very active this time around and was much more involved in the game. He had a few decent runs and nearly got an assist for Alexis Saelemaekers, who was unfortunate to hit the crossbar.

Whilst it seemed like Leao was more keen to get on the ball and make something happen, it is also fair to say that half of the time he lost the ball too easily and did nothing productive.

It may be better compared to his recent displays, but it is far from the best he can do on the pitch. A nice start and a strong finish to the season might come in handy with the Rossoneri seeking to secure a Champions League return.

2. Saelemaekers shines

The Belgian has had a rather mixed season, like most of his teammates if we are being honest. Against Juventus, though, he seemed up for the challenge as he got on the ball quite often and combined with his teammates really well.

He also won the ball back on numerous occasions with good positioning and smart tackles.

In the end he was unfortunate to not score as he hit the crossbar. Nevertheless, it was a MOTM worthy performance in the end as he continues to showcase his strengths in both phases of the game – ideal for that wing-back position.

3. Mixed bag in the middle

In the middle of the park it was yet again Luka Modric who dictated the tempo and managed to escape the Juventus press with ease. The Croatian made some good runs and backed it up with his usual solid passing, but sadly for him he will now miss the rest of the season, following a knock. He will definitely be missed in the final four games of the season.

There’s also the case of whether or not he will renew with Milan for another year. Hopefully he does since this being his last game in red and black just does not seem right.

Adrien Rabiot, on the other hand, was a bit more tame this time around. He did force a save from Di Gregorio but apart from that, it was a decent display – nothing impressive but no mistakes made either.

And lastly we have Youssouf Fofana, who again was a let down in the final third. He missed an opportunity to make the most out of a pretty decent chance in the first half and he also seemed unable to combine with his teammates.

While the overall display wasn’t that bad it just was not on the level of Rabiot and Modric.

4. Defensive trio does the job

Juventus have been solid in the attacking phases this season, even when struggling at the back so it was never going to be an easy game for the back three. But they did quite alright, as seen with the clean sheet.

Fikayo Tomori, in particular, did great against Boga, who can be really dangerous when given space to dribble. Yet, the Englishman dealt with him quite well.

In the middle, Matteo Gabbia was also solid and although David wasn’t that active, we mustn’t underestimate the role the Italian played in that to be the case.

Strahinja Pavlovic was also solid on the left, as he had a little more to deal with, given that Davide Bartesaghi struggled in the first half against Conceicao. However, the Serbian managed to help his teammate and essentially neutralise the Juventus attack.

A typical defensive display by a Allegri side.

5. Allegri does well in a delicate moment

I think it’s fair to say that in the reverse fixture, Milan should’ve been braver when it came to putting more energy into the attacking phase of the game and that 0-0 was frustrating, as it seemed that the Rossoneri just didn’t want the win enough.

This time around, with five games to go, Massimiliano Allegri’s team actually were more direct than their opponents but balanced it off well at the back. They had to avoid defeat purely because Juventus are a direct competitor for the top four and at this stage of the season, with no title to play for, a draw was not that bad of a result.

The coach organised his side well at the back and up front, the Diavolo had more than enough chances to score but were not clinical enough. Even so, it was a solid display in both phases of the game with the substitutions also helping out and Allegri has to get some of the praise.

His team now sits in third place, six points in front off fifth place Como and sixth place Roma with four games to go.