AC Milan recovered from an early deficit but were ultimately forced to settle for a draw against Bologna at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara this afternoon.
In truth it looked like being a nightmare afternoon in Reggio-Emilia when Nicolo Sansone converted a cross after 34 seconds to give Thiago Motta’s side the lead against a much-changed Milan line-up.
However, the Rossoneri got themselves back level before the break with Tommaso Pobega getting his fourth and probably his best goal of the season so far, rocketing a shot in off the post from 25 yards out.
Although Milan had chances to turn one point into three and brought on the key men late on to try get the winner, it did not come. With Inter to play Monza and Roma to play Udinese, it could be lost ground in the top four race.
Stefano Pioli made the rather bold decision to make 10 changes compared to the team that beat Napoli in midweek as Alessandro Florenzi, Malick Thiaw, Pierre Kalulu, Fode Ballo-Toure, Aster Vranckx, Tommaso Pobega, Alexis Saelemaekers, Charles De Ketelaere, Ante Rebic and Divock Origi all came in.
It did not even take a minute for the home side to open the scoring as Bologna took advantage of what looked like a weak left side for Milan on paper. Ballo-Toure and Rebic both could have done better when Aebicher was allowed to cross for Sansone, who got there before Kalulu and finished.
The opening exchanges of the game were pretty well summed up by Vranckx’s decision to take a shot from near the halfway line that was never troubling Skorupski in a million years.
Milan had some aggrievance with the opening goal as it looked like Ballo-Toure had been pulled down, and they were even more unhappy when Rebic was clearly stamped on inside the Bologna box yet neither a spot kick nor a VAR check were forthcoming.
Milan went in search of an equaliser and they weren’t far off finding one just past the 20-minute mark when a cross from the dangerous Saelemaekers was headed on target by Rebic, though Skorupski saved.
The pressure was all coming from the away side and they twice nearly levelled midway through the first half. Firstly Florenzi drew a full-stretch save from a central free-kick around 25 yards out. Then, from the resulting corner, a ball came back in and was diverted wide by Saelemeaekers.
The chances kept coming, with Origi coming very close to being through on goal but for a last ditch challenge that produced a corner, which was glanced wide by Pobega.
A couple of balls into the box caused some danger, firstly one from Origi that was slashed wide by De Ketelaere inside the box, then Rebic hooked a first time shot that ricocheted wide.
Milan got the equaliser that their pressure deserved in the 38th-minute. Some nice interplay on the edge of the box was cleared but not fully by Bologna, and the ball fell to Pobega just beyond the edge of the box who rocketed a strike in off the inside of the near post.
Milan were on top territorially in the first part of the second half but their end product let them down a bit, with a couple of good chances to put in dangerous deliveries squandered.
Moments after Rebic won another header at the far post that was straight at Skorupski, Pioli made his first two changes as Davide Calabria and Junior Messias came on for Florenzi and Saelemaekers.
The away side squandered a half-chance in the 65th minute when Pobega won the ball back and the ball ended up with Vranckx 25 yards out, but he couldn’t repeat the effort from his midfield partner in the first half as he slipped and put it wide.
The third and fourth changes came with 20 minutes left on the clock as Rafael Leao and Brahim Diaz came on for Origi and De Ketelaere.
Milan were inches away from taking the lead after a fantastic counter-attack from a Bologna corner which saw Messias burst past his man to the byline and cut the ball back towards Rebic, but the clearance hit his head and went wide when he knew little about it.
There were two further opportunities not long after, the first coming when Leao’s cut-back to Pobega resulted in his shot being deflected wide, and then from the corner the ball was cleared to Calabria who volleyed not far wide.
The final change from Pioli was a defence one as Matteo Gabbia came on for Thiaw, not long after Calabria had gone into the book meaning he will be suspended for the Lecce game.
Milan’s best chance of the second half came with six minutes to go as Leao and Rebic combined with the Portuguese winger then pulling the ball back to Brahim Diaz on the edge of the box who blazed over.
Leao again provided for Brahim as the clock ticked over 89 minutes yet somehow managed to nutmeg him as the Spaniard got his feet in a tangle, and that would be the final chance of a frantic game.
If that handball is not a penalty then I don’t know what is a f*ck*ing pen. Bravo Serie A
I guess you don’t know what a “f*ck*ing pen” is. The rules are clear, if it hits the body first it’s not a handball.
It didn’t hit his body you clown, go watch tennis “Vero Rossonero”
Haha, ah yes, the personal insults. I actually do quite enjoy tennis as well.
Good you can open your schedule then for extra tennis time, stronzo
Just watch the incident again. The ball clearly hit his stomach before his arm. You need to open up your schedule to see an eye doctor and a psychologist. Dipsh!t.
You should read the rules it doesn’t matter if it hit his stomach first, if it hits the arm it hits arm, merda
Reposting my post;
It’d be funny if Milan goes to semi but don’t even finish in top 4 in the end.
It would be funnier if they go to the final and don’t finish top 5.
They won’t lol
Lemme do you better, not making semis not UCL spot.
Haha even better! The sooner the management aware the discrepancy between our first team and our reserve the better.
LOL. Valiant effort by the B team. We could even have won it. MOTM: Pobega. Flop of the Match: Vranckx. I can see why Pioli doesn’t bother. People can stop asking for him.
I these game against Empoli and bologna will cost us top four…
This match went exactly like I thought it would, like the ones against Empoli and Salernitana, and if Bologna had fewer injuries it would have been a loss like against Udinese. Sure, we missed chances and probably should have had a penalty, but the pattern is clear.
Pioli never learns. Looking forward to playing in the Europa League next season.
Yes, Cardinale is americano stupido.
He will se how much money he lose in next year haha.
Also his job should be to press charges against merda corruptive Italian judges and var, not to travel like assh*le with private jet from us to Italy.
It’s disrespectful to insult people because of where they are from especially when Milan of all clubs have the most fans worldwide from many different countries and in large numbers. Your hate of Cardinale, where He’s from and how he chooses to conduct his business is not reflective of the average Milan fan
Are we in Napolis position or Lazios for that matter that Pioli rotate the entire starting 11. Last game half The team. We are losing top 4 cause of the idiot.
I hope everyone on here who thinks Pioli made the right call remembers Pioli stating qualifying for the CL is Milan’s scudetto. So he literally has given up on Milan’s primary objective… smart
Now he Will get mission impossible, which is winning all reamaining matches to ensure UCL spot
Had chances but more disjointed secondary team, it’s crazy how there’s just never a threat at goal from Rebic, Origi or CDK whenever they’re playing. And not an attack at the individual players per se, they’ve all been proven to be of use in other systems, just not fitting into this one.
Was good to see Rebic working hard and bringing his pressing game though, the press looked very effective at times.
The referee will get insults but none of the claims were stonewall penalties and I think we’d have complained if those had been calls made against Milan.
Where are the people saying that Brahim should be keept at any cost he played well for two matchs and today missed two easy gols thats the ususal Brahim performace in three years with us in one game he makes it seem like he is one fantastic player then the next one he plays like most times were he miss easy goals like todays!
But still, Mr Pioli LOVES him sooo much muachh
Still miles better than the wonder kid, our hope n joy, Charles denext Kaka
Right on ibrahim ba. Diaz only played a few minutes, even in those probably was told to be conservative. Those with above comments, dont know any better. Diaz is the only creative “am” that we have. The only one who can deliver that final pass. CDK and origi should start thinking about a career in japan league or something.
Diaz thrashers i meant.
This tie with the heavy (yet arguably needed) rotation just highlights the failed summer transfer campaign. The only one that has contributed is Thiaw. BOTH M&M and Ownership are to blame although I would say 60/40 on Ownership. You need $ to buy established players. And M&M we weren’t given it. So Lack of a reasonable budget from Ownership doomed us. Failing to invest a reasonable amount in Janaury sealed it. Also the transfer misses from M&M (Origi, Dest, not getting a true RW, back up LB, relying on Giroud and Ibra, replacing Kessie with Pobega/Aster, spending majority of budget on CDK, etc…) – BUT there is only so much $$ to go around. 50M isn’t much nowadays if you want proven starters. I give Pioli credit (yes he’s made mistakes) – he is essentially working with the same team as last season with strikers another year older and one on one leg. Now Perhaps Pioli should have attempted to integrate a few players a bit earlier in the season rather then throwing them into the fire now. Weird as he has no problem throwing CDK on countless times despite his obvious struggles. Yet he wouldn’t do the same with Adli, Aster, etc…too late now – But I guess he doesn’t have confidence in them. Can only hope the boys have enough in the tank to win Tuesday and keep a top 4 finish. IMO more of the blame is on Ownership. Serious changes are needed this summer and Redbird must really decide what kind of club we aspire to be. Top 2-3 in Italy challenging for the Scudetto year in and year out and consistently in quarter finals of CL – OR – a team the just buys young talent and when they develop sell for profit and the cycle continues and maybe once and a while you overachieve like last season – then right back to where you started again. Time will tell
Lol what is wrong with ppl. Napoli drew, Inter drew. Out two direct rivals for fourth are Inter and Roma..and we have to await the Roma game. We’re still in it while gambling on the UCL. What more do ppl want? At the end of this wknd we’re still top 4
We have been so lucky that Inter have an even worse coach than ours. Unfortunately Napoli, Lazio, and Juve don’t. Juve will likely get their 15 points back and then we only have 4th place to fight for with Inter and Roma. Too close for comfort!