AC Milan have left themselves with it all to do in the second leg of their Champions League play-off tie against Feyenoord as they lost the first leg 1-0 at De Kuip.
The only goal of the game came in the opening few minutes and in truth it will be one that Mike Maignan would have liked to have done a lot better with. Igor Paixao’s shot from range seemed to take a bounce that surprised him and he could only palm it into the back of the net.
Milan in truth didn’t really deserve anything from the game as they struggled to cope with the intensity of their hosts and the end product was virtually non-existent. A much better performance will be needed next week back at San Siro.
Sergio Conceicao opted to make four changes to the starting line-up from the side that beat Empoli, with Malick Thiaw coming in for Fikayo Tomori, while Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao and Santiago Gimenez – returning to face his former club – all got the nod in attack.
In the pouring rain of De Kuip, Milan had the first big chance of the game inside three minutes as they cut Feyenoord open in transition. Pulisic squared to Reijnders on the edge of the box who really should have done better with his first-time shot that was instead straight into the arms of Wellenreuther.
The slippy conditions and the missed chance would bite Milan almost instantly as they took the lead through Paixao. The Brazilian was allowed to cut inside and shoot from outside the box and Mike Maignan was beaten at his near post, only parrying the ball into the net.
Milan set about in search of an equaliser but struggled with the final pass and in some cases the final shot, such as when Joao Felix was afford time and space to let fly from around 20 yards out but again failed to really test the Feyenoord goalkeeper.
Just before the half-hour mark, Milan had a big shout for a penalty rejected as Leao went down inside the box. Surging between two players he took a clip on the ankle and hit the floor, with referee José María Sánchez not giving anything and VAR upholding his decision.
Then, straight up at the other end it was Paixao’s turn to go down inside the penalty area as he tried to latch onto a ball over the top and jostled with Strahinja Pavlovic. Again no spot kick was awarded and again VAR did not intervene.
Milan really struggled to cope with Paixao who continued to be given the opportunity to fire from dangerous range, hitting the crossbar with an attempt from distance that seemed to have Maignan beaten. Moments later, Leao looked to have successfully broken through for a two-on-one break, yet the winger was brilliantly tackled by the backtracking Read as he bore down on Wellenreuther.
Feyenoord started the second half better and could have doubled their advantage from a corner kick which was met by the head of Beelen though ultimately grasped by Maignan.
The home side continued to overawe Milan with their intensity and pressing, and Conceicao’s men were lucky that Carranza didn’t fire on target when found in behind by Caixao’s pass.
Just before the hour mark, Conceicao opted to make a couple of changes with Fikayo Tomori and Samuel Chukwueze coming on as Thiaw and Pulisic came off.
There were three quick fire opportunities within four minutes, the first of which fell to Reijnders on the volley right on the edge of the area but he sent it fizzing over the bar.
Then, Paixao seized possession in the middle of the field and looked to lob Maignan from a long way out though it was just off target, and Chukwueze sent a rocket of a shot through a crowd from a corner yet straight into the goalkeeper’s hands.
With eight minutes left on the clock Conceicao made a couple more alterations: Gimenez made way to a warm reception from the home crowd, replaced by Tammy Abraham, and then Francesco Camarda came on for Leao.
Disjointed and disappointing performance
This team is better suited for UCL? Nah we’re not. This team is better suited for Super Coppa and Coppa Italia only.
😁😂🤣😁
We lack someone like Ricci… or anyone that can fight for the ball
Reijnders and Fofana aren’t your regular ball winners… they are useful in possession…
Currently the team just seemed off-balance… some tweaks are a must… maybe Pavlovic as LB and have Gabbia-Tomori in the middle?!
That’s the truth
Conceicao worse than Fonseca and Pioli, no ideas how to attack.
Disaster masterclass by Cardinale, they prefered the cheapest option over real coaches like Alegri and Sarri.
Fraudfana again with chaotic passing and shaky performance.
Leao is more of a disgrace then anything else.
Theo/Leao really is just a once a season combo isn’t it? They’ll do well one game every 90 days and then put in performances like this… how do you even try and demand 8mil a season when you play this bad?
Play 3-5-2
Sell Leao
Sell Theo
Then get new players
These guys are not ready and hungry for trophies.
Fofona is an average player
little visible danger in attack.
To sa už nedá ani komentovať táto hra
Leao Felix Pulisic a Santi vpredu a my nedáme ani gol ,dokonca si nevytvorili ani gólovú šancu.
ultimately though we have been caught out by a bad goal keeping mistake in torrential rain.
But we didn’t seem capable of causing significant danger in their box
Hhahahahahahahhaaggagagaaagagaghahahahahhaahahhahahahahahagagagagagaahahahaha
I am have been following Milan for almost 20 years yet this is funny. Hype for nothing. Overrated new attackers. Never rated Giminez… joao felix has talent but the negotiators were stupid for making promises to felix. Its a disgrace that he played for the entire match while others were taken off. Leao is also very lazy and deserves the bench.
Truth. As I noted, the play was geared for Felix and Leão. Neither produced.
Very poor. In the entire second half, we only created a few half-chances and that strike from Joāo from 20 meters out (which, sadly, was probably our best chance of the half ffs). Just a lack of creativity in the final third, which seems to be a consistent problem. Worse, our work rate wasn’t high enough and our high-press continues to be porous.
What a shame what a shame. Milan has better players in all the positions but when they play feynoord eyed way way better this is low class. And we are milan why are we crying for a penalty when it is not right we where the better club and the better team earn respect and score a goal with the play not by crying for a penalty we are ac milan! Not real madrid
Well said
Not surprised. tough matchday. We earned a draw but for not-magic Mike.
I will be surprised if we don’t win by 2 at San Siro.
Forza Milan
So this is the problem:
Milan attack, 2 wingers, 1 Central forward, and second striker aka attacking midfielder…
What is problem with this formation?
Well, players on these positions are not superstars. They are not able to make difference in attack so defence is struggling heavily. If you think logical about that…
Example is Liverpool. It is the same way of play Milan copy from Liverpool. But Milan can’t do that. Leao, never becomed the Salah kind of player. Pulisic is overly good, but never Saka or think any other high profile winger. Our best central forward was Giroud and before Ibrahimovic, so together in combination we have situation that our defence heavily suffer when: 1) they can’t make opportunity, 2) make big chance 3) score a goal, 4) or at least not to lose the ball.
I think for Milan is OK to go home against Feyenoord and fully focus on Serie A . Next year any Europe competition for Milan is success so they need to earn it.
Management should think what to do in future, which player must go, which arrive and what way of play should be used in future.
Omo, matter full ground!! Aswear say concecaio would not fall for the temptation of playing the so called fantastic 4,.. But he did, tell me whàt you can do wheñ you start with all your stars when things go south!! Feyeenord çoach must have laughed after seeing Milan’s starting 11!!
Knowing that 5he bench is empty, he doesn’t have to panic!! And yes, Feyeenord was in a very poor form before this match!! In other words, apart from MM’s blunder, the coach takes the full blame tonight!!
There were times when there were 4 attackers within 10 meters of each other running down the left wing. And the bromance between Hernandez and Laeo is becoming tiresome. It was clear that Pulisic’s calf was bothering him in the cold weather.
Back to reality. Can’t wait for the next mercato to change half of the team again. And the coach. Where are the Redbird cheerleaders saying it was easy to go through UCL semifinals under the previous management because the opposition was weak? This lousy team can’t even beat Feyenoord that just lost its best player. Vergogna