AC Milan secured a place in next season’s edition of the Champions League with a 1-0 victory against Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday night.
In truth it was far from a classic between two sides who looked exhausted and lacking in quality after a long and arduous season, but Milan only needed one point to secure fourth spot and ended up coming away with three.
The moment of quality came in the first half when a cross from Davide Calabria on the right side perfectly picked out Olivier Giroud, who beat Szczęsny with a brilliant header that he had very little chance of stopping.
A third straight season in the Champions League awaits for Milan, who have done the double over Juventus for only the third time in 50 years.
Stefano Pioli decided not to make any changes to the starting line-up compared to the team that beat Sampdoria last weekend, with Malick Thiaw, Brahim Diaz and Junior Messias among those getting the nod.
Given that the pressure was firmly on Juventus to come out and try beat Milan given the situation with the top four race, it is perhaps no surprise that they began on the front foot. However, it was Milan who spurned a couple of counter-attacking chances, with Rafael Leao particularly wasteful in his first few possessions.
The first real effort on goal that the Rossoneri fashioned was on eight minutes when a corner from Sandro Tonali on the right met the head of Rade Krunic at the near post, but the Bosnian diverted his attempt just wide.
A few minutes later another opening presented itself as Leao was tackled on the break but the ball fell to Messias on his favoured left foot, with the Brazilian cutting inside and firing a curling effort straight at Szczęsny.
Mike Maignan was then called into action for the first time when Cuadrado found space to let fly from just over 20 yards out. The Frenchman did well to get down quickly and parry the low shot to safety.
Sandro Tonali made some runs in behind that began to cause issues around the midway point of the first half, firing wide from a good position when he was offside and then glancing a header over the bar from a Messias cross not long after.
Juve produced a moment of danger when Kean was allowed to surge into the box virtually unopposed, with his cut-back eventually landing in the path of Di Maria whose first time shot was over. A minute later, Chiesa shot over from a narrow angle.
Kean’s runs continued to be the main cause of danger from the home side, and Fikayo Tomori did well to cut out a low ball that was heading for the Italian’s near post run and would surely have been turned in.
Milan broke the deadlock five minutes before the break, and it was Olivier Giroud who got his first goal against Juventus with the club. An inch-perfect cross from the right flank by Davide Calabria met the Frenchman’s head beyond the penalty spot, with the ball nestling inside the far corner as Szczęsny was beaten.
The theme of the first half was both teams having flashes and moments without there being any real quality to take chances or get firmly into the ascendancy, and that continued in the early exchanges of the second half.
The first time that Maignan was tested by the home side was 10 minutes into the second 45, with Rabiot’s low shot easily gathered. A minute later, Messias was brought off for Alexis Saelemaekers.
There was even less action to report leading up to the three-quarter mark of the game, with most of the action being rough challenges and both sides appealing for fouls. Giroud whacked a free-kick well over from a good position, then Juve threw Milik and Paredes on with their desperation growing.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, Milan missed a huge chance to double their lead and probably kill the game off. Giroud picked up possession in acres of space with Brahim making a run through on goal and Saelemaekers to his right. He slid it to the Belgian, whose low drive was well saved in the end.
It continued to be the Diavolo who posed the main threat on the break, with Leao getting one on one with Gatti down the left side and getting into the box, yet he couldn’t keep his effort down when there were passing options.
With just under nine minutes left on the clock, Pioli made a couple more changes. Tommaso Pobega and Fode Ballo-Toure came on, with Brahim and Leao making way.
Not long after Rabiot headed wide from a cross to the far post, the final two substitutions arrived for Milan. Pierre Kalulu and Divock Origi came on, with Calabria and Giroud making way.
The final moment of panic came in the second of four added minutes, as a corner from Juve’s left found its way to Danilo who struck a volley from six yards out that was blocked by Kalulu.
