After a massive 1-0 win in the first fixture, Milan headed into the second leg against Napoli with a slight advantage and it made all the difference. After a 1-1 draw, the Rossoneri secured their spot in the UCL semi-finals.
The game started off at a high tempo, with Napoli trying to get an early goal and level the aggregate score forcing Milan to defend early on. Unfortunately for Spalletti, it was Milan who created the best chances and after two big misses by Olivier Giroud (including a penalty), the Frenchman redeemed himself.
It was all because of the individual brilliance of Rafael Leao, who got the ball in his own half and got past four of Napoli’s players using his incredible speed. The winger’s work allowed for an easy tap-in for Giroud.
Victor Osimhen pulled one back in stoppage time of the second half but it wasn’t enough for Napoli, who also missed a penalty thanks to a lovely save by Mike Maignan. Down below are five things we learned:
1. The captain is on fire
Milan faced Napoli for the third time in just over two weeks and in each of these games, the biggest problem for the Rossoneri was expected to be Kvaratskhelia. Unfortunately for the Georgian, Calabria found the perfect moment to get into a red-hot form as he had no issues keeping Napoli’s star man at bay for three games in a row.
Calabria has been struggling at times this season and he did have an injury to overcome so the ups and downs were somewhat understandable, but now after being fit and injury free it looks like the Italian has found the consistency he was lacking at the beginning of the season.
A truly inspiring performance by Calabria, when his team needed it the most.
2. Making us dream
The current season reminds us a but of 2007 and by that, I am not saying Milan will win the Champions League, but there are quite a few similarities.
The current side has had its ups and downs throughout the season and is not performing well in Serie A, but individual brilliance has allowed Pioli and his men to come out victorious in a lot of big games.
And of those games, a lot were in Europe, where excluding the unfortunate two games against Chelsea – plagued with injuries and controversy – Milan have actually managed 5 clean sheets out of the last 6 games and look nothing like the side they are in Serie A. The same as that fierce team back in 2007.
One of the key figures this season is none other than Rafael Leao. And the Portuguese, similarly to Kaka, has been the main threat for Milan in the Champions League this season and his opponents can’t seem to find an answer to his exploits.
3. Great team effort
We spoke about the maturity of the team after the first fixture and we have to comment on it again as these young players have played both legs at a very high standard, against a side that has been pretty much unstoppable all season long.
The confidence and composure with which Milan played against Napoli were truly impressive, especially when considering how inexperienced the team looked just a year ago.
There was no rushed decision, and a lot of communication on the pitch, which helped keep Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia quiet, and patient to wait for the right moment. On top of that, all the players were heavily invested with the likes of Giroud and Leao tracking back deep in their own half and defending.
The players put up a great team effort, which deservedly won them the tie and it will for sure help them grow and mature even further.
4. Midfield masterclass
The midfield battle was always going to be crucial in a game like this and Krunic, Tonali, and Bennacer did not disappoint.
Playing Krunic and Tonali as holding midfielders has worked wonders for Pioli, with the Bosnian covering so much ground and doing a lot of the dirty work with a lot of interceptions and composed movements to get out of tough situations.
The Italian was also playing at a high level on the night. He did have more defensive duties, but like his colleague, he covered a lot of ground and kept it simple which ultimately proved to be the best option.
Benanacer, on the other hand, was a bit more involved in the attack, and despite also involving himself with defending he did actually have quite a few good moments in attack and worked well in between the lines to control the ball and link the midfield duo with the forwards.
No the most technical performance by the trio, but it was the performance that was needed at the time and the execution was brilliant.
5. Giroud could do more
Giroud was in the end the difference between the two teams as his goal was enough to knock out Napoli. The Frenchman also did very well in the defensive phase as he dropped deep and helped the team quite a lot.
That doesn’t, however, mean that he couldn’t do more. The Frenchman missed a penalty in the first half and his execution was not on the needed level as he didn’t seem focused enough. And whilst a penalty miss is hardly something to focus too much on, as it happens all the time, Giroud did also have another chance from close range which he should have scored.
Eventually, he did get his goal, but overall it wasn’t the best of performances and it’s clear that a more mobile, technical striker will be of great help to this Milan side and is already a priority for the management it would seem.
