Milan failed to get the job done this evening as they were held to a 0-0 draw at San Siro, creating very few chances against a defensive Cagliari. Down below are the player ratings for the Rossoneri, with no major standouts.
Starting XI
Donnarumma (6.5): He was one of Milan’s best players this evening as he made several good saves to keep Cagliari from scoring. One in particular was fantastic, when he denied Diego Godin’s low header. Good performance.
Calabria (6): An average performance from the right-back who continues to be one to count on at the back. Didn’t make any mistakes but struggled to have an attacking impact, much like many of his teammates as Cagliari sat back.
Kjaer (6.5 – MOTM): The Dane is a rock at the back and tonight, his positioning was crucial as he made several last-second interceptions. He’s also the starting point of the Rossoneri’s build-up play, often relied upon with the ball.
Tomori (6): Solid outing from the Chelsea loanee but he did struggle in a few duels with the Cagliari attackers, mainly Pavoletti and Cerri. He wasn’t bad though and did help Milan a bit when going forward as well.
Hernandez (6): Not the Frenchman’s best game but when he got the ball, he often made good decisions. The problem was that Cagliari focused on cutting him off and that was, of course, frustrating for the full-back.
Bennacer (6): Played it simple for most of the 63 minutes he got on the pitch but he also had a few moments where he burst forward. You can’t have too many complaints about his outing today as he was decent.
Kessie (6.5): He continues to be a very important player for Milan, often involved both in the build-up and the attacking phase. Had a few good passes in the final third but didn’t have any chances himself really.
Saelemaekers (5.5): Pioli only gave him 45 minutes on the pitch today and the reason perhaps was that the Belgian struggled a bit. He had a few misplaced passes and also didn’t have luck on his side in the attacking phase.
Diaz (5.5): Not the Brahim we saw against Juventus and Torino, that’s for sure. He never really had an impact on the game and the Cagliari defence was able to shut him down most of the time. Disappointing considering his recent form.
Calhanoglu (5.5): It just didn’t happen for the Turk this evening. He had good shooting opportunities, and chances to assist his teammates, but he failed. It’s very frustrating to see as we all know he can do so much better.
Rebic (6): Worked very hard this evening and was able to bring down the ball most of the time, although sometimes with a bit of luck. Didn’t really have any chances to score but did create some for his teammates.
Substitutes
Leao (6.5): Came on and was a boost for the team as he used his skill to trouble the Cagliari defence. Did well on several occasions and with a bit more luck he could have played a huge role in a potential win.
Castillejo (6): It was a bit odd to see Pioli throw in the Spaniard but it must be said that the latter was decent tonight. Seemed very eager to help his team and came close to scoring on a few occasions.
Dalot (6): Just like the other two subs, his impact was generally positive and he used his crossing to create chances for Milan. Was very solid at the back as well and can’t be blamed for much this evening.
Meite (5.5): The first thing he did was lose the ball and that pretty much set the tone. He played it simple but also caused a few fouls and didn’t impress.
Mandzukic (N/A): He didn’t play enough to get a rating.
READ MORE – AC Milan 0-0 Cagliari: Rossoneri freeze under the San Siro lights and fail to secure top four