AC Milan sealed a rather comfortable 3-0 win in the first leg against Stade Rennes and will thus be heading into the second one in a great position. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was the big hero for the Rossoneri and below are the player ratings.
If you haven’t already, make sure to check out how we decide the player ratings. From the scale to what affects the rating, we have compiled everything there.
Starting XI
Maignan (6.5): He was forced into action on more than one occasion tonight but most of them were quite comfortable saves, it must be said. Still, good to keep them out and also keep another clean sheet.
Florenzi (6.5): The veteran showed his main strength with that assist for Loftus-Cheek and continued to do well after that. He could have been more convincing at the back, but it was certainly a good evening for him.
Kjaer (6.5): Much better compared to the Napoli game, actually using his great passing (as seen on Leao’s first chance) and relying on smart positioning at the back. Sure, he had one or two sloppy moments but was overall very solid indeed.
Gabbia (6.5): It was another good display from the Italian and the ability to follow his man, and often win the ball as a result, remains key for Milan.
Hernandez (7): The Frenchman was important for Milan especially in the build-up phase, which was seen above all when he drifted into the centre. He also got the assist for Leao’s great strike with a nice cut-back, and sent the corner in that Loftus-Cheek eventually converted.
Musah (6): He covered a lot of ground tonight and also showcased his attacking abilities towards the end of the game. However, he missed a great chance at the start of the game that he really should have done better with, hence the lowered rating (but still a pass).
Reijnders (6): The feeling is that the Dutchman could have been even more involved, lacking impact especially in the first half. He recovered in the final 45 minutes and certainly deserves a pass here, but we all know that he can play a bigger role for Milan.
Pulisic (6): A very unconvincing first half from the American, struggling with his touches, but he improved in the second half and ended up creating a few good chances. It was a shame that the final touch was missing, though.
Loftus-Cheek (8 – MOTM): What a performance from the Englishman, not just bagging two great goals but also putting Rennes in constant trouble with his physique. He always seemed to find the right space to run into as well, and his teammates deserve credit for picking him out. You can’t ask for much more than this.
Leao (7.5): He was bright from the start, hitting the bar early on after a great first touch, and continued to create chances after that. He actually had some decent crosses too, but the main highlight was obviously the goal. A great backheel to set up Theo and then finish. Hopefully, he can find the goal against Monza at the weekend as well.
Giroud (5.5): Not a great evening for the veteran, combining well on a few occasions but mostly ending up in the way of his teammates. We saw it on a couple of crosses and a few counter-attacks as well. He can certainly do better.
Substitutes
Thiaw (6): It was really nice to see the German back on the pitch and he had a couple of good interventions as well.
Okafor (6): He was incredibly unlucky not to get a goal, doing everything right before having his shot blocked on the line.
Bennacer (6): A possession-comfortable display as you would expect from the Algerian and a good free-kick attempt that almost resulted in glory.
Terracciano (6): He did what was needed from him, not making any mistakes this time out.
Adli (N/A): He didn’t play enough to get a rating.
The manager
Pioli (7): He got almost everything right tonight, eventually telling Theo to drift inside instead of sitting back too much in the build-up phase. He has really been proven right with the ‘Loftus-Cheek needs to get into the box more often’ quote as well. And the subs were good, considering the tight schedule.
