AC Milan beat Napoli for the second one time within the area of not up to two weeks — and this time with extra at stake — because the Rossoneri gained 1-0 within the first leg in their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Ismaël Bennacer scored in a while ahead of the tip of a primary half of that Napoli had ruled for lengthy stretches. Both groups additionally hit the crossbar ahead of Napoli midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa used to be despatched off 16 mins from time, following two yellow playing cards in fast succession.
The groups will meet once more in Naples subsequent Tuesday with the winner to play both Inter Milan or Benfica within the semifinals. Inter gained the primary leg in their quarterfinal 2–0.
Anguissa might be suspended for that fit, as will Kim Min-jae after the defender used to be booked at San Siro.
“I don’t know what to say about the refereeing, it was something incredible,” stated Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas. “He booked all our avid gamers, they dedicated the similar form of fouls however did not get yellow playing cards.
“It’s one thing I’ve by no means noticed ahead of. It used to be additionally on account of that that at a definite level we changed into worried at the box.”
While Milan’s victory used to be now not as complete as its 4–0 rout of Napoli when the 2 groups met in Serie A on April 2, it left the membership in pole place to succeed in its first Champions League semifinal because it gained the closing of its seven titles. in 2007.
“It’s still 50-50, the result is certainly a bonus bit it doesn’t change much, there’s still all to play for,” Milan trainer Stefano Pioli stated.
“We’re midway up the mountain however most often the previous couple of bends are the toughest to triumph over. A troublesome fit awaits us in Naples … none folks assume we are already via.”
The fit pitted the protecting Italian champion in opposition to the workforce prone to take its trophy, with Napoli boasting a 16-point lead in Serie A.
It used to be Napoli’s first ever look within the quarterfinals and it used to be with out a identified striker as main Serie A goalscorers Victor Osimhen and Giovanni Simeone have been out injured and trainer Luciano Spalletti opted to start out Giacomo Raspadori at the bench and play Elmas within the false 9 place.
Nevertheless, the guests were given off to an competitive get started and had 4 clearcut alternatives in as many mins.
The perfect of the ones used to be after most effective 50 seconds as Milan did not take care of a go and a horrific Rade Krunic clearance fell instantly to Napoli dangerman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But Krunic atoned for his error through clearing the shot off the road and Mario Rui ballooned the follow-up over.
Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan additionally got here to his workforce’s rescue a number of occasions ahead of the Rossoneri had their first actual probability within the twenty fifth minute, totally in opposition to the run of play.
Rafael Leão, who had scored two objectives in Naples within the league fit, raced from inside of his personal half of and previous two Napoli avid gamers ahead of unleashing a shot that went simply the fallacious facet of the correct upright.
The Portuguese ahead took his frustration out at the nook flag, shattering it within the procedure.
Milan broke the impasse 5 mins from half-time as Brahim Díaz sped ahead from midfield and laid the ball off to the correct of the world to Leão. His strive at a one-two did not fairly come off however it got here via to Bennacer to fireside into the highest close to nook.
That used to be most effective Milan’s 2nd strive in comparison to Napoli’s 8.
The Rossoneri nearly doubled their lead in stoppage time however Simon Kjær’s thumping header got here off the bottom of the bar and bounced simply the fallacious facet of the road for Milan.
Napoli must have leveled 5 mins after the smash however Maignan finger-tipped an Elmas header onto the bar. Its possibilities of doing so lowered when Anguissa used to be proven a 2nd yellow card for a top take on on Theo Hernández 4 mins after being booked for a bad at the similar Milan defender.