The Gains And The Losses For AC Milan After Their Win Over PSG In The UCL
Written By Onyeka Daniel
AC Milan finally got a win in this season’s UEFA Champions League group stage game against French giants, PSG after finding themselves in the toughest group of the UCL that also has Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund. After missing a Serie A loss over the weekend, USA winger, Christian Pulisic returned to the starting lineup with the club’s hopes very much on the line, joining his countryman, Yunus Musah in the first eleven.
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The Rossoneri entered the match having not scored in three Champions League matches, putting their knockout hopes in severe danger heading into the second half of the group stage. The Parisian club were quickly off the block as Brazilian defender, Marquinhos headed the ball into the six-yard box where Milan Skriniar glances a header into the net for an early goal inside the first 10 minutes.
But the home side managed to pick themselves up and were soon level few minutes later. Portuguese forward, Rafael Leao was able to acrobatically contorts his body to score inside the box from a rebound to even the scores in the 12th minute. In the 50th minute, they took the lead as Theo Hernandez sent a superb cross into the box and Olivier Giroud managed to latch on to it and from close range score with a header into the top right corner, leaving Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten.
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The 2-1 win, though, will keep hopes alive as Milan will have it all to play for in the final two group stage matches, at home against Dortmund later this month and away to Newcastle United in December. The match, however, ended on a sour note for Pulisic, who limped off with an apparent hamstring injury in the final moments that could spell bad news for the U.S. men’s national team.
With the win, Milan stay alive in the Champions League as a loss on Tuesday would have likely doomed them in this Group of Death. The victory puts Milan on five points, leaving them in third place with one more point than last-place Newcastle. PSG, meanwhile, are second on six points, with Dortmund’s win over Newcastle on Tuesday vaulting them to the top of this chaotic Group F.
The USMNT will have been glad to see Pulisic back on the pitch after the winger missed Milan’s last match due to injury. Without Pulisic in the XI, Milan fell flat on their faces in a 1-0 loss to Udinese, but seemed close to full fitness in Tuesday’s win. Pulisic wasn’t fantastic like his two attacking partners in Giroud and Leao, but he was solid enough, having a few bright moments in an important win.
However, any high hopes were dashed late on when Pulisic pulled up late in the game’s final moments. The USMNT will now be left sweating while waiting to hear how serious the injury is as vital matches against Trinidad & Tobago loom large. As for Musah, both the player and Milan will be left frustrated after he was handed a yellow card in the second half.
With that card, he’ll miss Milan’s next Champions League match at the Giuseppe Meazza. Overall, Musah had a slightly-underwhelming game, one headlined by a huge chance early on that he fired right at Gianluigi Donnarumma. For PSG coach Luis Enrique, he did not enjoy the end to end nature of the game, noting it was ‘more like tennis than football,’ but considers this ‘the toughest group in the Champions League.’
“I liked the way we played, as we scored the first goal and had many other opportunities,” said Luis Enrique in his press conference. “The only problem is that we helped the game become crazy. It was meant to be a football match, not tennis. It was just end to end, attack against attack. I did not like that.”
The fans certainly enjoyed it, as both Mike Maignan and Gianluigi Donnarumma were forced into tough saves to keep the scoreline down, then Lee Kang-in clipped the upright in stoppages. “Kylian Mbappé was clear on goal two or three times, so was Ousmane Dembele. After they took the lead, Milan clammed up in defence and it became very difficult. It was a pretty balanced game.
“I saw two fairly similar teams. I prefer more control of the initiative, but it was more end to end.” This was a tough night for Donnarumma, who was making his first return to San Siro as an opponent since the free transfer in 2021. The crowd constantly jeered him and printed up thousands of fake bank notes to throw at him. “He has a lot of experience, a strong character,” assured Luis Enrique.
“Football is passion, the fans showed what their position was. The atmosphere can only be like that when there was affection for a player. He had a great game.” The group is now wide open, as Borussia Dortmund are on seven points, PSG six, Milan five and Newcastle United four.
Luis Enrique was asked if Milan can be considered among the top sides in Europe, especially as they reached the semi-finals last season. “Of course! Obviously! This is such a strong group that there are two games to go and all four teams could still qualify for the Round of 16. It is the toughest group in the Champions League. “It’s a pity for us, because if we had won, we’d be practically qualified.” He further added.
Meanwhile…
Reports from Italy has it that Juventus directors Cristiano Giuntoli and Giovanni Manna were in London on Monday to watch Pierre-Emile Højbjerg in Tottenham-Chelsea, but the Bianconeri are also interested in Arsenal’s Thomas Partey and Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips.
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Juventus are planning to buy a new central midfielder in January following the suspensions of Paul Pogba and Nicolò Fagioli. Højbjerg is a long-time target of the Bianconeri and according to Sky Sport, Giuntoli and Manna watched the Denmark international in action during Tottenham’s 4-1 loss against Chelsea on Monday.
Højbjerg is not a regular starter in North London but was introduced during the break at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Cristian Romero had seen a red card. The 28-year-old is not Juventus’ only target in central midfield.
Sky Sport confirms Arsenal’s Thomas Partey and Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips are also on the Old Lady’s radars. According to the report, Tottenham value Højbjerg at €30m, but Juventus seem interested in an initial loan move.
Likewise, it remains to be seen if Arsenal and Manchester City will allow their players to move to Turin on a temporary transfer, but Phillips is ready to leave Pep Guardiola’s side in January to get more playing time.
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