AC Milan beat Napoli for the second time within the house of lower than two weeks — and this time with extra at stake — because the Rossoneri received 1-0 within the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Ismaël Bennacer scored shortly earlier than the top of a primary half that Napoli had dominated for lengthy stretches. Each groups additionally hit the crossbar earlier than Napoli midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa was despatched off 16 minutes 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 received the primary leg of their quarterfinal 2-0.
Anguissa will probably be suspended for that match, as will Kim Min-jae after the defender was booked at San Siro.
“I don’t know what to say in regards to the refereeing, it was one thing unimaginable,” Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas stated. “He booked all our gamers, they dedicated the identical sort of fouls however didn’t get yellow playing cards.
“It’s one thing I’ve by no means seen earlier than. It was additionally due to that that at a sure level we grew to become nervous on the sector.”
Whereas Milan’s victory was 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 achieve its first Champions League semifinal because it received the final of its seven titles in 2007.
“It’s nonetheless 50-50, the result’s definitely a bonus bit it doesn’t change a lot, there’s nonetheless all to play for,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli stated.
“We’re midway up the mountain however usually the previous couple of bends are the toughest to beat. A tough match awaits us in Naples … none of us suppose we’re already by way of.”
The match pitted the defending Italian champion towards the crew prone to take its trophy, with Napoli boasting a 16-point in Serie A.
It was Napoli’s first ever look within the quarterfinals and it was with out a acknowledged striker as main Serie A goalscorer Victor Osimhen and Giovanni Simeone had been out injured and coach Luciano Spalletti opted to begin Giacomo Raspadori on the bench and play Elmas within the false 9 place.
However, the guests acquired off to an aggressive begin and had 4 clearcut alternatives in as many minutes.
The perfect of these was after solely 50 seconds as Milan did not take care of a cross and a horrible Rade Krunić clearance fell straight to Napoli dangerman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. However Krunić atoned for his error by clearing the shot off the road and Mário Rui ballooned the follow-up over.
Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan additionally got here to his crew’s rescue a number of time earlier than the Rossoneri had their first actual probability within the twenty fifth minute, fully towards the run of play.
Rafael Leão, who had scored two targets in Naples within the league match, raced from inside his personal half and previous two Napoli gamers earlier than unleashing a shot that went simply the incorrect aspect of the suitable upright.
The Portuguese ahead took his frustration out on the nook flag, shattering it within the course of.
Milan broke the impasse 5 minutes from halftime as Brahim Díaz sped ahead from midfield and laid the ball off to the suitable of the realm to Leão. His try at a one-two didn’t fairly come off however it got here by way of to Bennacer to fireplace into the highest close to nook.
That was solely Milan’s second try in comparison with Napoli’s eight.
The Rossoneri virtually doubled their lead in stoppage time however Simon Kjær’s thumping header got here off the underside of the bar and bounced simply the incorrect aspect of the road for Milan.
Napoli ought to have leveled 5 minutes after the break however Maignan finger-tipped an Elmas header onto the bar. Its possibilities of doing so diminished when Anguissa was proven a second yellow card for a excessive sort out on Theo Hernández 4 minutes after being booked for a foul on the identical Milan defender.