AC Milan 1-3 Juventus
Before this Serie A clash, news came that Inter Milan’s title challenge had suffered a setback with a surprise defeat at Sampdoria.
If ever these two teams needed a pre-match boost, this was it. The question now was, could either take advantage?
Leaders Milan had grown in confidence since coach Stefano Pioli was appointed in October. The only team in Europe’s big four leagues to remain unbeaten in the league, a late winner in a five-goal thriller against Lazio had kept them on top of the table at the turn of the year, and they followed that up with a 2-0 victory over Benevento on Sunday.
On the downside, they were missing a number of injured players and the suspended Sandro Tonali but, most importantly of all, the inspirational Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Since returning, the 39-year-old Swede has played 30 times and scored 22 goals, while providing a further seven assists to significantly contribute towards Milan’s Serie A-best 79 points in the calendar year.
For Juventus, teammates Juan Cuadrado and Alex Sandro had tested positive for Coid-19 and, as a result, the squad have decided to remain in their ‘bubble’ at the team hotel.
While top scorer Alvaro Morata (muscle injury) remained out, they had been lifted by the return from suspension of Adrien Rabiot.
Highlights of the game
Billed by my colleague as a power struggle, no doubt some of it goes back to the long history between the two clubs, Serie A highlights were anticipated and they arrived from virtually the first whistle.
But would this be the night the current dominant force in Italian football flexed their muscles, or is there really a new player in town?
It took 18 minutes for Juventus to answer that as Federico Chiesa opened the scoring with a lovely goal.
Moments earlier, the summer signing from Fiorentina had rattled the post with a fierce drive and then made no mistake as he started and finished a sublime one-two with Paulo Dybala before drilling home a flick from the Argentine into the bottom corner.
Despite the absence of their talisman, much of Milan’s acclaim has come for the real team effort with unsung heroes and that was evident in their equaliser four minutes before the break – even if it should not have been allowed to stand.
Rabiot appeared to be charged off the ball by Hakan Calhanoglu near the halfway line but play continued and the exciting Rafael Leao burst down the left before picking out Davide Calabria whose sidefooted effort was perfectly placed to leave Wojciech Szczęsny a mere admirer.
Leao twice went close as Milan threatened to upset the SBOTOP Serie A betting odds but, after on-loan defender Diogo Dalot tested Szczesny early in the second half, Juventus took control.
Just after the hour, Chiesa collected possession on the edge of the box, cut inside and expertly curled home his and Juve’s second with his left foot.
Then, after Gianluigi Donnarumma superbly tipped away a low shot from substitute Weston McKennie, he combined with another sub, Dejan Kulusevski, whose fine work allowed the young American to fire in from close range.
Game over.
Juventus had ended Milan’s unbeaten run and showed yet again who rule the roost in Italian football.
Cristiano Ronaldo in action against the AC Milan defence
Key statistics
Chiesa has been involved in six goals against Milan in Serie A (three goals, three assists), his most prolific run against any opponent.
Until tonight, Milan had scored at least two goals in their last 17 Serie A games. In the history of Europe’s top five leagues, only three clubs have achieved a longer streak. They were Barcelona (18 in 2006 & 2013, and 19 in 1948), Bayern Munich (20 in 2014) and Manchester United (22 in 1959).
The last time Milan won successive home matches against Juventus was 30 years ago – back-to-back wins in 1989 and 1990 when Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit were in their pomp. A certain scorer in the 1990 meeting, incidentally, was now Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti.
There were 11 different starters in the line-ups compared to the last Milan-Juventus game in July.
What’s next?
This was the first of three home matches for the Rossoneri in less than a week.
Torino await on Saturday night (January 9) before an Italian Cup tie at home to the same opponents next Tuesday (January 12).
Juventus also have two home matches with Sassuolo next up in the league and Genoa the visitors in the Coppa Italia.
Those games are just the tasters for a manic week after that as Juve face Inter Milan in the league and Napoli and the Supercoppa Final.
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