Football
AC Milan brings Naples back to earth, Lazio consolidates its place as runner-up
The Milanese corrected the leader on his lawn (0-4) on Sunday evening. Earlier, the Laziale widened the gap with Inter Milan in the race for 2nd place by beating Monza (0-2).
Updated
Alexis Saelemaekers (right) celebrates his goal, the fourth scored by AC Milan on Sunday evening.
AFP
AC Milan brought down leader Naples (4-0) on Sunday during the 28th day of Serie A. A great mathematical but also psychological operation before challenging the Neapolitans in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The Rossoneri also benefit from the defeat of Inter Milan the day before against Fiorentina (0-1) to take 3rd place, 4 points behind Lazio Rome, who retained their 2nd place by winning at Monza (2-0).
For once, it was not Naples that put on a show at the Diego Maradona stadium, but Rafael Leao, who scored twice, and Brahim Diaz, passer and scorer. This does not call into question the announced Scudetto of Napoli, whose lead remains comfortable (16 points) ten days from the end. But can crack a little the beautiful confidence of the leader (beaten for the third time): Naples collapses for the first time in this way, and this ten days from finding the Rossoneri in C1.
More aggressive, Milan took off thanks to two sumptuous goals, first by Leao with a ball stung on a service from Diaz (17th), then from Diaz himself, after a fake shot (25th). Naples then finally entered the match but lacked its usual percussion in the absence of the championship’s top scorer, Victor Osimhen, hit with an adductor.
In the goals of Milan, Mike Maignan was attentive in front of Stanislav Lobotka (28th), Piotr Zielinski (45 + 3rd) and Mario Rui (56th). Not enough to warm up the Neapolitan tifosi, cold with their management despite the almost perfect season of Napoli: before the meeting they protested, in particular against the price of places for the quarter-final return of C1 against this same Milan (first prize at 90 euros, in turns). Especially since the second period turned into a lesson, with a new nice goal from Leao (59th) then an incredible solo number from Alexis Saelemaekers (67th), worthy of Maradona.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in history
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (left) scored his 65th goal for Lazio Roma. No other foreigner has done better in the club’s history.
Imago
Earlier in the day, Lazio Rome consolidated their runner-up position by winning at Monza (2-0), taking a 5-point lead over Inter Milan. The Nerazzurri, stopped with three consecutive defeats, also see AS Roma return to their height, which subdued a Sampdoria Genoa reduced to ten (3-0).
In Monza, six days before receiving Juventus Turin, Lazio quickly took the lead through Pedro (13th) before breaking with a master free kick from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (56th). The Serb, at Lazio since 2015, became the top foreign scorer in the club’s history with 65 goals, overtaking Macedonian Goran Pandev.
The only Italian club eliminated from European cups, Lazio can now devote itself entirely to winning a ticket for the next Champions League, promised to the first four. With its fine current series of five wins and a draw in the last six matches, without taking a single goal, Maurizio Sarri’s team confirms its claims.
The other good news of the day for Maurizio Sarri is the return from injury of his striker Ciro Immobile, entered for the last 25 minutes.
Mourinho silences racist cries
Roma did not miss the opportunity to join Inter in 3rd place and stay in the race for the Champions League, not without difficulty against Sampdoria. The relegation player (19th) resisted more than half-time, until the exclusion of his defender Jeison Murillo for a second warning following a late intervention on Tammy Abraham (52nd).
Until then intractable, Sampdoria goalkeeper Nicola Ravaglia, holder due to the injury of the usual No 1 Emil Audero, gave in five minutes later on a header from Georginio Wijnaldum (57th). The Dutchman, who had found the post in the first period, obtained at the end of the match a penalty converted by Paulo Dybala (88th). Stephan El Shaarawy increased the bill on a final Roman offensive (90 + 4th).
In addition, the meeting was marked by an intervention by José Mourinho to put an end to the racist songs of part of the Roman public aimed at Dejan Stankovic, the Serbian coach of Sampdoria Genoa. The episode took place at the start of the second half, when Stankovic protested after the exclusion of a Sampdoria defender, Jeison Murillo. Chants treating the Serbian technician as a “gypsy” were sung by Roman supporters, according to several media, prompting Mourinho to stand up in front of his bench to ask the tifosi to stop, remaining for several seconds with his arm raised.
“I’m proud to be a gypsy, no one can offend me by calling me a gypsy, José knows that,” Stankovic reacted afterwards when asked about this incident on DAZN. “I didn’t realize it on the pitch, but thanks to José for silencing them,” added the coach, who played under the Portuguese at Inter Milan. “He doesn’t have to thank me, I did it for a great man, a friend, I would do it for another,” Mourinho replied. “I was often insulted in stadiums, I built myself a protective wall and I am sure that “Deki” (Editor’s note: Stankovic) did the same thing. But he has children, a family, and it was not pretty,” he added. “Our supporters are fantastic but I thought I had to follow my instinct, you don’t touch a friend,” concluded the Roma coach.
For its part, the Bologna of Michel Aebischer (established for the third time in a row in the league and replaced before the hour mark), maintained its hopes of winning European qualification, promised at least to the first six, by dominating the Udinese (3-0). The team of Thiago Motta (8th) temporarily returns to 7 points from 6th place occupied by AS Roma, host in the evening of Sampdoria Genoa.
(AFP)