Milan bounced back from a woeful 1-1 home draw with relegation-threatened Cremonese with a straightforward 2-0 victory over fellow top-four bidders Lazio on Saturday. Ismael Bennacer and Theo Hernandez scored before the break to inspire Stefano Pioli’s side to a much-needed triumph at the Stadio San Siro.
But despite beating the Biancocelesti, Milan cannot take their foot off the gas after Inter ousted Roma 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico later in the day to maintain a two-point lead in fourth. With only four rounds left, every game is a ‘must-win’ for the Rossoneri if they’re to qualify for the Champions League for the third season running.
Likewise, Lazio’s bid to secure a top-four finish in Serie A for the first time since 2019/20 is still up in the air, with fifth-placed Milan now only three points away. Maurizio Sarri’s side wasted a chance to capitalize on their hosts’ form woes and probably put their Champions League ambitions beyond doubt.
However, Milan held their ground to pick up a crucial victory ahead of the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie against Inter on Wednesday. On the other hand, Lazio will have a week to rest and recover before they play bottom-half Lecce at home in the next Serie A round.
But let’s look at the three talking points from Saturday’s one-sided affair at the San Siro.
#3 Leao sends Milan fans into the world of pain
Only 11 minutes into the encounter, Milan standout performer Rafael Leao had to leave the pitch with a thigh problem. The Portuguese forward surged into the box but failed to overcome Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel in what seemed a routine solo action for one of the best Serie A players.
Unfortunately for Pioli, it was non of the kind, as Leao immediately asked to go off, forcing an early introduction of Alexis Saelemaekers. But the 23-year-old’s withdrawal seemingly dampened the optimism at the San Siro, with the home crowd switching off during a moment of agony.
Leao couldn’t have picked a worse moment to get injured, with the Champions League semi-finals waiting in the wings. The ex-Lille man almost single-handedly dispatched newly-crowned Napoli in the previous knockout round. As such, the Milan faithful will wait for a fitness update with bated breath.
#2 Vengeance is a dish best-served cold
Milan breathed life into the only saying ‘vengeance is a dish best-served cold’ as they patiently waited four months to settle the score with Lazio following a dreadful 4-0 defeat in the reverse fixture in Rome. And with an evenly-contested top-four race entering the crunch time, the timing couldn’t have been better.
In addition to posting a fourth straight home win over Lazio, including three in Serie A, Milan issued a statement of intent by keeping Maurizio Sarri’s men quiet all game long. In fact, the visitors failed to produce a single shot on target at the San Siro despite fielding almost an identical lineup that put four past the Rossoneri in January.
Defensive resilience is of utmost importance when the stakes are high. With that in mind, Pioli’s men can feel confident ahead of their upcoming European clash against Inter, particularly amid Leao’s injury concerns.
#3 Lazio running out of steam
Saturday’s defeat in Lombardy marked Lazio’s third loss in their last four Serie A matches, with the exception of a 2-0 midweek triumph over Sassuolo at home. Despite welcoming star striker Ciro Immobile back from injury, Sarri’s men have encountered grave scoring problems.
Felipe Anderson took advantage of Francesco Acerbi’s mistake to break the deadlock in a 3-1 loss at Inter last week. However, that strike remains Lazio’s only goal in their last three Serie A defeats. Immobile has scored in just three of his 16 league appearances in 2023, suggesting that something’s going wrong in the Biancocelesti camp.
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