It was difficult to imagine that Serie A’s testacoda between top-placed Milan and bottom-ranked Crotone could have a different outcome, but the Rossoneri made it seem all easy on Sunday night as they crushed Giovanni Stroppa’s Pitagorici with a convincing 4-0 win.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace for Stefano Pioli’s side to tally his 500th and 501st career goals in competitions for club before another double from Ante Rebic rounded up the score for the home side, who promptly recovered the top spot in the table after Inter’s temporary overtaking from Friday night.
Crotone, who are desperately battling for survival, managed to hold their own for 45 minutes but eventually collapsed in the second period and ended up receiving a more severe punishment than they probably deserved.
? Starting 11: #MilanCrotone ⚽#SempreMilan@EASPORTSFIFA pic.twitter.com/A5NFWZIrOo
— AC Milan (@acmilan) February 7, 2021
Pioli was still far from having his ideal lineup as he still missed Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer in midfield and Simon Kjaer in defense. There was thus room for new joiners Fikayo Tomori at the center-back and Soualiho Meité in the middle of the park. With Hakan Calhanoglu still not ready to be a starter again, the spot behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic was taken by Rafael Leao, with Alexis Saelemaekers and Ante Rebic supporting from the flanks.
For Crotone, Giovanni Stroppa also made use of his new arrivals from the recent transfer market session as he deployed Samuel Di Carmine and Adam Ounas on the front line. The visitors tried to play their game and did manage to give a few scares to Gianluigi Donnarumma in the first half, especially with Ounas – who called Milan’s goalie to action early in the game.
Milan, however, put their head ahead with the eternal Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who on 30 minutes finalized for the best an exchange with Rafael Leao. From then on, there was only one team on the pitch as Crotone quickly run out of fuel in the tank.
? #SerieA | #MatchDay20
— FC Crotone (@FcCrotoneOff) January 31, 2021
⏰ 15:00
? Stadio Ezio Scida
⚽️ #CrotoneGenoa #StartingXI#WeAreSharks ??? pic.twitter.com/R0sAvX4Ra3
Early in the second half, Alex Cordaz had to go above and beyond to deny Rafael Leao. The Pitagorici goalkeeper, however, had no answer on 63 minutes when Zlatan Ibrahimovic received the ball from Theo Hernandez from the left and easily slotted it home.
Milan’s third goal came from an Hakan Calanhoglu corner kick. The Turk had replaced Rafael Leao a few minutes earlier and showed that he has not lost his touch with a perfect service that Ante Rebic only had to head home. Just one minute later, the Rossoneri had their fourth – once again with Rebic, and once again from a Calhanoglu assist.
Milan promptly answered to Inter to keep themselves fully in contention for the title but – honestly – that was the minimum they could do today if the want to keep cultivating their Scudetto hopes.
MATCH REPORT
February 7, 2021 – Serie A 2020-2021 Round 21
MILAN-CROTONE 4-0
SCORERS: 30′ Ibrahimovic, 64′ Ibrahimovic, 69′ Rebic, 70′ Rebic
 |
MILAN (4-2-3-1): G. Donnarumma; Calabria, Tomori, Romagnoli, Hernandez; Kessié (87′ Krunic), Meité; Saelemaekers (46′ Castillejo), Rafael Leao (62′ Calhanoglu), Rebic (77′ Hauge); Ibrahimovic (77′ Mandzukic) (Tatarusanu, A. Donnarumma, Dalot, Kalulu, Maldini, Gabbia) Coach: Pioli |
 |
CROTONE (3-5-2): Cordaz; Golemic, Djidji, Luperto; Pereira, Benali (72′ Henrique), Zanellato, Vulic (78′ Petriccione), Rispoli; Di Carmine (78′ Simy), Ounas (63′ Riviere) (Festa, Crespi, Magallan, Rojas, D’Aprile, Simy, Marrone, Petriccione) Coach: Stroppa |
REFEREE: Mr. Pairetto from Nichelino
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Saelemaekers, Romagnoli, Calabria (M), Rispoli (C); Extra Time: 1st Half 0′, 2nd Half 0′