After back-to-back winless outings, Milan returned to winning ways with a narrow 1-0 victory over Hellas Verona on Saturday. Stefano Pioli’s side struggled massively today but managed to put three points on the board.
Rafael Leao fired his side to a much-needed win with a brilliant solo goal in the eighth minute. However, this wasn’t an impressive display from Milan by any stretch of the imagination. They were lucky to get away with a win.
Let’s look at our player ratings.
Milan (3-4-3)
Marco Sportiello – 7
His superb diving save to deny Michael Folorunsho’s thumping header from point-blank helped Milan maintain a narrow lead at halftime. He was spot on today.
Malick Thiaw – 7
Unlike last weekend, the German defender put on an electrifying performance this afternoon, winning multiple aerial duels. He was also calm on the ball, which hasn’t always been the case this season.
Fikayo Tomori – 7.5
The Englishman was an absolute beast today, keeping Cyril Ngonge in his back pocket all game long. His world-class defending was the crucial missing component against Inter a week ago.
Simon Kjaer – 7
His experience, combined with the energy of Thiaw and Tomori, forged a wall in front of Sportiello’s goal. While he’s had some shaky moments recently, the Danish veteran did a stellar job today.
Alessandro Florenzi – 6
Replacing Theo Hernandez is a mammoth task, and the seasoned Serie A campaign had to learn it the hard way. His crossing was wayward, while his connection with Leao looked poor, which often cut the Portuguese out of the game.
Tijjani Reijnders – 7
Back to the starting lineup after commencing on the bench against Newcastle United, the Dutchman pulled all the strings in the midfield, moving the ball around with precision and purpose. But he still lacks the final product.
Rade Krunic – 6
The Bosnian midfielder looked up the creek without a paddle. He never gained a foothold in the game, and his passing wasn’t as good as in recent games. It’s no wonder Pioli took him off at the hour mark.
Yunus Musah – 7
Despite playing in an unorthodox position, the United States international fared reasonably well today. He ran his socks off down the right-hand side, winning numerous challenges, and even came close to scoring in the latter stages.
Rafael Leao – 6.5
His moment of magic got Milan off to a flying start. However, his attitude was lackadaisical at times, something a player wearing the captain’s armband – as he did today – should not afford. He lost way too many balls today.
Christian Pulisic – 5
His early impact continues to dwindle. The USMNT forward was a peripheral figure for most of the afternoon. Maybe it’s time for Samuel Chukwueze to start in Serie A for a change.
Olivier Giroud – 5.5
The aging Frenchman delivered another near-anonymous performance after failing to impress against Inter last weekend. Pioli might want to consider giving him some rest, with fatigue seemingly catching up with the 36-year-old.
Substitutes
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 6.5
He ensured stability in the center of the park since joining the fray.
Luka Jovic – 4.5
It would be interesting to rewind the tape and see how many times he touched the ball after taking Giroud’s place in the 65th minute.
Davide Bartesaghi – 4.5
Serie A is still a tall order for the youngster, who looked clueless since coming on.
Tommaso Pobega – 5
He wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. But his passing was mediocre, to say the least.
Noah Okafor – 6.5
It’s a pity he plays on the same flank as Leao. He was virtually unstoppable in transition since replacing the Portuguese forward.
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