Milan pulled off a superb comeback to defeat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 at the San Siro and reignite their hopes of reaching the Champions League knockouts. After a three-game winless start to the so-called ‘group of death,’ Stefano Pioli’s men blew Group F wide open with an incredible performance against the perennial Ligue 1 champions.
Ex-Inter defender Milan Skriniar put PSG in front early on, casting further doubt on the Italians’ European credentials. However, Milan’s response was ferocious. Rafael Leao latched onto a loose ball inside the six-yard box and slotted home a stunning bicycle kick to restore parity only three minutes later.
It took Milan only five minutes into the second half to complete the turnaround. Theo Hernandez, who had an impressive night, whipped in a teasing cross into the box. Olivier Giroud bullied Skirniar in the air to send his thumping header into the top corner, leaving Gianluigi Donnarumma helpless on the line.
Let’s look at our Milan player ratings.
Milan 4-3-3
Mike Maignan – 7.5
What a goalkeeper he is! While there was nothing he could’ve done to stop the goal, the Frenchman was exquisite for the rest of the game.
Davide Calabria – 7
Defending against Kylian Mbappe might be the sternest test in European football, but the Milan captain did a superb job fending off the PSG speed demon.
Malick Thiaw – 7.5
After
Fikayo Tomori – 8
He’s arguably the best defender in Serie A at this point. Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos looked like they just graduated from a kindergarten next to the towering Englishman.
Theo Hernandez – 7.5
Many consider him the best left-back on the planet for a reason. He destroyed Ousmane Dembele on the left and still had enough gas in the tank to cause PSG’s backline all sorts of problems all night with his darting runs down the flank.
Yunus Musah – 7.5
Back to his natural position, the USMNT midfielder excelled tonight, winning back possession time and time again while coming close to grabbing his first Milan goal early on.
Tijjani Reijnders – 7
Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s return to the fold alleviated pressure on the Dutchman, who probably enjoyed his best game since joining Rossoneri in the summer. He was everywhere!
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 8
Top-class midfield performance! He was the most dominant figure on the field. In addition to making numerous crucial interceptions at the back, he was unstoppable with the ball at his feet.
Rafael Leao – 8
What a night for the Milan No10! Aside from beating his former teammate with an acrobatic finish, he made Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, and Skriniar chase a ghost this evening. Simply incredible!
Christian Pulisic – 6.5
Since most of the Italians’ attacks came on the left, he must have felt a bit neglected, though he still had some nifty touches with the ball to get the crowd onto their feet.
Olivier Giroud – 7.5
Another example of Giroud magic! The aging striker showed his true potential when the service was adequate. He was unlucky to get on the scoresheet once, but his devastating header could mean the world to Milan moving forward.
Substitutes
Rade Krunic – 6
Fought bravely to help Milan endure a late siege.
Noah Okafor – 6.5
Had a glorious chance to put daylight between the sides seconds after taking Leao’s place, only to force Donnarumma into another spectacular save.
Alessandro Florenzi – N/A
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