Serie A: AC Milan stumbles over Bologna (0-0)

A bad deal. AC Milan remains alone at the top of Serie A but the two points lost at home against Bologna (0-0), Monday at the end of the 31st day, maintain total suspense for the Scudetto, with Naples (2nd) and the ‘Inter Milan (3rd) one breath away from the Rossoneri.

Unable to find the fault despite plenty of opportunities, much due to clumsiness (31 shots, 6 on target only), a little because of a solid Bologna goalkeeper on his line, Milan only has a head start on Napoli, Sunday winner of Atalanta (3-1), and four on the Nerazzurri, revived by their success over Juventus (1-0). Knowing that Inter has a game behind, against this same team from Bologna, the leading trio therefore potentially stands in a single point with seven days remaining.

For this first day of the championship disputed without limit of capacity in the stadiums since the start of the pandemic in Italy, in March 2020, San Siro had however put on its clothes of light (68,000 spectators) to support these Rossoneri in search of a first Scudetto for eleven years. With a thought for the great absentee of the evening, the coach of Bologna Sinisa Mihajlovic: the first name of the ex-technician rossonero, again hospitalized to prevent a relapse of his leukemia, was projected on the screens before the coup mail.

Title race tighter than ever

The Milan jersey was new – a mix of the white jersey and the traditional red and black – but not the offensive intentions of the players of Stefano Pioli, who as often ran and tried a lot, but in vain. Rossoblu goalkeeper Luka Skorupski, not sorry to see Rafael Leao (16th) and Théo Hernandez (32nd) miss the target, had a lot to do with his fine save on a point-blank header from Olivier Giroud (45th).

Faced with a Bologna not only come to defend, and willingly dangerous during the first 45 minutes, Mike Maignan also had to work on an attempt by Michel Aebischer (22nd) then a powerful strike from Musa Barrow (26th). In the second half, Milan’s domination became stronger and stronger but Skorupski was still decisive, ahead of Leao from the restart (47th) until a saving tap on a header from Ante Rebic (90 + 5th).

Meanwhile, Davide Calabria (60th) then Leao (72nd), served by Zlatan Ibrahimovic entered in place of Giroud, had missed the target. Bologna (12th) leaves with a good point, reward for a fighting spirit that Sinisa Mihajlovic must have appreciated, as did the coaches of Naples and Inter Luciano Spalletti and Simone Inzaghi.