90’+6’Second Half ends, Napoli 1, AC Milan 1.90’+4’Attempt blocked. Matteo Politano (Napoli) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.90’+3’Corner, Napoli. Conceded by Davide Calabria.90’+2’Attempt blocked. Matteo Politano (Napoli) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.90’+1’Corner, Napoli. Conceded by Davide Calabria.90’Attempt missed. Matteo Politano (Napoli) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Piotr Zielinski.AC Milan have reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since winning the competition in 2007 after a dramatic encounter with Serie A rivals Napoli. The Rossoneri won 2-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw in Naples, with Olivier Giroud opening the scoring for Milan following a sensational 70-yard run by Rafael Leao to set him up. Napoli were then gifted a way back into the game when Fikayo Tomori handled in the box, but visiting keeper Mike Maignan saved Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s penalty. They did eventually score, through a Victor Osimhen header with seconds remaining in the match – but there was not enough time to create another chance.
AC Milan have reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since winning the competition in 2007 after a dramatic encounter with Serie A rivals Napoli. The Rossoneri won 2-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw in Naples, with Olivier Giroud opening the scoring for Milan following a sensational 70-yard run by Rafael Leao to set him up. Napoli were then gifted a way back into the game when Fikayo Tomori handled in the box, but visiting keeper Mike Maignan saved Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s penalty. They did eventually score, through a Victor Osimhen header with seconds remaining in the match – but there was not enough time to create another chance.
Stefano Pioli’s side have focused on this competition, having rested all 10 outfield players in last weekend’s Serie A draw with Bologna and now stand on the brink of a remarkable return to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2007. They rode their luck somewhat in the early stages, although captain Davide Calabria did brilliantly to control Napoli winger Kvaratskhelia and were awarded a penalty when Mario Rui caught Leao, but Giroud was denied by Meret in Milan’s first shot of the game. However, the veteran Frenchman made no mistake after Leao’s brilliant run that had vibes of George Weah’s solo goal in 1996 for Milan against Verona.
Napoli, soon to be deposed by Napoli as Serie A champions, held off Napoli’s attempted comeback with determined defending and, unless Benfica turn things round on Wednesday, will face Inter Milan in a Champions League semi-final derby. Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli are close to a first Serie A title since 1990 and the days of Diego Maradona, and surely cannot let a 14-point lead over second-placed Lazio slip with eight games left. This was their first European Cup quarter-final and expectations were high, but they had only lost three games in all competitions before April and now have lost as many against Milan in this month alone.
Can Milan go all the way? They seem to have the number of Napoli too, with two wins and this draw against the same team in April. They won 4-0 on their league trip to Estadio Diego Armando Maradona earlier this month and beat them 1-0 in last week’s first leg in Milan. Now their attention will turn back to domestic competition and making sure they get the four wins they need to clinch the crown, while Milan will celebrate their best European season for 16 years and hope they can go all the way and win it again.