Depleted Milan hold Juve to close in on Champions League
AC Milan took another stride towards Champions League qualification following a goalless draw against Serie A rivals Juventus on Saturday.
Stefano Pioli’s side is on the verge of securing a place in Europe’s premier club competition, placing second in Serie A. This achievement is expected to mark the conclusion of Pioli’s tenure at Milan.
” I’m pleased with what the players showed today… they kept fighting to the end,” said Pioli, commenting on his team’s resilient performance despite failing to register a single shot on target. “I’m happy with the spirit. They carried out our plan with a great attitude in a difficult period in the season for us.”
Despite missing key players due to suspension and injuries, Milan demonstrated determination throughout the match. Notably, France goalkeeper Mike Maignan was sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered during the warm-up.
“A lot of the noise has been caused by Inter winning the league. If it had been Juve or Napoli there wouldn’t have been so much chaos,” commented replacement goalkeeper Marco Sportiello, who played a crucial role in securing a point for Milan.
While Milan’s Champions League berth was all but secured before kick-off, Juventus struggled to capitalize on their opponent’s depleted squad. The hosts created the best opportunities, with goalkeeper Sportiello making key saves to deny Juve’s advances.
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However, the draw leaves Juventus vulnerable, as Bologna could level on points with them with a win, adding pressure to under-fire manager Massimiliano Allegri.
“In my experience, nothing is guaranteed. All I can say is that I’m happy with the effort that the boys have put in,” stated Allegri regarding his future at Juventus.
Earlier in the day, Matteo Pessina’s 96th-minute penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw for mid-table Monza against Lecce. The dramatic finale saw Lecce’s potential victory dashed by Pessina’s equalizer after Nikola Krstovic’s late goal initially sparked jubilation among the home fans.
Despite the draw, Lecce remains comfortably above the relegation zone, sitting in 13th position in Serie A.
