Milan beat Cagliari 4-1 and flies to the quarter-finals of the 2023-2024 Italian Cup, where the winner of the match Atalanta and Sassuolo awaits, who face each other tomorrow. The Rossoneri prevailed today 2 January 2024 in the round of 16 match with Jovic's brace and goals from Traoré and Leao.
The match
The team coached by Pioli, with a largely restructured formation, won the match against the Sardinians, who were dangerous at the start before falling apart. Cagliari also appears on the pitch with many players who have so far been little used. The guests are the first to become dangerous: a free kick from Mancosu, a shot from Petagna and a great save from Mirante is needed to keep the Rossoneri goal inviolate.
Milan lights up in the 8th minute, when Jovic calls on Radunovic to save. The two teams, thanks to the unusual formations, struggle to move in a coordinated manner. Space abounds on both sides and opportunities abound. In the 16th minute Makoumbou wasted a great chance for the rossoblu, effectively offering the ball to Mirante. Milan increases the pace and reduces the number of measurement errors. In the 29th minute, the run-in ends and the lead comes. Theo Hernandez crosses, Jovic controls and gets rid of Hatzidiakos: Radunovic has no escape, 1-0. The script is successfully repeated in the 42nd minute. Theo Hernandez plows down the left wing, Jovic receives and unloads towards the goal: Radunovic is not flawless, 2-0 and match on ice at half-time.
The curtain falls in the 50th minute. Jimenez tries to trigger Chukwueze who doesn't take advantage of the suggestion, but Traoré is lurking and takes advantage of another reviewable intervention from Radunovic: 3-0, game over. Before the final whistle, Cagliari saved their honor with Azzi's strike, which sealed the winning goal: 3-1 in the 87th minute. There is still time and Leao also leaves his mark, closing the score in the 91st minute: 4-1 and Milan in the quarterfinals.
Pioli smiles
“We started a little slow, then after the goal we broke free. I'm happy for the boys who have been training with us from the beginning, they have talent and great attitudes. They have to continue like this and it's not easy, it used to be easier to coach the young people compared to the more experienced ones, today perhaps it is the opposite. But the Milan school did a great job”, says Pioli, to Mediaset, praising the performance of the young players deployed. Is the Italian Cup a goal? “We care about this competition. Tonight there were two priorities, namely preserving those who played the most and fielding a team eager to win. The Championship and Europa League are our objectives because they give you the chance to return to the Champions League but also the Cup Italy is a goal”, he adds.
“The priority was to preserve certain players: Loftus-Cheek and Bartesaghi had a fever, Kjaer can't play three games in a row, Leao was coming off an injury. The boys have shown that they deserve this chance,” he says. Special mention for Jovic: “he has great qualities, he must believe in it even more. He arrived when he was not in condition, now he is well physically and mentally, he must insist and continue with these ambitions and motivations”.
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