Leao show, Milan moves to Florence. Marusic nightmare: Juventus increasingly in crisis

Fiorentina-Milan 1-2, Leao show: assist and winning goal

Defeat at home for Fiorentina against Milan, second in the standings. At the Franchi the Rossoneri took the lead in the second half of the second half with Loftus-Cheek (backheel assist from Leao), but three minutes later the Viola equalized with Joseph Alfred Duncan. The team coached by Stefano Pioli takes the lead again in the 53rd minute with Rafael Leao.

Pioli: “Milan won’t leave. Inter? There aren’t 14 points difference”

“There are not 14 points difference, this is the ranking because they made the difference between November and December when they scored 12 points and we lose at home against Udinese and Juve and get caught up in Naples and Lecce. They have taken the distance and maintain it despite our moment”, Stefano Pioli’s analysis after Milan’s 2-1 victory on the Fiorentina pitch. A success that brings the Rossoneri -11 behind Inter (Nerazzurri with one game less, Empoli arrives at San Siro on Easter Monday) and +6 over third-placed Juventus (defeated in the 93rd minute by Lazio with a goal from Marusic who explodes the Olympic).

On the future, after being confirmed by Paolo Scaroni in the pre-match, the Rossoneri coach explains to Sky: “I’ve never had any doubts: Milan won’t leave. I feel good and we’re ambitious. I’m very happy here and it only depends on what happens.”

“I am very fond of Milan, they put me in the ideal conditions to work. I’m happy, but no one has to think about the future. Only the club can be competitive and plan. We have to stay focused to work, we isolate ourselves at Milanello to do well because there are still important matches between now and the end.” underlines Stefano Pioli.

On the victory against Fiorentina he explains: “We interpreted and approached the match well, winning on a field where we have always struggled. Today we played a real match with great control. After the break it’s never easy, so I’m particularly satisfied. It’s an excellent moment which has lasted for 2-3 months, we are growing and improving in compactness. If we defend well we have the qualities to put our opponents in difficulty.”

“Leao? He’s very close to becoming the champion I thought he could become. He isn’t yet, but I see how he works and he doesn’t miss much. We rely on him a lot, he is at the top because he has qualities and strength that are difficult to keep”, the words of Stefano Pioli. On his return to Florence: “For me, coming back here, especially today for what happened to Fiorentina and for what we experienced with Astori, is always an emotion and a pleasure. They have given me so much, both as a player and as a coach.”

Milan, Leao: “Future? I don’t know, but I feel at home here”

“Winning today was a goal, it was difficult because Fiorentina is a quality team. In the first half we could have closed it, in the second half we entered well and closed it. The team moment, when we are good, I have confidence and play better. Chuku played a great match and I’m happy for him because he lived a delicate moment”, the words of Rafael Leao to Sky after Milan’s victory in Florence. Responding to a question about Pioli’s confirmation at Milan, he also spoke about his future: “I have a contract with Milan, I don’t know the future. Now I’m here with my head and heart. Milan is my home, it helped me grow as a man and a footballer and I’m happy here.” And on the wristband that has accompanied him for some matches, the AC Milan champion revealed: “A child gave it to me before the warm-up with Napoli. I thought it could bring me luck, it was a very beautiful moment. I dream of winning something big important this year with Milan, the Europa League is also important to move away from third place.”

Marusic punishes Juventus: 1-0 Lazio and the Bianconeri increasingly in crisis

A goal from Marusic in the 93rd minute gave victory to Lazio in the big match of the 30th matchday of Serie A and exacerbated Juventus’ crisis, without a win for 4 matchdays and with only one success in the last nine matches. Second victory in a row for the Romans who climb to seventh place with 46 points and relaunch themselves in the race for a place in the Champions League. The Bianconeri remain stuck at 59 in third place, calling into question a qualification for Europe which seemed obvious two months ago.

The first chance of the match goes to the guests with Bremer: ball delivered to the far post for the Brazilian, who cuts it well but heads it just wide. As the minutes pass, the Capitoline players rise and become masters of the field. In the 17th minute Castellanos had an opportunity served on the edge of the area but the Argentinian’s shot narrowly missed. In the 20th minute, Lazio were still close to scoring: an illuminating assist from Anderson who found the ‘Taty’ in front of Szczesny but the shot went out of sight on the outside of the net. In the 23rd minute, an error by Szczesny who returns towards Pedro and then doesn’t stop him coming out of a tight angle, the ball at the limit reaches Kamada, who however loses the moment to kick towards the empty net. In the 26th minute Szczesny made amends with an excellent save from Anderson’s shot. In the 40th minute Juventus shows up again: all first-time action with Rabiot finishing for Chiesa’s right-footed shot: Mandas deflects it for a corner. Three minutes later Chiesa is still dangerous but his right-footed shot is central and the Biancoceleste goalkeeper saves.

The second half begins with two changes for Allegri. Miretti and De Sciglio remain in the changing rooms: room for McKennie and Iling jr. In the 7th minute Iling jr crosses to the far post by Cambiaso: a right-foot volley from an excellent position blocked by Mandas. In the 13th minute Tudor plays the Immobile and Isaksen cards: Castellanos and Pedro out. In the quarter of an hour, excellent defensive closure by Gila who did well to win a complicated duel in the area with Kean. In the 18th minute Cambiaso comes out and Weah comes in and shortly after Chiesa’s match ends, with Yildiz replacing him. In the 27th minute, a great opportunity for Lazio. Brilliant opening by Immobile for Marusic, diagonal with a sure shot and Bremer who manages to deflect it for a corner. In the 36th minute Kean comes out, making room for 22-year-old Sekulov from Next Gen making his Serie A debut. Lazio changes the central midfield players: here are Vecino and Guendouzi, out Cataldi and Kamada. In the 39th minute Luis Alberto comes on in place of Zaccagni. As soon as he entered, the Spaniard was immediately very dangerous with a right-footed shot that went just wide with Rugani’s deflection, a touch not seen by the referee Colombo. In the 93rd minute, when the 0-0 seemed obvious, the match goal arrived: ball handled on the left by Guendouzi, who raises his head and sees Marusic’s insertion at the far post. Sekulov loses it, the Montenegrin heads past Szczesny and makes it 1-0.

Juventus, Allegri: “You can’t concede goals like this at the end. Work to achieve the Champions League goal”

“We didn’t all suddenly become bastards. There is little we can do: we must be angry, bitter and sorry for the defeat that came in the last 10 seconds. You can’t concede goals like that at the end. We should have been more aggressive in the opportunities we created.” the words of Massimiliano Allegri after Juventus’ defeat against Lazio at the hands of Marusic. “The numbers say we are doing badly, but we need calm at the moment. We have a points advantage over fifth place and we must continue to work to reach the Champions League objective, which we will achieve even if it is on the last day.”

The Juventus coach adds: “It’s not an easy moment, we have to overcome it and turn it around. We managed the final balls badly, there’s nothing we can do about it. Let’s get our heads up and keep working, I can’t say anything to the boys. There is little to talk but a lot to do. Now on Tuesday we have this Italian Cup match at home and we want to start again.”

“We left many points along the way, but this is an extraordinary group. They must be proud of this performance, things will change on Tuesday – the words of Massimiliano Allegri -. We are sorry for the defeat and how it came. Did the Italian derby have an impact? In football there are episodes that work for and others against. We must continue to work, have confidence in what we do and believe in our abilities because we are having a good championship.”

On substitutions. “The national teams returned from America and travelled. At that moment I preferred to bring in different players – concluded Allegri -. The question is that at the moment we are not able to get a result but the team is doing what it must. We will get out of this situation”.