Rossoneri defeated in Portugal and still at zero points. Decides a goal from Luis Diaz in the second half. But Liverpool’s success on the Atletico field still gives hope, even if it will be tough
The difference in the Champions League is made by the details, Pioli warned on the eve. In this case, however, the bad news comes from the whole: that of Porto was an unrecognizable Milan in its entirety, unable – and in some ways unable – to squeeze the seductive football to which it has accustomed us so far from its legs. Of course, even in the Champions League. Because very interesting signs of life had arrived with Liverpool and the quality of the performance with Atletico Madrid had been high. Not this time. The 1-0 with which Porto sank the Devil (goal by Luis Diaz) is close to the hosts, who have trampled the Rossoneri in the game and in the agonistic fury throughout the match, forcing them to the worst performance of the whole season.
It was supposed to be the match of the restart, of the push to get out of the extreme periphery of group B, but it was a more or less total blackout falling badly, without reacting, without practically ever putting the biancoblù in difficulty and – it must be said vigorously – without many protagonists stopped by injuries, Covid and disqualifications. It is not an alibi, as Maldini recalled before the game, but when the list becomes excessively long it must be emphasized. The Devil thus remains nailed to zero in the standings (the Rossoneri had never lost the first three games of the group in the Champions League), with Porto and Atletico four steps up and Liverpool flying to nine. But the Reds’ victory in Madrid makes a Milan climb still possible, albeit very difficult. Qualification, it is clear, is now hanging by a very thin thread.
The choices
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Once again to choose the eleven holder Pioli first opened the box of patches. Trying to medicate as best he could a team with five injured players (goalkeepers Maignan and Plizzari, Florenzi, Messias and Rebic), two under house arrest with Covid (Hernandez, Diaz) and one suspended (Kessie). In addition of course to those who had not been included in the list such as Conti, Pellegri and Castillejo (and it is a shame if you think back to the Spaniard’s turbo-entry with Verona). Behind Giroud in the end Krunic was placed, on his debut in the Champions League, while in defense there was a surprise: Calabria remained in the comfort zone on the right and on the left, Ballo-Touré started. In the center, the Kjaer-Tomori couple has reformed. No problem for Conceicao instead, with the embarrassment of choice being able to count on the whole squad. In the 4-4-2 drawn by the former midfielder of Lazio, Parma and Inter the only difference with respect to the indications on the eve was the use of Evanilson (outside Corona) next to the Iranian center-forward Taremi.
Weaknesses
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The Rossoneri’s first half was a painful one, soon ran aground on a high number of plays killed in the cradle by a fierce first pressure from the Portuguese. What stood out was above all the difference in content on the right wing of the Devil, where Calabria and Saelemaekers went into a lot of trouble in the face of Wendell’s percussion and the technical and angry tears of Luis Diaz. The other weaknesses: alongside a vigorous and lucid Tonali, Bennacer was not up to par with his teammate, ending up losing some bloody balls. In defense Tomori appeared unusually shy and prone to error. And on the trocar, very trivially, Diaz’s work cannot be expected from Krunic. Rade, partly for characteristics and partly for deliveries, mostly tried to stifle the first biancoblù texture, ending up finding himself out of the offensive maneuver. Moreover, it is sporadic. The match was almost entirely played by Porto, who often managed to do what Milan was not capable of: putting themselves in a position to get to the shot and / or serve their striker. Taremi went to the end four times dangerously (three narrowly out, another was a near-goal on which Kjaer sacrificed himself), while after five minutes Luis Diaz had already hit a colossal post on a ball lost by Bennacer. Giroud was able to manage a few balls, most of them far from goal, however good at protecting them and playing on the side for his teammates. But in the only really dangerous situation for Porto, the Frenchman placed well in the area inexplicably tried to head a non-existent assist instead of looking for the door. The liveliest of the Rossoneri was Leao, perhaps driven by old hints of Portuguese derby, which in the first part of the period he teased often and willingly. With the defect, however, of falling in love too much with their games and engaging in unlikely one-on-all battles. And then disappearing completely in the second half.
Too much difference
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Recovery in which Porto returned to the field even more aggressive. Minutes and minutes with the Devil closed in the corner of the ring under the biancoblù shots, fortunately imperfect in his aim (again Taremi out of a breath). Tomori redeemed himself by imitating Kjaer, with a wall in the area that canceled a Portuguese near-goal. Shortly before the quarter of an hour, Pioli removed “Fik”, warned, by inserting Romagnoli. And with him also Kalulu for Ballo-Touré and Ibra for Giroud. Moves that did not serve to shake off Porto, with Milan reduced to sweeping the ball in the opponent’s half to try to reorganize the defensive phase. At 20 ‘Porto passed: the ball raised to the bell tower at the edge of the area, the Bennacer-Taremi clash (on which the Rossoneri later protested vigorously), Luis Diaz who pounced first of all and overtook Tatarusanu. Not even after the goal did the Devil manage to establish his plots: the Portuguese were too hungry, reactive and fast in managing the ball, driven by the public and by the awareness of being able to manage the rare Rossoneri descents. For Milan now we need a nice reset: in the league we need to see the real Devil right away.
October 19, 2021 (change October 19, 2021 | 23:26)
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