AC Milan 1-3 Fiorentina: Highlights

Pre-match

Embattled AC Milan manager Marco Giampaolo went back to his beloved 4-3-1-2, but with personnel that allowed the Rossoneri to shift to a 4-3-3 as well. Despite some rumors that Vincenzo Montella would make some changes to his XI after running the same players out for two games already this week, the mister kept the same lineup once again.

First half

Franck Ribery made a scintillating run with the ball into the area, leaving Matteo Musacchio and Alessio Romagnoli for dead before getting his shot away. While Gianluigi Donnarumma punched his effort away, Federico Chiesa was first to the rebound and blazed past Ismaël Bennacer, who stuck out a leg and tripped him for a very obvious penalty.

Erick Pulgar, as usual, was money from the spot and sent Donnarumma the wrong way, and the Viola took a lead away from home.

Let’s also take a moment to enjoy Chiesa stuffing Bennacer and Hakan Çalhanoğlu into a clothes dryer and putting it on spin cycle.

Second half

Musacchio, perhaps frustrated by Ribery bodying him moments before, put in a really bad challenge on the winger to end a break. After consulting with VAR, referee Pietro Giacomelli gave the Argentinian his marching orders. While some may argue that he didn’t catch his opponent badly, it was a leg-breaker had Franck not danced out of the way.

A brilliant challenge by Nikola Milenković on the hapless Çalhanoğlu up the pitch let the Mountain play Chiesa in. Donnarumma palmed away Fede’s ball across for Ribery but only as far as Gaetano Castrovilli, who slammed it home for his first goal in Serie A and first for Fiorentina.

Castrovilli won another penalty with a neat little turn in the area that left Bennacer again lashing out and catching nothing but leg. It was Chiesa, however, who stepped up to the spot instead of Pulgar, and took a rather poor penalty that Donnarumma saved.

Fede next turned provider, though, bulldozing forward through the defense before laying it off for Ribery, who showed his class with an almost casual finish to send Donnarumma the wrong way.

The Rossoneri got one back almost immediately after a tremendous solo effort from Rafael Leão left half the Viola defense on the floor. Dude is a player.

Full time

Goals: Pulgar 14’ (PK), Castrovilli 66’, Chiesa PK miss 70’, Ribery 78’ (ass. Chiesa), Rafael Leão 80’

Cards: Bennacer 13’, Musacchio red card 55’, Calabria 86’, Milenković 35’, Pezzella 49’, Lirola 86’, Benassi 87’