A goalless night at San Siro boosted rivals from the capital and leaves Milan almost certain to miss the Champions League again and at risk of upheaval on and off the pitchEven at 6.30pm on a wet Wednesday, the derby still felt like The Derby. A crowd of 78,000 fans at San Siro, vast choreographies on both Curve, the usual procession of celebrities in tailored coats and designer glasses. In a week when Italy’s two remaining Champions League representatives endured three-goal defeats, the only question that mattered in Milan was which of this city’s leading clubs would get a shot at Barcelona or Real Madrid next year.This was not technically a European playoff, though even some Milan players described it...
Midfielder led by example in a game which produced a 3-1 win over Milan which was not as simple as the scoreline suggestedThere was a bit of a debate going on before this match. Hey, this is Arsenal we’re talking about after all. Anyway, the theme this time was whether the Milan match was something of a hiding to nothing for the Gunners. Win it and they earn no congratulation, lose and it’s not worth contemplating. Would the fans care? Would they even turn up?Perhaps in the hope of sweetening the deal, the club put on a light show before kick-off. It was pretty good. The main floodlights rippled on and off in a limited impersonation of the Beijing Bird’s...
Too often notable by his absence, Mesut Özil showed the skills that can make him a world beater against MilanWhen Brighton beat Arsenal to push Arsène Wenger and his miserable band of men even further into their palace of sadness last weekend, Mesut Özil was nowhere to be seen. It was easy to reach for the old argument that when Arsenal needed this outrageously talented playmaker the most, he was notable by his absence. It has been a vacillating debate ever since Özil arrived in England in 2013, between those who have fallen for his gilded skills and others irked at his ostensibly casual manner.As with most things, the truth lies somewhere between the two. But it is undoubtedly frustrating...
The youngster is not elegant but he scored again as Milan’s manager showed he has the nous to win tactical battles tooGennaro Gattuso already had our attention. How could he not, after steering a Milan team that began 2018 in the bottom half of the table to seven wins and two draws in nine games? Under his stewardship, the Rossoneri had climbed all the way to joint-sixth, as well as progressing to the Coppa Italia semi-final and Europa League last-16. Related: Cengiz Under's talent no longer a secret as he profits at Roma | Paolo Bandini Serie A results Continue reading...
Turkish forward reaps rewards from Eusebio Di Francesco’s new tactical approach with four goals in three gamesUdinese were served with ample notice of Cengiz Under’s threat. The Roma forward had scored three times in two games leading into his visit to the Stadio Friuli on Saturday but more explicit were the words of his manager. “He has this great quality of being able to line up his shot while still hiding it,” explained Eusebio Di Francesco. “Just like [Vincenzo] Montella used to do.”Forewarned but not forearmed. How does anyone prepare for something they cannot see coming? There were just under 70 minutes on the clock when Under took a pass a few yards outside the area, turned, glanced and in...