AC Milan’s Champions League Hopes Take Another Hit After Draw with Empoli

AC Milan’s hopes of securing a Champions League spot next season took another hit as they were held to a goalless draw by Empoli at San Siro on Friday. Milan had a penalty awarded that was eventually ruled out by VAR, and then Olivier Giroud’s last-minute goal was ruled out for offside.

Frustrating Game for Milan

Milan made five changes to the starting lineup with an eye on Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Napoli. They were the first team to threaten but the game descended into a lull as Empoli sat deep and attempted to frustrate Milan’s build-up play.

Penalty Calls Denied

Milan had two penalty shouts turned down with one penalty eventually awarded but overturned by VAR. However, they failed to convert their chances as Empoli’s defense stood firm, limiting Milan’s attack throughout the game.

Changes Didn’t Bring Results

Milan made changes in the second half with the introduction of Alessandro Florenzi, Brahim Diaz, Olivier Giroud, and Rafael Leao. They started having chances on the break and through Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leao but were unable to score. Giroud almost became the hero in stoppage time but his goal was ruled out for handball.

Player Ratings

Despite controlling much of the possession, Milan couldn’t create enough clear-cut chances to beat Empoli. Tonali was everywhere, making several spectacular interceptions and was named Man of the Match. Calabria also had a solid defensive display while Thiaw was strong in duels and commanded the defense along with Tomori. Saelemaekers had a good performance in both halves, but couldn’t help Milan break the deadlock. Rebic created problems for the defense but missed a big chance at the start of the first half. Origi had a poor performance, was taken care of by the Empoli defense, and missed chances.

Milan’s Record against Empoli

Milan had a better overall record (156-7) and home record (9-2-2) than Empoli (7-10-11 overall, 2-6-6 on the road). The odds from Caesars Sportsbook listed AC Milan as the favourites (285) and Empoli as the underdog (+850).

How to Watch the Match

The match was broadcasted on Paramount Plus with a subscription, which also provided access to other sports content, and a free 7-day trial.

Milan is now in fifth place in Serie A with 56 points, seven behind fourth-placed Atalanta. With seven games left to play, Milan must find a way to win more games if they’re going to secure a top-four finish. Coach Stefano Pioli needs his team to be more clinical in front of goal if they’re going to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons