AC Milan v Atalanta: Serie A title in reach as Franco Baresi backs former club
AC Milan lead Inter Milan by two points going into the final day of the Serie A season as both sides won on Sunday.
Theo Hernandez’s superb goal sealed AC Milan’s 2-0 victory over Atalanta to put them on the verge of their first Serie A title for 11 years.
The French left-back’s solo run and finish sparked wild celebrations at a raucous San Siro, with Rafael Leao having already scored for the hosts.
But reigning champions Inter beat Cagliari 3-1 to keep the pressure on.
Milan will win the Scudetto with a draw at Sassuolo next Sunday as they have the superior head-to-head record in matches against their city rivals this season, with Inter needing to beat Sampdoria and hope Milan lose.
A tense affair had seen Milan initially struggle to break down a well organised Atalanta side chasing a European place.
However, Junior Messias’ second-half introduction as a substitute reaped immediate dividends.
The Brazilian’s second touch sent Leao through on goal and the Portugal forward drove an effort through the legs of visiting goalkeeper Juan Musso to put Milan in front.
While there were several anxious moments for the hosts in defence, Hernandez’s sublime goal settled any nerves.
Stefano Pioli’s side are now unbeaten in their last 15 league matches.
If Inter had failed to beat Cagliari, the title would have been Milan’s, but Simone Inzaghi’s side won to take it down the wire.
Matteo Darmian headed Inter ahead and Lautaro Martinez doubled the lead with a clinical finish.
Charalampos Lykogiannis gave Cagliari – and Milan – hope but Martinez’s late dinked effort sealed the win.
Table of Contents
Line-ups
AC Milan
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 16Maignan
- 2CalabriaSubstituted forFlorenziat 80′minutes
- 20Kalulu
- 23Tomori
- 19Hernández
- 8TonaliSubstituted forBennacerat 63′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 79KessiéBooked at 67mins
- 56SaelemaekersSubstituted forMessiasat 55′minutes
- 33KrunicSubstituted forBakayokoat 79′minutes
- 17da Conceição Leão
- 9GiroudBooked at 44minsSubstituted forRebicat 55′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Tatarusanu
- 4Bennacer
- 5Ballo-Touré
- 10Díaz
- 11Ibrahimovic
- 12Rebic
- 13Romagnoli
- 25Florenzi
- 30Messias
- 41Bakayoko
- 46Gabbia
- 83Mirante
Atalanta
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Musso
- 15de Roon
- 6PalominoSubstituted forDemiralat 80′minutes
- 19Djimsiti
- 33HateboerSubstituted forScalviniat 79′minutes
- 7KoopmeinersBooked at 53mins
- 11Freuler
- 77Zappacosta
- 32PessinaSubstituted forBogaat 70′minutes
- 88PasalicSubstituted forMalinovskyiat 55′minutesBooked at 87mins
- 9MurielSubstituted forZapataat 55′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Maehle
- 10Boga
- 18Malinovskyi
- 20Mihaila
- 28Demiral
- 31Rossi
- 42Scalvini
- 57Sportiello
- 59Al Miranchuk
- 91Zapata
Live Text
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Match ends, AC Milan 2, Atalanta 0.
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Second Half ends, AC Milan 2, Atalanta 0.
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Corner, AC Milan. Conceded by Giorgio Scalvini.
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Attempt missed. Ruslan Malinovskyi (Atalanta) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Duván Zapata.
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Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Duván Zapata (Atalanta) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan).
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Attempt missed. Duván Zapata (Atalanta) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Teun Koopmeiners with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Atalanta. Conceded by Fikayo Tomori.
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Attempt blocked. Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ruslan Malinovskyi.
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Ruslan Malinovskyi (Atalanta) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Ruslan Malinovskyi (Atalanta).
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Pierre Kalulu (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Atalanta. Conceded by Mike Maignan.
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Attempt saved. Duván Zapata (Atalanta) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt blocked. Jérémie Boga (Atalanta) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Duván Zapata.
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Attempt saved. Ante Rebic (AC Milan) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt saved. Junior Messias (AC Milan) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Rafael Leão.
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Substitution, Atalanta. Merih Demiral replaces José Luis Palomino.
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Substitution, AC Milan. Alessandro Florenzi replaces Davide Calabria.
