Il Milan flies to the round of XNUMX, the Juventus still loses but goes in Europa League. Here they are the latest verdicts of the Italian women Champions, with Pioli's Rossoneri beating Salzburg and detaching the precious pass, while the Bianconeri Allegri, despite being defeated by PSG, they at least manage to stay in the cups, also and above all thanks to Benfica's success in Israel. The cover, for obvious reasons, belongs to the Devil, capable of returning to the top 16 in Europe after 8 seasons of absolute leanness, thanks to a clear and round victory, legitimized by a great second half in which the highest quality emerged compared to the Austrians. The Lady, on the other hand, ends the worst Champions League campaign in its history very badly: never in fact, since the group formula exists, had she closed one with only 3 points, five defeats and 13 goals conceded. The Europa League is a meager consolation, but at least it will allow Allegri to continue to breathe the air of the cup, albeit in a decidedly lesser tone.
Milan – Salzburg 4-0, Giroud, Krunic and Messias take the Devil to the round of XNUMX
It was since the 2013/14 season that Milan hadn't passed a group of Champions and if last year, thanks to the draw in the fourth pot, the mission was extremely difficult, this time it had to be completed without ifs and buts, or risk a downsizing already in early November. Pioli made it thanks to a good injection of self-esteem that allowed him to win, or better still win big, the two decisive matches with Dinamo Zagreb e Salzburg. The Austrians, young but structured both technically and economically (Red Bull, after all, spare no investments), arrived at San Siro with the obligation to take the 3 points, but this didn't scare the Devil, who took the field as if the draw, which would have qualified him, was not even contemplated. This meant that the first half ended in the lead thanks to a header by Giroud (14'), was very open, so as to give more than a shiver to the 75 thousand of the Meazza, but in the second half, thanks to a goal by krunic immediately in the opening (46'), there was no more history. Giroud closed the match capitalizing on a buck from the uncatchable (and sometimes a bit selfish) Leao (57'), after which it was pure academia, with the public making the wave and Messias taking the whim of scoring even the final 4-0 (91').
Maldini launches the challenge: "We are hungry, in the round of XNUMX we will be the loose cannon"
“We are very happy, Milan are an ambitious club – exulted the technical director Maldini -. We started three years ago, we set ourselves some goals and this is the year to rediscover that European dimension that has always belonged to us. It's not easy because we are still very far from the economic point of view from the teams that are dominating, but in the round of XNUMX we will be a loose cannon. I'm hungry, I like to see this same spirit in the team too. Last year's Scudetto was won because everyone gave that extra something to overcome Inter, it will also happen in the Champions League”.
Pioli rejoices: "We are Italian champions, we have to go as far forward as possible"
“Who we meet we will meet: we are Italian champions and we have to go as far forward as possible – commented happy Pioli -. We mustn't be afraid, now we're throwing ourselves back into the championship because we have to get back on track after the bad performance in Turin. On Saturday we will have a difficult opponent like Spezia, we have to stay as close as possible to Napoli. The draw will be tough but I have strong players and whoever we find will have to deal with a convinced Milan."
Juventus - Psg 1-2, the black and whites lose again but go to the Europa League
Totally different climate in Turin, where the pass for the round of XNUMX was not played but the secondary door of the Europa League. Juve managed to enter it, but only thanks to Benfica's resounding victory on the pitch Maccabi Haifa (6-1, but PSG maintain the first place for the highest number of away goals scored in the direct match with the Portuguese), which allowed them to finish in third place in the group. However, the path remains disastrous, because never in her history had the Lady done so badly in the Champions League, losing five out of six games, conceding 13 goals and finishing the race with the pittance of 3 points. Of course, yesterday he was up against a rather prohibitive opponent, furthermore the injured list didn't allow for particular solutions: just think that Chiesa had to make up for Kean's absence, even if it was an opportunity to taste the green lawn again after 297 days in Infirmary. Allegri tried to press PSG high, but at the first opportunity Mbappé he ridiculed the poor man Cats and brought his team ahead with an applause play (13'), making everything even more difficult. The Lady sketched a reaction and, a few minutes before the interval, found the equal with a paw of Bonucci (39'). In the second half, however, thanks to a much richer bench, here is the goal by Mendes (entered a minute before) to certify the first place of the PSG, but above all the umpteenth defeat of the bianconeri, saved only by the overflowing Benfica.
Allegri, disappointed, is already thinking about Inter: "Let's throw our anger at the championship"
“We lost 5 out of 6 matches, we just have to be angry also because we won't be able to go and play against the best in Europe – Allegri said -. The anger we have from this elimination we must carry with us: now there are three league matches before the break and Sunday there will be Juventus-Inter, a very delicate match from every point of view. They are a physical team, we need to recover energy and prepare ourselves in the best possible way”.
Nedved tough: "We've had too many injuries, we'll think seriously during the break"
“In terms of injuries, we've been battling it since the beginning of the year, overall we have twelve or thirteen and so it's difficult, we have to ask ourselves some serious questions – the analysis by Nedved -. Luckily the championship will stop on 13 November and we have to make serious assessments of everything. In the Champions League we have lost almost every game, it's normal to go out, and even in the league we are late. We will evaluate given that the championship stops and we will start again differently, I'm not talking specifically about the coach, the club and the players, but something went wrong for sure".
