AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli says his players
AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli says his players Mike Maignan and Fikayo Tomori told him they were the victims of racial abuse during his side's Serie A 1-0 win at Cagliari. The incident reportedly occured after the final whistle had blown, with a number of players from both teams also embroiled in an ensuing scuffle. Pioli expressed his sadness and said "nobody deserves that".
AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli said two of his players - Mike Maignan and Fikayo Tomori - were subjected to racial abuse during his team's win at Cagliari.
Milan's 1-0 victory was vital in the context of the Serie A title race, but it was overshadowed by the ugly events at the end of the game.
Keeper Maignan and English defender Tomori were closest to the home supporters when celebrating their win and when the abuse began, Maignan appeared to encourage it to continue by cupping his ear.
Unaware of the context, the Cagliari players saw that and it provoked a brawl between the two sides, which Milan legend and now technical director Paolo Maldini stepped in to break up.
"Mike [Maignan] told me it was possible to hear some insults from behind the goal," Pioli told DAZN afterwards.
"It's the first time he reacted like that, so something happened. Tomori also told me the same thing.
"It's always said when these things happen, nobody deserves that."
Cagliari forward Joao Pedro defended his supporters, having claimed he hadn't borne witness to the alleged incident.
"I didn't hear anything," he said. "It's a very delicate matter, but I was basically in midfield at the time.
"This is not a pleasant situation to talk about, but I have been here for eight years and I will defend the fans because I did not hear anything."
Pedro did however reportedly have a heated exchange with Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the tunnel, as per Sky Sport Italia.
Cagliari have been involved in racist incidents on a number of previous occasions, with opposition players Moise Kean and Romelu Lukaku among those to have been targeted in recent seasons.
Milan's win kept them on course for their first Serie A title since 2011. They hold a three-point advantage over Napoli ahead of the final eight games of the campaign.
Ismael Bennacer scores winner as AC Milan edge out Cagliari
AC Milan secured a narrow 1-0 away win against Cagliari at Unipol Domus to go three points clear at the top of the Serie A table.
Cagliari frustrated the visitors in the first half with their compact shape, but Stefano Pioli’s Milan side were kicking themselves at half-time after missing some clear-cut chances, with the best falling to Olivier Giroud within the first 10 minutes, as he dragged a shot wide from a few yards out.
Milan came out of the traps with more energy in the second period, as Theo Hernandez tested Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno with a fizzing effort from 35-yards in the 51st minute, which was kept out with a fingertip save.
Shortly after, the Rossoneri eventually found what they were looking for in the 58th minute, with a superb finish by Ismael Bennacer. He was set up with a flick by Giroud inside the box, and the Algerian hit the ball first-time with a volley into the bottom corner.
Cagliari tried to go more attacking in the closing stages and hit the crossbar in stoppage time, but Milan held on to reclaim their place at the summit of the league table, displacing Napoli in the process.
The performance that Milan put out tonight in Sardinia was not brilliant, especially when you look at the quality of the opposition. However, Cagliari did put up a fight.
It has been far too familiar this season that the Rossoneri have dropped points to sides in the bottom half of Serie A. Prior to this game, Milan had won just three of their last seven games against sides in the lower reaches of the table. More points were almost squandered tonight as Cagliari smacked the crossbar in stoppage time.
However, these sorts of wins are wins that title successes are built on. Milan dug deep, and showed the character and individual quality to come away with a victory at a stadium with vocal home support. In that sense, Stefano Pioli will surely be delighted.
With Inter once again failing to win, AC Milan now sit three points clear at the top of the table, and have a favourable run of fixtures coming up - at home against Bologna and Genoa, and away at Torino.
A first Scudetto since 2010-11 for Milan is looking like a real possibility if they keep up their current form. Tonight's win saw the Rossoneri extend their unbeaten run to ten matches in all competitions.
Narrow win in Cagliari sends AC Milan clear at the top
AC Milan pulled three points clear of Napoli and six ahead of Inter at the top of the Serie A table on Saturday night, claiming a narrow and hard-fought 1-0 win away to Cagliari.
Ismael Bennacer was the unlikely source of the game’s only goal in the second half, and Milan had a couple of scares late on as they edged a deserved one-goal win.
The Rossoneri started on the front foot and were the only side threatening in the first half, with Theo Hernandez playing a central role in driving forward from deep and leading many of their attacks. Olivier Giroud, though, was relatively quiet in front of Alessio Cragno’s goal.
Things levelled out somewhat in the second half although Milan had the edge for much of it, and finally got their goal as Bennacer finished a fine passing move. The ball was patiently worked to Giroud on the edge of the area and he teed up the midfielder with a slice of luck as the ball bounced kindly for Bennacer to dispatch a volley into the bottom corner.
Milan’s goal lived a charmed life towards the end of the 90 and the Sardinians hit Mike Maignan’s crossbar as they looked to pile late pressure onto their visitors, but the Rossoneri held out for the three points.
Milan are now on 66 points, three clear of Napoli on 63 and six above Inter on 60. The champions do still have a game in hand.
AC Milan wins 1-0 at Cagliari to maintain Serie A
AC Milan is displaying more consistency than its rivals amid a tight race for the Serie A title, Amid a tight race for the Serie A title, AC Milan is displaying more consistency than its rivals.
On a night when defending champion Inter Milan was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Fiorentina, Milan won 1-0 at relegation-threatened Cagliari to extend its unbeaten run to eight matches.
Milan remained three points ahead of Napoli, which came from a goal down to beat visiting Udinese 2-1 earlier Saturday.
On a rainy night in Sardinia, Ismael Bennacer scored with a long-distance volley for Milan near the hour mark. The goal was set up by Olivier Giroud, who failed to take advantage of a prime opportunity early on when he missed the target from close range.
Also in the first half, Milan midfielder Franck Kessie hit the post from long range.
Cagliari nearly equalized in the 90th with a shot from Leonardo Pavoletti that hit the crossbar.
Milan won at Napoli two weeks ago, while Inter has gained only seven points from its last seven matches.
After Gerard Deulofeu had given Udinese an early advantage, Osimhen equalized after the break with a header then won it with one touch by redirecting a cross from Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Oshimhen, who also had a brace in Napoli’s 2-1 win at Hellas Verona last weekend, will miss the team’s next match for accumulated cards.
Udinese was reduced to 10 men in the end when Pablo Mari was sent off with a straight red for a high foul on Piotr Zielinski.
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