AC Milan secured a point against Juventus on Saturday evening after a good defensive display, though sacrificing their attack in the process. Indeed, taking a look at the stats from the game, it’s clear where the focus was.
The Rossoneri maintained their five-point lead over Juventus in the standings and with four games remaining, the feeling is that they will finish top two. Genoa are up next and Theo Hernandez as well as Fikayo Tomori will be back from suspension.
It was a good result for the standings, but most fans will agree that it was a very dull performance by Milan. From the moment the referee blew his whistle, defending was the priority and while Stefano Pioli succeeded in this sense, more can be required.
Having zero shots on target simply isn’t good enough and once again, Milan’s inability to perform on both ends of the pitch this season was highlighted. The stats below also show that Juventus were very dominant and perhaps should have scored a goal as well.
The stats from the draw against Juventus pic.twitter.com/Kd8wwcxdUv
— MilanData (@acmilandata) April 27, 2024
It has been a tough season for Malick Thiaw with many ups and downs, mainly due to injuries, but yesterday he was able to respond. He was named the MOTM in our player ratings after winning the duel with Dusan Vlahovic.
In the dying minutes of the game, he also made a goal-line clearance. The stats certainly warrant the MOTM award, with 100% passing accuracy and nine duels won. It was very nice to see him back at a high level and he certainly showcased his potential.
Malick Thiaw vs. Juventus…
➤ 90 minutes
➤ 6 clearances (1 off the line)
➤ 7 tackles
➤ 9 duels won
➤ 56 touches
➤ 100% passing accuracy (39/39) pic.twitter.com/H5pJhrarEp— MilanData (@acmilandata) April 27, 2024
Rafael Leao wore the captain’s armband from start yesterday, only for the second time this season, and it was a very disappointing display from him. He lost possession 19 times and failed six out of seven attempted dribbles, which is far from his standard.
Pioli had been hoping for a Verona-esque boost, as he scored the winner when he first wore the armband this season. Milan’s defensive approach to the game didn’t exactly help the winger, we should point out, but he can still do a lot better.
Against Juventus, Rafael Leao wore the captain's armband from start for the second time this season. He was dispossessed 19 times and only succeeded with one out of seven attempted dribbles. pic.twitter.com/GSUKJNCxeF
— MilanData (@acmilandata) April 28, 2024
Thanks to the draw, Milan took their points tally up to 70 for the season and thus equalled last season’s result. There are still four games left of the season so the Rossoneri could reach 82 points, which would indeed be a significant improvement.
The hope is that they can do even better next season under a new manager, with Pioli certain to leave the club in the summer. There have been disappointments this season, such as the Europa League exit, but at least Milan have been relatively stable in the league.
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