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Tag: AC MILAN

  • AC Milan equal 72-year-old Barca goal record

    AC Milan equal 72-year-old Barca goal record

    AC Milan’s superb form in Serie A this season has seen the club write themselves into the history books following their 3-2 victory against Lazio on Wednesday, as Stefano Pioli’s side continue to establish their serious Scudetto bona-fides.

    The Rossoneri have been among the pacesetters in the Italian top flight, with serious daylight already between the top two of them and rivals Inter, and the rest of the chasing pack, including incumbent title holders Juventus.

    The Bianconeri’s midweek defeat to Fiorentina on Tuesday meant that, heading into their last match ahead of Christmas, Pioli’s side remained the only unbeaten outfit across Europe’s top five leagues.

    With their win at San Siro, they added another notch to their cap for the 2020-21 campaign, becoming the first side for over 70 years to score two-plus goals in at least 15 consecutive games over a single calendar year across the same clutch of competitions.

    Goal

  • AC Milan forward scores fastest-ever Serie A goal

    AC Milan forward scores fastest-ever Serie A goal

    Rafael Leao scored the fastest goal in Serie A history as AC Milan netted after just six seconds of their game at Sassuolo on Sunday.

    The Portuguese forward, 21, took Hakan Calhanoglu’s pass in his stride to stroke the league leaders ahead virtually from the kick-off.

    Leao’s goal beat the record of 8.9 seconds set by Piacenza’s Paolo Poggi against Fiorentina on 2 December 2001.

    Milan were a point clear of city rivals Inter at the top going into the game.

    Belgium midfielder Alexis Saelemaekers added a second midway through the first half to double Milan’s lead against their sixth-placed hosts.

  • ‘Ibrahimovic is like an umbrella’ – AC Milan chief

    ‘Ibrahimovic is like an umbrella’ – AC Milan chief

    Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is like an umbrella at AC Milan, according to CEO Ivan Gazidis – sheltering younger players from outside pressure and helping them develop.

    Ibrahimovic has had a transformative effect since returning to San Siro, with Milan top of the Serie A table as the New Year nears.

    Ibrahimovic is Milan’s top scorer with 10 goals to his name this season but younger players like Jens Petter Hauge, Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leao have also made important contributions.

    As far as Gazidis is concerned, Ibrahimovic’s presence has been a breath of fresh air.

    “The thing I am very happy about is the leadership we are showing, not only in Zlatan who obviously is like an umbrella for all players, he feels comfortable withstanding pressure and helping young players to grow,” he told Sky Sports. “Zlatan continues to call himself Benjamin Button, continues to rejuvenate.

  • AC Milan fight back again to salvage draw at Genoaa

    AC Milan fight back again to salvage draw at Genoaa

    AC Milan twice came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw at relegation-battling Genoa on Wednesday and cling on to top spot in Serie A.

    Genoa striker Mattia Destro scored twice in the second half but on both occasions the hosts were soon pegged back, thanks to goals from Davide Calabria and Pierre Kalulu.

    Milan, who came from 2-0 down to draw with Parma on Sunday, lacked fluency in the absence of injured or rested players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Theo Hernandez, Simon Kjaer and Ismael Bennacer.

    But the draw kept the Rossoneri top of the Serie A standings with 28 points and continued their unbeaten run in the league this season, although neighbours Inter Milan are just one point behind in second after beating Napoli.

    Genoa moved above Torino into 18th place, but they remain three points adrift of safety.

    The game was a slow burner until Destro pounced on a Gianluigi Donnarumma parry to tap in from close range and open the floodgates to a goal-filled second half.

    Calabria drew Milan level with a superb diagonal strike from outside the area before Destro struck again when he rose to head in a cross and Kalulu came to Milan’s rescue seven minutes from time.

    The 20-year-old’s first goal for the club saw Stefano Pioli’s side set a new record by scoring at least twice in 14 consecutive Serie A games, bettering the run of Torino in 1948.

    Elsewhere, struggling Fiorentina earned a 1-1 draw at home to fifth-placed Sassuolo, while Bologna fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Spezia.

    Sampdoria won 2-1 at Hellas Verona and Parma played out a goalless draw with Cagliari.

  • Serie A: How I managed to transform Milan mentality – Ibrahimovic

    Serie A: How I managed to transform Milan mentality – Ibrahimovic

    AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has spoken of how he has changed the mentality at San Siro.

    The Rossonero now sit top of the table, with Ibrahimovic a massive influence on the club’s revival since his January arrival from LA Galaxy.

    He told UEFA’s website: “The first question they asked me when I returned to Milan was related to all the former players who had returned here and had not returned according to expectations, unable to repeat what they did in their first experience.

    “What was the difference in my case? I simply replied that I have never lost the passion for what I do. Every time I go out on the pitch, I feel like a child eating a candy for the first time. I understand that the ball is my best friend and I want to be with my best friend for the rest of my life.

    “Life is all about challenges. I felt I had done enough and started thinking about whether to continue or not. It was a big challenge for me to come back here to try to change the mentality, to try to change the situation and to convey to the team what Milan was. The Milan that I know, the Milan that the whole world knows.

    “When I play I bring my character, my personality and obviously my quality onto the pitch. I put a lot of pressure on my teammates, I try to get the most out of each of them. Some take it well, others a little less, others can’t stand it. They get into trouble because they perform at a high level only when necessary, instead I decide that we have to do it every day. For me the way you train is the way you play.”

  • Ibrahimovic misses another penalty kick, but grabs equaliser in AC Milan draw

    Ibrahimovic misses another penalty kick, but grabs equaliser in AC Milan draw

    AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed a penalty kick for the third time this season as his team struggled to draw 2-2 at home to Verona on Sunday.

    The Swede went on to score a stoppage time equaliser as the Serie A leaders hit back to draw.

    Beaten 3-0 by Lille in the Europa League on Thursday, AC Milan trailed 2-0 after less than 20 minutes.

    Antonin Barak scored for the visitors and Davide Calabria put through his own goal.

    AC Milan pulled one back with a Giangiacomo Magnani own goal in the 27th minute.

    They should have equalised midway through the second half when they were awarded a penalty kick, but Ibrahimovic sent a wild effort flying over the bar.

    But, after Calabria had a 90th minute goal disallowed following a VAR review, Ibrahimovic headed in the equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time.

    It was his eighth goal of the season, leaving AC Milan with 17 points from seven games.

  • AC Milan striker, Ibrahimovic tests positive for Covid-19

    AC Milan striker, Ibrahimovic tests positive for Covid-19

    AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has tested positive for coronavirus, the Serie A club have confirmed.

    The announcement comes just hours before Milan are due to take on Norwegian side FK Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League third qualifying round on Thursday.

    The club say that they have informed the “relevant authorities” and that Ibrahimovic will now enter a period of quarantine at home.

    Milan added that no other members of the squad have tested positive in the latest round of testing, although defender Leo Duarte did return a positive result on Wednesday and has already begun isolating.

    Ibrahimovic has scored three goals in Milan’s first two games of the season, including both in their 2-0 win over Bologna in their first Serie A match of the season.

    The 38-year-old former Sweden international signed a new one-year deal at the San Siro this summer following his successful return to the club from the LA Galaxy in January.

  • La Liga: Hard to leave Madrid for AC Milan – Modric

    La Liga: Hard to leave Madrid for AC Milan – Modric

    Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modrid says he sees himself playing out his days at Santiago Bernabeu.

    The Ballon d’Or has been linked with a late career move to Italy, where AC Milan are keen.

    But Modri told Gazzetta dello Sport: “AC Milan? When you get to Real Madrid, it’s hard to think of going anywhere else. If it hadn’t gone well in Madrid, I would have seen myself in Serie A.

    “But, honestly, Madrid has always been the priority. Retire at Real Madrid? I’m sure I can play at a high level for another two years, so we’ll see. I would like to end my career at Real Madrid, but it will depend on the club.”

  • Chelsea midfielder eye AC Milan return

    Chelsea midfielder eye AC Milan return

    Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko fancies a return to AC Milan next season.

    The France international is currently on-loan with AS Monaco to the end of this campaign.

    However, Bakayoko faces returning to Chelsea this summer as Monaco aren’t expected to seek a permanent deal.

    Instead, Bakayoko will have to find himself a new club, with Blues manager Frank Lampard also not counting on him.

    Calciomercato.com says the midfielder favours a return to Milan, where he spent last season on-loan.

    A January move was close to being realised before midfielder Franck Kessie chose to remain with the Rossonero.

  • Paolo Maldini’s son makes Serie A debut

    Paolo Maldini’s son makes Serie A debut

    Daniel Maldini, son of AC Milan legend Paolo and grandson of the similarly feted Cesare, made his Serie A debut in a 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona.

    Unlike his family predecessors, who were both defenders, 18-year-old Daniel is an attacking midfielder.

    Cesare won four Italian titles during his time as a player, then had two spells as Milan manager.

    Paolo, whose 647 games is a Serie A record, won the league seven times as well as five Champions League titles.

    Another of Paolo’s sons, Christian, played for Milan at youth level and is now plying his trade in the Italian lower leagues.

    Davide Faraoni’s opener for Verona was cancelled out by Hakan Calhanoglu at the San Siro.

    Although the away side had Sofyan Amrabat sent off in the 68th minute, Milan could not force a winner, and sit eighth in Serie A, seven points behind the top four.