Fiorentina Deny AC Milan Second Spot in Serie A

AC Milan missed the possibility to go second in Serie A on Saturday after falling to a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina, ending a current upturn in type for the reigning champions.

Nicolas Gonzalez’s penalty three minutes after the break and a late Luka Jovic header earned Fiorentina the three factors and ended Milan’s four-match successful streak forward of their Champions League showdown at Tottenham on Wednesday.

Theo Hernandez netted in stoppage time for Milan who’re fourth, stage on 47 factors with native rivals Inter forward of their match with Lecce on Sunday.

Stefano Pioli’s facet, with out suspended star attacker Rafael Leao, are one behind Lazio after their beautiful win at runaway leaders Napoli on Friday moved the capital membership second.

Roma will transfer above Milan on aim distinction in the event that they beat Juventus on Sunday night time.

“Fiorentina have been higher than us at this time, however not as a result of our minds have been on Tottenham,” mentioned Pioli to Sky.

“That will be a different match, it’s a knockout game and tonight’s performance won’t affect us, just as Tottenham won’t be affected by their two consecutive defeats.”

Fiorentina in the meantime keep twelfth, stage on 31 factors with Torino, after a win which got here on the fifth anniversary of former Viola captain Davide Astori’s demise.

Astori died in his sleep in a lodge room on this present day in 2018, aged simply 31, when Pioli was in cost at Fiorentina.

The former defender got here via the youth ranks at Milan and was applauded by the greater than 40,000 followers on the Stadio Artemio Franchi when play was stopped in the thirteenth minute in honour of his outdated shirt quantity.

“We had been missing a win in opposition to one of many prime groups however at this time the boys have been superlative, all of them performed with nice high quality and willpower,” Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano told DAZN.

“If we keep playing like this we’ll have some joy between now and the end of the season.”

– Drab draw for Atalanta –

The hosts would have been forward halfway via the primary half had Fikayo Tomori not been readily available to clear Giacomo Bonaventura’s scuffed close-range strike off the road.

But it was the England worldwide who handed Fiorentina the possibility to take the lead when he was spun by Jonathan Ikone after which clumsily introduced down the French attacker in the penalty space.

Gonzalez coolly positioned his spot-kick previous Mike Maignan and from there Fiorentina, pushed by passionate help, hardly ever appeared like being pegged again.

Pietro Terracciano stored out an Olivier Giroud header after which rushed out to disclaim Hernandez simply earlier than the hour mark however aside from the France full-back’s comfort aim that was it from a poor Milan.

They have been nearly saved when referee Marco Di Bello inexplicably gave a penalty for handball when Artur Cabral headed a nook clear in the 78th minute, however the resolution was shortly overturned by Di Bello after checking the pitch-side displays.

And as soon as Jovic dove to go in Dodo’s pinpoint cross with three minutes remaining that was that.

Defeat for Milan will probably be a reduction to Atalanta, whose bid for Champions League soccer took one other hit after a colorless goalless draw with Udinese.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s facet keep sixth and 5 factors off Italy’s prime 4 following an uninspiring efficiency in opposition to their off-form opponents in Bergamo.

Rafael Toloi went closest for the hosts, his dipping strike in the ultimate minute brilliantly tipped away by Marco Silvestri.

Udinese have received simply as soon as since early October and sit ninth, stage on 32 factors with Monza who beat Empoli 2-1 in Saturday’s early match.

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