AC Milan advance to UEFA Champions League semifinals after eliminating Napoli with 1-1 draw as Rafa Leao stars

AC Milan are in the semifinals after knocking out Napoli

After winning 1-0 in the first leg in Milan, AC Milan drew 1-1 the second leg away against Napoli and qualified for the UEFA Champions League semifinals for the first time in sixteen years. It was a historical night for the Rossoneri, as the team coached by Stefano Pioli managed to draw in Naples with an incredible performance of Portuguese striker Rafael Leao, who assisted Olivier Giroud after a stunning run that completely changed the course of the game.

Napoli started off well, repeating what happened in the first leg, and threatened to score the opening goal with some individual plays by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen in particular, but the first half had the first twist when the referee awarded a penalty to the away side. However, Olivier Giroud missed it and gave more unexpected hopes to Napoli. The Azzurri, however, seemed to be affected psychologically by this event, shaken up by conceding the penalty even though it wasn't converted, and instead of finding the opening goal they conceded it. Before Leao's run and Giroud's opening goal, Napoli were also forced to make a double change with Matteo Politano and Mario Rui injured. 

Twenty3

After finding the winning goal, AC Milan would handle their two-goal advantage in the tie well in the second half and Napoli had few chances but nothing that could actually worry the away team. Before the end of the game Napoli were awarded a penalty, but AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan saved it from Kvaratskhelia. In the last minute of the game, Osimhen found the equalizer but it was too late and the game ended 1-1. 

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One game, two penalties missed and two goals scored. AC Milan are in the final four for the first time since 2007, when they last won the Champions League after winning against Liverpool in the final. Wednesday they will find out who they will play against, and we can potentially have the Derby della Madonnina in the semifinals as happened in the 2002-03 season, when the Rossoneri won the competition after winning at penalties against Juventus in Manchester. 

Napoli have one issue to solve

Luciano Spalletti had to deal with two key absences as Kim Min-Jae and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa were both suspended and missed the second leg. Their replacements, Juan Jesus and Tanguy Ndombele in particular, showed that Napoli's backups are not at the level of the starting players. Ndombele's mistake led to the incredible run of Rafael Leao, but his overall performance showed that Napoli needed a player like Anguissa in that part of the pitch. The squad depth is one thing to work on for the club in the summer, because these quarterfinals demonstrated that there is room for improvement from this aspect. Ndombele had to press when Napoli were defending but also create when Napoli had the ball. He was not able to give what Anguissa usually does in both defensive and attacking moments of the game and it's not a coincidence that Luciano Spalletti was reluctant to start him in past games. For sure, that Napoli didn't make it to the final four, isn't *only* because of him, but probably this match showed that Napoli need another kind of player when Anguissa is not starting. 

Rafael Leao: the key player 

Once again Rafael Leao was the key player against Napoli. His assist, and his incredible run, decided the second leg in Naples and he's probably currently among the most decisive players around European soccer. In ten Champions League games, he scored only one goal but also provided five key assists, including two against Napoli, one each in both first and second leg. He's bringing what AC Milan need: pace, creativity and talent. He has all he needs to shine even more, but AC Milan now need to take care of his contract situation since his current agreement will expire in the summer 2024. While the club and his agents are working to fix this situation, he's definitely happy to be where he is. And AC Milan fans are as well. 

AC Milan back in the top four

The Rossoneri are back in the top four for the first time since season 2006-07 when they won their last Champions League, winning the final against Liverpool. On Wednesday, AC Milan will know who they will play against but there are big chances to see a Derby della Madonnina in the semifinals as Inter won 2-0 in the first leg against Benfica. The Milan derby could also mean the re-match of the 2002-03 semifinals, when AC Milan eliminated Inter after two draws (0-0 and 1-1) and then later won the cup after beating Juventus on penalties, in what is probably going to be one of the most exciting matchups of the recent editions of the UEFA Champions League. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 2:54 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

FT: Napoli 1, AC Milan 1 (Agg: 1-2)

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:58 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

THIS IS IT! 

AC Milan drew 1-1 and the Rossoneri are in the semifinals where they will face the winner of Inter vs. Benfica. We might have the European version of the Milan derby next month! 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:57 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

GOAL - Osimhen scores

Last minute, last goal of the game? Victor Osimhen scored a late one here... 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:46 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

SAVED! Kvaratskhelia missed it

No way, another penalty saved! This time is Kvaratskhelia who missed it. Once again, Maignan was crucial tonight. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:44 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

Penalty for Napoli!

The referee awards a penalty after the handball of Fikayo Tomori. We might have an interesting end of the game here in Naples. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:35 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

20 minutes to go

Napoli are trying to create chances but didn't really create issues to Mike Maignan in the past minutes. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:22 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

First change for Pioli

AC Milan make the first substitution as Brahim Diaz is replaced by Junior Messias while Ndombele is replaced by Elmas. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:22 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

Another chance

Kvaratskhelia has another chance here and went close to score the equalizer, but he could also passed it to Osimhen. Napoli still need to score at least twice. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:10 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

Kvara close 

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was close to score his first goal of the game but his attempt went close. Napoli are still in the game, let's see how it goes. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 4:08 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

We're back 

The second half started at the Maradona: Napoli have to score at least two goals to bring the game to the extra time. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:52 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

HT: AC Milan 1, Napoli 0

A lot happened in these first 45 minutes, as Olivier Giroud missed a penalty before scoring the opening goal of the game after an incredible run of Rafael Leao. Napoli had some chances but failed to score, while Spalletti was forced to replace both Politano and Mario Rui due to injuries. AC Milan are now two goals ahead on aggregate and 45 minutes away from the semifinals! 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:44 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

GOAL - Giroud scores! 

AC Milan are ahead! Olivier Giroud scored after an incredible run from Rafael Leao. Napoli have to score at least two goals now to go to the extra time. The Rossoneri have a two-goals advantage. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:34 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

Two injuries for Napoli 

Luciano Spalletti is forced to make two changes as Matteo Politano and Mario Rui are both injured and are forced to be replaced by Hirving Lozano and Mathias Oliveira. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:29 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

Big save for Meret

Another huge save by the Napoli goalkeeper with Olivier Giroud again that missed a great opportunity in front of the Italian goalkeeper. Napoli are now conceding too much. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:23 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

SAVED - Giroud misses! 

Olivier Giroud missed the penalty! Still 0-0 at the Maradona... what a game!! And what a save by Meret. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:22 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

Penalty AC Milan!

Penalty for AC Milan: that was totally unexpected. Mario Rui arrived late on Leao and it's a clear penalty for the away team. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:14 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

Chance for Napoli 

The home side is putting more pressure to the AC Milan defense and Politano had a chance from outside the box, but his attempt went outside. This is a fun game to watch so far. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:09 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

Napoli already pushing

Very good start for the home team that had already two chances to score the first goal of the match, but Mike Maignan was not involved so far. Napoli, as we could predict, are pushing a lot to score the opening goal in this first minutes of the game. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 3:01 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

KICK-OFF

We're underway at the Maradona: the second leg has started! 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 2:39 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

20 minutes to go

Twenty minutes and we will be ready for the kick off. The atmosphere inside the stadium is absolutely electric. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 11:44 am ET · Francesco Porzio]

Team news

Napoli XI: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Mario Rui; Ndombele, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.

AC Milan XI: Maignan; Calabria, Kjaer, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Tonali, Krunic; Diaz, Bennacer, Leao; Giroud. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 1:33 pm ET · Francesco Porzio]

The teams are here!

Look at the atmosphere outside the stadium... 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 11:48 am ET · Francesco Porzio]

What to know

• Napoli are unbeaten in 12 home UEFA Champions League games (9-3-0), since a 4-2 defeat by Manchester City on Matchday 4 in 2017-18. The Italian club won only two of their four home games in last season's UEFA Europa League, however, losing the others.
  
• AC Milan have not conceded in 506 minutes of Champions League football, since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's 34th-minute goal in Chelsea's 2-0 win at San Siro on Matchday 4.

[Apr 18, 2023 at 11:48 am ET · Francesco Porzio]

Last meeting

The first leg of this tie was the clubs' first meeting in UEFA competition. Napoli were 2-1 winners in Serie A at San Siro in September as Matteo Politano's 55th-minute penalty opened the scoring for the visitors before Olivier Giroud leveled 14 minutes later, but substitute Giovanni Simeone struck with twelve minutes left to give Napoli victory. That was the third in a sequence of eleven successive Serie A wins for Napoli, setting a new club record. But lately, it's been all Milan.

Milan turned the tables in style in Naples on April 2, recording a 4-0 victory thanks to two goals from Rafael Leao and one a piece from Brahim Diaz and substitute Alexis Saelemaekers. That was Napoli's biggest defeat in all competitions since a 5-1 Serie A loss at Atalanta in 2007 and their biggest home loss since they went down 5-1 against Bologna, also in Serie A, back in 2000. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 11:47 am ET · Francesco Porzio]

Two key absences  

Napoli will have striker Victor Osimhen back in the squad, but Luciano Spalletti's side will have to deal with two key absences, defender Kim-min Jae and midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa are both suspended and will miss the second leg on Tuesday. 

[Apr 18, 2023 at 11:46 am ET · Francesco Porzio]

How to watch and odds

• Date: Tuesday, Apr. 18 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
• Location: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona -- Naples, Italy
• TV and live stream: Paramount+
• Odds: Napoli -130; Draw: +250; AC Milan +380 (via Caesars Sportsbook)

[Apr 18, 2023 at 11:46 am ET · Francesco Porzio]

Welcome to Naples!

Hello and welcome from Francesco Porzio. AC Milan will face Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples today. The Rossoneri won 1-0 the first leg and have two results out of three today after Ismael Bennacer's winning goal at San Siro. The winner of this matchup will face either Inter or Benfica in the semifinals.