Tijjani Reijnders gave AC Milan something to cheer about over Christmas with the only goal in their Italian Seria A 1-0 win yesterday at lowly Verona which was marked by more fan protests.
Netherlands midfielder Reijnders lashed in his eighth goal of the season from Milan’s first real chance of the game in the 56th minute, crashing home first-time from Youssouf Fofana’s neat pass.
“It was very important… luckily we won because it was a difficult match, but we got the three points and now we can celebrate Christmas,” Reijnders said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Reijnders’ strike moved Milan up one place to seventh on 26 points, five from the UEFA Champions League positions and 11 behind leaders Atalanta who host Empoli today.
That position is not where supporters expected to be this season under Paulo Fonseca and the away end loudly voiced its dissent throughout the first half.
Chants demanding Gerry Cardinale, founder of Milan’s owners RedBird Capital Partners, to “sell and go” rang around the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, as did others urging the players to “show some balls.”
Milan chairman Paolo Scaroni on Friday said that Redbird are a “committed owner for the long-term” following the announcement of a refinancing of the vendor loan taken out with previous owners Elliott Management when acquiring the club in 2022.
Reijnders has been one of the few consistent bright spots of an otherwise up-and-down season for Milan, whose celebrations for the club’s 125th anniversary were ruined by angry fans barracking players and the ownership.
Milan came into Friday’s game missing a host of key players, including Christian Pulisic and Alvaro Morata, and lost Rafael Leao to a left hamstring knock in the first half.
Leao was replaced by Theo Hernandez who was once again dropped to the bench despite Fonseca, whose job is reported to be under threat, insisting that the France full-back is not being punished for having a poor attitude.
“I just spoke to Rafa and I don’t think it’s anything serious,” Fonseca told DAZN. “We’ll know more tomorrow but it [taking him off] was more a preventative measure because he didn’t want to take any risks.”
A narrow defeat for Verona leaves Paolo Zanetti’s team one point and place above the relegation zone.
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Aaron Civale got a little wild in the right-hander’s first start for the Chicago White Sox two days after he was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers. Civale on Sunday walked four of the first seven hitters he faced in a 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old finished with four walks, one off his career high, while allowing six hits and two runs in five innings. He threw 65 strikes and 39 balls. Chicago trailed 2-1 when he was replaced by Dan Altavilla to start the sixth. “Not the cleanest,” Civale said. “It’s been a whirlwind of a week. First couple
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
DOMINANT JUVENTUS: Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both scored braces as Juventus made a statement in their opener with a big win over Al-Ain Phil Foden on Wednesday scored two minutes into the match and later had an assist to lead Premier League powerhouse Manchester City past Moroccan club Wydad AC 2-0 at the FIFA Club World Cup. City broke Wydad’s five-man defensive line early when Foden scored on a deflected cross by goalkeeper El Mehdi Benabid. Jeremy Doku doubled City’s lead in the 42nd minute off a corner-kick from Foden. Shortly afterward, an animal-rights advocate ran onto the field to protest Morocco’s treatment of stray dogs and cats. The man was tackled by security workers and escorted out of Lincoln Financial Field, which was just over
RSS