Juventus 0, Milan 0: Saved By Zero

The expectations for this match were low, given Milan's recent form and all the players and fans missing. So it's difficult to say whether or not a 0-0 draw vs. Juve met or exceeded those expectations. Certainly a clean sheet and a point against the team just below us on the table is better than losing or even drawing to a team much lower on the table. But with both managers under fire for underperforming squads, it was not exactly a match that was particularly entertaining. Sportiello had six saves, but Milan had zero shots on target at the other end. So in a strange way, Milan were saved by zero.

Epic performances.

Juventus-Milan Preview: Running On Empty

Saturday evening, Milan travel to Turin to take on Juventus after what has arguably been the most difficult few weeks for Milan this season. After being knocked out of the Europa League by Roma last week, our Primavera losing the UEFA Youth League Final on Monday evening, then losing the Derby to Inter Monday night for them to secure what they believe is their 20th Scudetto, now we have to face Juventus. If you recall, last year, Juventus' points deduction was announced the same week we faced them in this fixture. You know, the points deduction and eventual UEFA ban that led to us getting a Champions League spot this year? But I'm sure they've forgiven us. Oh, and we're missing three out of four of our starting defenders, and our Curva Sud are boycotting this match, too. So we face an angry Juve side in their house, while we are literally running on empty.

"All you need is love..." although it didn't help us in October.

Milan 1, Inter 2: Sweep It Under the Carpet

As expected, Milan lost another Derby 2-1 to the organized crime family known as Inter. And while the Curva Sud Milano always impresses with their coreografia, this one may have actually been their most clever one yet. Copying a famous Banksy piece noted for its commentary on the problems we never talk about, the Curva entitled this one "Nothing Changes." The commentary the Curva were making was Inter's claiming 20 Scudetti, after infamously awarding themselves a "paper Scudetto" in 2006, the same year this Banksy work first appeared. They used cardboard stars to represent the two stars Inter will now wear on their kits, and the rats seemed to be a direct response to Inter's lame coreo from the September Derby in which they accused Milanisti of being rodents who crawled out of a manhole. And the coreo was just the tip of the iceberg as Milan fans aimed to remind everyone of Inter's many wrongs, while the Nerazzurri attempted to sweep it under the carpet. 

Nothing changes.

UEFA Youth League Final and Milan-Inter Derby Preview: Pleasure and Pain

Milan fans have been on an intense emotional ride this past week. On Thursday, Milan was knocked out of the Europa League by Roma in a match that can only be described as watching a trainwreck while your dentist gives you a root canal and your significant other breaks up with you. And carrying that trauma, also the dread of knowing the Derby was coming on Monday. But then, on Friday, our Primavera side knocked Porto U19 out of the UEFA Youth League Semifinal on penalties, becoming the first Italian team to ever qualify for the UEFA Youth League Final. Which is also coming on Monday. So, basically all of the opposite feelings as the previous night. And, most likely, this was a preview of what our Monday will be like... a mixture of exquisite pleasure and pain.

One man to ruin it all? Or in their darkness bind them?

AS Roma 2, AC Milan 1: Thrown to the Wolves

Milan have never won the Europa League trophy, but we have won the Champions League seven times. I would like to blame that fact for our excruciating exit from the Quarterfinals at the hands of the fifth place Serie A team that is 14 points below us on the table, but I don't think that was our problem. After a match that was conditioned by poor referee calls last week left us 1-0 down last week, Milan's proverbial back was up against the wall. In these situations, Pioli usually does one of two things: prepare the perfect match and win, or break the panic button because he hits it so hard. His prematch comments about his choices were worrying, because as soon as the starting lineups were released, it was clear that somewhere, a panic button had lost its life. The team never stood a chance with his choices, even with Roma going down to ten men, they were literally thrown to the wolves.

After being mauled by wolves, the team faced the Curva, who chanted at them.

Europa League Quarterfinal • AS Roma-AC Milan Preview: When In Rome

Last week, Milan's seven match winning streak was broken by an early goal scored after a wrong referee call, as well as a lack of a penalty that could have at least atoned for the first error, so Roma lead this tie 1-0 as we head to the capital. Credit to Roma, as De Rossi has woken up his players from their Mourinho-induced slumber and has created a new mentality in his team. He also spoke of having studied Milan's losses to Inter last season as inspiration for his tactics in the first leg, which was certainly not a bad idea at all. However, for all that he is criticized for, Pioli does actually know what he is doing, and often gets the team to come up big in matches like this, when his back is up against the wall. So if De Rossi has his Roman soldiers pumped, Pioli will have our Milan players ready for battle. Because, as they say, "When in Rome..."

When in Rome, do as De Rossi the Romans do...

Sassuolo 3, Milan 3: Margin of Error

While Sassuolo have been known to hurt Milan in the past, no one hurt Milan more than themselves in this match. Well, except for perhaps technology. VAR was supposedly instituted only to reverse "clear and obvious errors" by the head referee. At least until Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) was introduced. By using twelve different camera angles, ball sensors and AI technology, almost immediately, the VAR referees can have a visual that shows whether or not the player was offside. This match officially ended in a 3-3 draw with Sassuolo, but Chukwueze had not just one, but two goals called back for offside that together measured a total of 2 centimeters offside. The original margin of error for SAOT was 3 centimeters –  for each call. So, while Milan players made plenty of actual errors themselves that led to conceding three goals, we were robbed of a 5-3 victory and all three points literally by a margin of error.

Chukwueze was so devastating that he had two goals ruled offside for the width of that wrinkle on his sleeve.

Sassuolo-Milan Preview: Sweet Memories

Just about two years ago, on a May evening in Emilia-Romagna, Milan defeated Sassuolo 3-0 to win their 19th Scudetto. Now Milan return to the Mapei Stadium in second place on the table, while Sassuolo languish second from the bottom. Many of the players from that squad have moved on, but a number of them are still here. And the infamous table-flipping, cigar-smoking leader of that Scudetto campaign now works for RedBird as an advisor. While Pioli will need to focus on winning this match to shore up the team's mentality before the Europa League Quarterfinals second leg on Thursday, I am sure that returning to this stadium will bring back sweet memories. 

Fond memories, but Milan need to win again, even if only for second best.

AC Milan 0, AS Roma 1: Down, But Not Out

Milan players are probably so grateful for Atalanta's shock 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield, because that has deflected much of the media attention away from Milan's 1-0 loss to Roma at the San Siro. Although they might want a little more attention paid to Clément Turpin and his team's abysmal job refereeing, specifically the error that led to the Roma goal, and the failure to call what looked like a handball against Roma late in the game that would have given Milan a penalty, for example. However, Milan's performance was not great, and that was as obvious as the referee errors. So, with the second leg left to play in Rome, Milan are a goal down, but not out.

Frustration and regrets the theme of this match.

Europa League Quarterfinal •AC Milan-AS Roma Preview: Wolf Invasion

For the second year in a row, Milan are facing Italian opposition in the Quarterfinals of a European competition. Last year, it was the league leaders, Napoli, in the Champions League, and this year, it is Roma in the Europa League. While Milan won both contests against Roma in Serie A this season, that was Mourinho's Roma. In fact, it was after our 3-1 win over Roma in January that Mourinho was sacked. Roma took a chance and hired former Roma bandiera Daniele DeRossi as their new manager, and since then, Roma have won eight of their 11 league matches, with only one loss, and also progressed to these Europa League Quarterfinals. So this challenge will be more difficult than our previous meetings this season. Milan need to prepare for a wolf invasion.

They are either gossiping about Roma players, planning a set piece, or preparing for a wolf invasion.

Milan 3, Lecce 0: Crushed It

Afternoon matches against teams with new managers who are also fighting relegation are really the most terrifying for Milan fans recently, with only maybe Derbies striking more dread into our hearts before kickoff. However, Milan made easy work of Lecce in their 3-0 win, a job made even easier by a first half red card for the visitors. That also made Milan's seventh win in a row in all competitions, something Milan surprisingly have not done since 2006. It was a little painful to watch, as it was somewhat soul-crushing for the Salentini, but Milan played with joy and freedom. They showed up and they completely crushed it.

Crushed it.

Milan-Lecce Preview: The Afternoon Shift

Ahead of our Europa League Quarterfinal clash next week, Milan have an afternoon match on Saturday against 13th place Lecce. With our recent form, this might seem like a formality, but we have seen the danger in complacency, or underestimating opponents in the lower half of the table. Not only that, but Lecce are sitting at the top of seven teams all within five points of one another battling to avoid two of the three relegation spots. Meaning they are desperate for points. So this match could go either way – Milan could enhance their mentality by winning yet another match, or Lecce could cause us to drop points as they battle for their Serie A lives. It is unlikely to be just another afternoon shift.

Hopefully Maignan is ready to put in another brilliant shift like last week's.