AC Milan – Football Flame

19Apr

By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

AC Milan, Olivier Giroud, UCL

Milan see off Napoli to reach semi-finals

Olivier Giroud of AC Milan celebrates after scoring to give the side a 1-0 lead during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg match between SSC Napoli and AC Milan at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 18, 2023 in Naples, Italy.AC Milan reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since winning the competition in 2007 as they saw off Serie A rivals Napoli in an incident-packed game. Milan could face Inter Milan in the last four, with their city rivals going into Wednesday’s second leg with Benfica holding a 2-0 lead. Serie A champions-elect Napoli dominated early on – but Milan won a penalty with one of their first attacks, although Olivier Giroud’s spot-kick was saved by Alex Meret. The veteran Frenchman got the opening goal, though, to make it 2-0 on a...

16Apr

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, Tomasso Pobega, UCL

Pobega baffled by Milan struggles as Serie A dip continues

Tommaso Pobega of AC Milan looks dejected during the Serie A match between Bologna FC and AC MIlan at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara on April 15, 2023 in Bologna, Italy. Milan midfielder Tomasso Pobega bemoaned a missed opportunity in Serie A against Bologna. Stefano Pioli’s side fell behind with just 33 seconds played, with Pobega equalising five minutes before the break with a thunderous strike. Despite dominating proceedings, Milan were unable to find a winner in the game and dropping points opens the door to rivals Inter and Atalanta in the hunt for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification. Having been held to a draw, Milan could end the weekend outside of the top four and have testing fixtures to finish the season – including a trip to face Juventus on the final day. While t...

15Apr

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, NEWS, Ricardo Kaka

Kaka Hopes to Emulate Maldini in Managerial Capacity

AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini (R), Filippo Inzaghi (C), and Kaka (R) celebrate their team's win over Argentina's Boca Juniors at the Club World Cup final in Yokohama, 16 December 2007. AC Milan won the match 4-2.Ricardo Kaka spent six wonderful years in the Rossoneri colours playing alongside Paolo Maldini, as the duo went on to conquer Italy and Europe in remarkable manner. In an exclusive interview with Radio Rossonera (via MilanNews, the Brazilian trequartista revealed the admiration he possesses for the legendary left-back, who many consider to be the greatest ever in that position. “I’m delighted to see Paolo who is doing very well as a manager. Not that I already knew it, but I already imagined it since he was playing . For how he is made, for his will, for his character and fo...

13Apr

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, Champions League, Ismael Bennacer

Bennacer gives Milan first-leg lead over Napoli

Ismael Bennacer of AC Milan celebrates with his teammates after scoring the team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 12, 2023 in Milan, Italy.Ismael Bennacer’s first-half goal gave AC Milan a slender advantage over Napoli in the first leg of their all-Italian Champions League quarter-final. The Algeria midfielder struck home from the edge of the area after Braham Diaz broke superbly on the halfway line. Napoli had Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa sent off in the second half and were well held by an organised Milan. Milan also came close to a second goal when Simon Kjaer’s header bounced off the underside of the bar. Napoli, in the Champions League last eight for the first time, were s...

3Apr

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, Rafael Leao, SERIE A

AC Milan prove that they can best Napoli

Rafael Leao of AC Milan celebrates after scoring goal 0-3 during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AC MIlan at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 2, 2023 in Naples, Italy. AC Milan’s surprising and dominant 4-0 win against Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday means that the UEFA Champions League’s quarterfinals between the two Italian sides may be more competitive than originally thought. Before Sunday, Napoli were considered the the favourites to win the European clash but this defeat at home completely changes the scenario about the quarterfinals just over a week away. Despite losing their third game of the Serie A season (after Inter away and Lazio at home before the break), Napoli are still well positioned to win the title for the first time ...

19Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, SERIE A, Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Ibrahimovic is oldest Serie A scorer in AC Milan loss

Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan has an attempt at goal with a header during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and AC Milan at the Dacia Arena on March 18, 2023 in Udine, Italy. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has become the oldest scorer in Serie A history at age 41 but had little else to celebrate after defending champions AC Milan were beaten 3-1 at Udinese. Saturday’s result extended Milan’s winless streak to three matches in the Italian league. Roberto Pereyra, Beto and Kingsley Ehizibue scored for Udinese. Milan were beaten by Fiorentina and held to a draw by Salernitana in their previous two Serie A matches, while advancing to the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-0 aggregate win over Tottenham. They missed the chance to jump to second and remained fourth with 48 points, a...

9Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, Champions League, Divock Origi, Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs out of Champions League after Milan shutout

Ben Davies of Tottenham Hotspur in between Malick Thiaw of AC Milan and Divock Origi of AC Milan during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg two match between Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 8, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League campaign ended in bitterly disappointing fashion as they failed to overturn a first-leg deficit in the last 16 against AC Milan. Spurs paid the price for another passive start that allowed Milan to settle into their task – the misery complete when defender Cristian Romero was sent off late on after receiving a second yellow card for a wild challenge on Theo Hernandez. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg tested AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan with a powerful second-half shot and Harry Kane headed wide, ...

5Mar

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, Nicolas Gonzalez, SERIE A

Fiorentina deny Milan second spot in Serie A

Nicolas Gonzalez of ACF Fiorentina celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and AC MIlan at Stadio Artemio Franchi on March 4, 2023 in Florence, Italy.Milan missed the chance to go second in Serie A on Saturday after falling to a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina, ending a recent upturn Qin form for the reigning champions.Nicolas Gonzalez’s penalty three minutes after the break and a late Luka Jovic header earned Fiorentina the three points and ended Milan’s four-match winning streak ahead of their Champions League showdown at Tottenham on Wednesday. Theo Hernandez netted in stoppage time for Milan who are fourth, level on 47 points with local rivals Inter ahead of their match with Lecce on Sunday. Stefano Pioli’s side, without suspended star attacke...

27Feb

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, SERIE A, Zlatan Ibrahimovic

AC Milan welcome Zlatan Ibrahimovic back in 2-0 win over Atalanta

Junior Messias of AC Milan (L) celebrates with teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic after scoring to give the side a 2-0 lead during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Atalanta BC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 26, 2023 in Milan, Italy.A scorching volley from Theo Hernandez led to the opening goal, Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his season debut and goalkeeper Mike Maignan returned after five months out during an encouraging 2-0 win for AC Milan over Atalanta in the Italian league on Sunday. The victory moved the defending Serie A champion level on points with second-place Inter Milan, which lost 1-0 at Bologna, 18 points behind runaway leader Napoli. Hernandez opened the scoring midway through the first half at the San Siro with a long-distance effort that ricocheted off the post then hi...

15Feb

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, Brahim Diaz, Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham fall to narrow first-leg loss at Milan

Brahim Diaz of AC Milan celebrates with teammate Olivier Giroud after scoring the team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg one match between AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2023 in Milan, Italy.Tottenham will have to produce a Champions League comeback after Brahim Diaz gave AC Milan a narrow win in the first leg of their last-16 tie at the San Siro. Diaz nodded in early on after Spurs goalkeeper Fraser Forster had saved a Theo Hernandez shot and then superbly got a hand on the scorer’s initial follow-up attempt. Antonio Conte’s side looked relatively comfortable for long periods of the contest against the seven-time European champions – as a youthful pairing of Pape Sarr and Oliver Skipp deputised ably for the suspended P...

11Feb

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, Olivier Giroud, SERIE A

Serie A: Giroud strike ends AC Milan’s winless run

Olivier Giroud of AC Milan celebrates with his team-mate Pierre Kalulu after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Torino FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 10, 2023 in Milan, Italy.AC Milan ended their seven-game winless run in all competitions after a second-half header by Olivier Giroud earned a 1-0 home win over courageous Torino in Serie A on Friday. Milan, who last won a game over a month ago when the league resumed following the World Cup break, moved provisionally up to third from sixth in the standings on 41 points from 22 games. “I expected a difficult game, it makes you play little and doesn’t let you build cleanly,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli told DAZN. “We worked a lot inside the match, the goal then unblocked us from a mental point of vie...

13Dec

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

AC Milan, ARSENAL FC, NEWS

Friendly: Tomori on target as Milan lose to Arsenal

Alexis Saelemaekers of AC Milan in action during the Dubai Super Cup match between Arsenal and AC Milan at Al Maktoum Stadium on December 13, 2022 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Milan lost their opening Dubai Super Cup friendly 2-1 to Arsenal, with Fikayo Tomori grabbing a consolation goal and Divock Origi thumping the woodwork. The Rossoneri were still missing numerous key players, including Theo Hernandez and Olivier Giroud at the World Cup, plus injured Mike Maignan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, so Tommaso Pobega was turned into a makeshift left-back. Alexis Saelemaekers made his comeback after several months out, while Origi hit the crossbar just 11 minutes in with a scorcher from the edge of the area. However, it was Martin Odegaard who put Arsenal in front with a fantastic free kick that l...