Serie A analysis: Five talking points from AC Milan v Napoli
Monday night’s race for the Scudetto took another swift turn as Napoli beat AC Milan 1-0, leapfrogging them in the table and closing the gap to five points on league leaders Inter Milan.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Luca Salmasi takes a look at five key talking points from the crucial match in the race for the Serie A title.
Napoli’s title surge
Monday night's victory marked Napoli’s fifth consecutive Serie A win, the first time they have achieved this streak in this season's campaign.
The result moved them to 65 points, two ahead of Milan and now seven behind Inter, keeping them within striking distance of the league leaders heading into the final stretch of the season.
Napoli have built momentum at a crucial time and with seven games left, including some against tough opposition like Como, Lazio, and Bologna, they will need to maintain their consistency and compete with Inter to have a chance at staying in the hunt and retaining the Serie A title.
Milan’s lack of cutting edge
Despite often being cagey from both sides, AC Milan struggled considerably in the final third.
Milan managed only seven shots in total and just a single shot on target, with Santiago Gimenez missing a late header that could have salvaged a point.
This has been a recurring problem for Milan throughout the season.
Whilst they have only lost four matches, they have also drawn nine, dropping vital points and, under pressure, lacking that extra gear.
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Politano’s impact off the bench
Matteo Politano struck late, providing the only goal of the game to give the defending champions a hard-fought 1-0 win.
Politano came on in the 75th minute and five minutes later became the hero of the evening.
The breakthrough came when Mathias Olivera’s cross was only partially cleared by Koni De Winter, allowing Politano to capitalise and fire a left-footed volley from a tight angle.
After returning from a heartbreaking international break with Italy, it was almost as if a script had been written, giving Politano the perfect moment to restore his confidence and give everyone a polite reminder of his ability to deliver when it matters most.
Milan’s title dreams crushed
Milan’s quest for their next Scudetto will have to wait another season, as this loss now drops them to third and nine points behind city rivals Inter.
This title challenge collapsed due to multiple inconsistent performances, including a failure to beat Como and a crucial away defeat to Lazio.
Massimiliano Allegri will need to shift focus to securing and maintaining their spot in the top four, as Como are five points behind, and Juventus, six points behind, both of which are in good form and increase the pressure on Milan, as currently, there is no guarantee of securing Champions League football.
Conte’s tactical masterclass
Napoli maintained their fourth consecutive clean sheet, displaying a rigid and disciplined 4-3-3 shape that frustrated Milan’s attack.
Scott McTominay played in his preferred role as a box-to-box midfielder, which was key to the match, being heavily involved in both breaking up play and driving forward and creating space.
Napoli also played a clever high-intensity press that caused Milan to make their own defensive errors, allowing them to win the ball in dangerous areas and control the tempo, which is how they were able to capitalise and score the only goal of the evening.
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