Milan closer to title with Napoli win
Source: Agencies |
March 2, 2011, Wednesday
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AC Milan's 3-0 win over title rival Napoli made the Rossoneri huge favorites to seal their first scudetto since 2004 but the poor quality of the top-of-the-table clash summed up Serie A this season.
A modest Milan side, beaten at home by Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League two weeks ago, would not have had a hope of winning the title in recent years when a dominant Inter Milan was racking up five in a row.
Massimiliano Allegri's team is only prospering now because of a lack of real rivals and injury problems at Inter, which has also had to deal with Jose Mourinho and Rafa Benitez departing before ex-Milan boss Leonardo came in to steady the ship.
Second-placed Inter may yet snatch a sixth straight title with 11 games left given it must play Milan which has had a few shaky results this season.
"Five points ahead of second is a good lead but the championship still has a long way to run," said Allegri, plucked from relative obscurity at Cagliari to be Milan boss, told Sky. "I'm happy with what the lads did. The first half we were good in defence and midfield but we made lots of mistakes up front."
The fact that third-placed Napoli, which went bankrupt seven years ago before working its way back up the league pyramid, is in the title hunt is further proof of Serie A's inherent weakness.
Monday's game had more misplaced passes than Barcelona might manage in a season in Spain and Italy's loss of its fourth Champions League qualifying place for 2012 to Germany last week was sobering for Serie A which still boasts the European champion in Inter.
Napoli never turned up and although rain made play tricky and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's penalty which gave Milan a 49th-minute lead was dubious, the visitors can have no complaints after Kevin Prince Boateng and Alexandre Pato sealed the win with stunning strikes.
"We didn't play like we know we can. We lost our way after going behind and everyone just went forward," Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri said.
"I struggle to think it was a penalty," he added in reference to Salvatore Aronica's handball as he went to block off Pato.
Milan travels to traditional rival Juventus next weekend and faces Inter in the city derby on April 3.
A modest Milan side, beaten at home by Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League two weeks ago, would not have had a hope of winning the title in recent years when a dominant Inter Milan was racking up five in a row.
Massimiliano Allegri's team is only prospering now because of a lack of real rivals and injury problems at Inter, which has also had to deal with Jose Mourinho and Rafa Benitez departing before ex-Milan boss Leonardo came in to steady the ship.
Second-placed Inter may yet snatch a sixth straight title with 11 games left given it must play Milan which has had a few shaky results this season.
"Five points ahead of second is a good lead but the championship still has a long way to run," said Allegri, plucked from relative obscurity at Cagliari to be Milan boss, told Sky. "I'm happy with what the lads did. The first half we were good in defence and midfield but we made lots of mistakes up front."
The fact that third-placed Napoli, which went bankrupt seven years ago before working its way back up the league pyramid, is in the title hunt is further proof of Serie A's inherent weakness.
Monday's game had more misplaced passes than Barcelona might manage in a season in Spain and Italy's loss of its fourth Champions League qualifying place for 2012 to Germany last week was sobering for Serie A which still boasts the European champion in Inter.
Napoli never turned up and although rain made play tricky and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's penalty which gave Milan a 49th-minute lead was dubious, the visitors can have no complaints after Kevin Prince Boateng and Alexandre Pato sealed the win with stunning strikes.
"We didn't play like we know we can. We lost our way after going behind and everyone just went forward," Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri said.
"I struggle to think it was a penalty," he added in reference to Salvatore Aronica's handball as he went to block off Pato.
Milan travels to traditional rival Juventus next weekend and faces Inter in the city derby on April 3.
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