DEFEAT AT THE OLIMPICO
Serie A
Another disappointing night at the Olimpico. Four days on from the Coppa Italia final, the Rossoneri were beaten 3-1 by Roma in a game largely influenced by the red card shown to Gimenez in the 21st minute. This result leaves us on 60 points in ninth place, meaning we are officially out of the running for European football next season. After Mancini's third-minute opener, AC Milan found the strength to draw level through João Félix at the end of a largely positive first half in terms of the football on display.
Tiredness set in after the break, and the Giallorossi got out to a two-goal lead through Paredes (free-kick) and Cristante. The hosts, therefore, won a game that was largely a balanced one, as ten-man AC Milan actually caused issues for Roma. With the score at 2-1, the Rossoneri did have chances through Pulisic and Jović, but neither could put this negative week to rights. We finish the season at home to Monza - date and time TBC. It will be a chance to finish with a win in front of the home crowd.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM ROMA v AC MILAN
MATCH REPORT
After a moving tribute from the Roma fans to Claudio Ranieri for his final game in charge at the Olimpico, the hosts got off to a flying start. In the third minute, Mancini headed home from Soulé's corner. The Rossoneri responded through Pulisic, who played in João Félix and then Jiménez from the loose ball, but both efforts were blocked by Cristante. Jiménez came down the right flank and let fly from the edge of the area, just wide of Svilar's post. Another key moment came in the 21st minute when Piccinini was called over by VAR to check a coming-together between Gimenez and Mancini, which resulted in a straight red card for the Mexican striker. Despite the one-man disadvantage, the Rossoneri grew into it and equalised through João Félix in the 39th minute after Svilar had denied Jiménez. It was level at the break.
AC Milan pushed at the start of the second half, creating a chance for Reijnders, who fired high following a pass by Musah (51'). Paredes then broke the deadlock in the 58th minute with a free-kick that caught Maignan out: 2-1 to the hosts. Sérgio Conceição shuffled the pack, sending on Fofana, Leão and Jović to aid the Rossoneri's attempts at a fightback. However, Roma made the one-man advantage tell and controlled the rhythm of the game. Two late chances: Pulisic was closed down by Çelik just as he was about to unleash (82'), and Jović headed wide (87'). Roma settled it on the counter, Cristante converting the rebound from the edge of the area to make it 3-1.
MATCH DETAILS
ROMA 3-1 AC MILAN
ROMA (3-5-2): Svilar; Çelik, Mancini, N'Dicka; Saelemaekers (84' Baldanzi), Kone, Paredes (77' Gourna-Douath), Cristante, Angeliño; Soulé (77' Rensch), Shomurodov (84' El Shaarawy). Subs: De Marzi, Gollini; Abdulhamid, Hummels, Nelson, Salah-Eddine, Sangaré; Pellegrini, Pisilli; Dovbyk, Dybala. Coach: Ranieri.
AC MILAN (3-4-2-1): Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia (84' Sottil), Pavlović; Musah, Loftus-Cheek (65' Jović), Reijnders, Jiménez (65' Fofana); Pulisic (90' Terracciano), João Félix (65' Leão); Gimenez. Subs: Sportiello, Torriani; E. Royal, Florenzi, Thiaw; Abraham, Camarda. Coach: Conceição.
Referee: Piccinini from Forlì.
Goals: 3' Mancini (R), 39' João Félix (M), 58' Paredes (R), 87' Cristante (R).
Booked: 25' Mancini (R), 45' Cristante (R), 61' Çelik (R), 62' Jiménez (M), 90' Tomori (M).
Sent-off: 22' Gimenez (M), 90'+3 Conceição (M).
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