REAL BEATEN ON PENALTIES, PRIMAVERA FLY TO THE FINAL FOUR
Youth Teams
We continue to dream big: we're in the UEFA Youth League Final Four! An endless and resourceful Primavera surpasses Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and repeats the incredible feat achieved last season. Once again, it was penalties that decided the match at the PUMA House of Football, with captain Kevin Zeroli scoring the decisive one, taking us among the top four in Europe in Nyon. In the ninety minutes of play, however, a piece of magic from Diego Sia had responded to Gonzalo's penalty conversion that had unlocked the game.
The Rossoneri faced the Spaniards openly and without any fear; the courage and choices of Mister Abate and his boys were rewarded with a monumental performance in both phases. Sia shook AC Milan after a first half dominated by Madrid, then the pace slowed down, and the penalty shootout saw Raveyre - once again in the spotlight - and his teammates celebrating. The joy is uncontainable, and with this momentum, the Primavera will return to focus on the league - hosting Lazio on Sunday, March 17 - while later they will dream again and make us dream by facing Porto on April 19. This team does not want to stop for anything or anyone. Well done, lads!
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY FROM AC MILAN v REAL MADRID
MATCH REPORT
A back-and-forth start: Nsiala's diving header in the 4’ and Palacios' wide attempt from outside the box in the 5’. The 22-minute visitor was the most inspired; in the tenth minute, taking advantage of a Rossoneri slip, he hits the post from the edge of the box with his left foot. Still, Blancos at the 20’ minute, Raveyre deflects Gonzalo's close-range shot on Duran's pass. In the 32’ minute, Magni comes into contact with Fortea in the box, and the referee points to the spot: Gonzalo slots it home from eleven meters, the Rossoneri goalkeeper unable to reach it, and it's 0-1 Real. AC Milan is lively and in the game, lacking the final pass to worry Quetglás. Raveyre is decisive twice against De Llanos between the 39th and 43rd minutes in what are the last flurries of the first half.
The guests restart with energy, but AC Milan reacts and restores equilibrium. It's the 51’, and the magic comes from Sia, who dribbles past two opponents and then places his left foot shot under Quetglás' legs, 1-1! The equalizer slows down the pace, while the tension increases with each passing minute. In the 64’, Fortuny curls the ball from a free-kick, but the trajectory doesn't dip enough, and in the 70’, Zeroli sets up Camarda who fails to poke it home from close range. The Diavolo persists with Stalmach trying from distance in the 81’, the Madrid goalkeeper saving in two attempts. Gonzalo (87') and Sala (89') are inaccurate in their attempts, and the regular times end in a draw. Penalties again decide the winner, Real Madrid starts, but the Rossoneri win: 5-4 the final score!
MATCH DETAILS
AC MILAN 5-4 pen. (1-1) REAL MADRID
AC MILAN (4-3-3): Raveyre; Bakoune, Simić, Nsiala, Magni (70' Bartesaghi); Stalmach, Victor (70' Sala), Zeroli; Scotti, Camarda (90' Simmelhack), Sia (82' Malaspina). Subs: Bartoccioni; Parmiggiani; Skoczylas. Coach: Abate.
REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Quetglás; Fortea, Martínez, Ramón (59' Serrano), Youssef; Pol Duran (90' Moreno), Perea, Palacios; Meso (59' Fortuny), De Llanos (68' Yañez), Gonzalo. Subs: Gonzalez; Aguado, Iago. Coach: Arbeloa.
Referee: Jablonski (GER).
Goals: 33' Gonzalo (RM), 51' Sia (M).
Penalty shootout sequence: Perea (RM) goal, Bartesaghi (M) goal, Yañez (RM) saved, Simić (M) goal, Palacios (RM) goal, Simmelhack (M) goal, Fortuny (RM) missed, Scotti (M) saved, Gonzalo (RM) goal, Zeroli (M) goal.
Booked: 63' Nsiala (M).
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