On Sunday, January 23rd, 2022 AC Milan gave up more ground in – between the Italian Serie A League leader Inter Milan and AC Milan, and they also lost another core highly – valued football player just prior to the upcoming derby as AC Milan drew to a 0 to 0 tie versus Juventus at San Siro Stadium.
The important superstar striker for AC Milan, Zlatan Ibrahimović, limped off of the pitch during the 28th – minute of game action with a painful looking Achilles tendon injury. The 40 – year – old Zlatan will most probably have to join multiple other players on the official football club’s injury list.
AC Milan slipped to the 3rd – place standing in the Italian Serie A League table just below the 2nd – place Napoli just on the goal differential tie breaker in the standings. Head – to – head just so happens to be the 1st – tie breaker at the end of the season when determining the final places in the league’s table. AC Milan is only 4 – points behind the 1st – place Inter Milan who has played one more match than AC Milan, and they meet the Nerazzurri in their next upcoming game following the quickly approaching international break.
Juventus moved to within just 1 – point of the top – 4 Italian League Serie A League table places as well as the Champions League spots (top 4 – spots in all of the major European leagues).
The contest at San Siro Stadium last Sunday was a classic staple in Italian football between 2 – age – old rivals in Italy. There were only 5,000 – fans permitted to attend the match this time due to the strict COVID – 19 restrictions, but there were groups totaling hundreds of football fans outside so that they could welcome the AC Milan club as they chanted their greatly beloved songs as they set off road flares.
The Rossoneri had the best scoring opportunities in this one as well as controlling the pace of the match, but both sides struggled to convert on any solid scoring chances. Juve ultimately drew to a 1 to 1 tie with AC Milan in Turin last September of 2021. That was the 1st – occurrence in 30 – years in which both league matches between these 2 – Italian clubs to have ended in ties.
Lorenzo Insigne’s Message to the Italian Serie A League
The captain of Napoli’s football club, Lorenzo Insigne, sent the Italian Serie A League a very clear message to the fans of Napoli by scoring a goal during a 4 to 1 victory over the last place club in Salernitana. The Insigne followed up his goal score with a celebration that included Lorenzo pointing to the badge on his uniform, and clearly stating in Italian to the on the field camera, “I love you; I will always love you.”
It was Insigne’s 1st – goal strike since he signed a pre – contract deal in order to join the MLS club of Toronto FC after the conclusion of the current 2021 – 2022 European football season.
Napoli took the lead of this match in just the 17th – minute when Elif Elmas chested a pass over to Juan Jesus, who fired a hard well – kicked shot that found its way in to the bottom right corner of the goal. It was originally considered a disallowed goal for a hand – ball violation by Elmas, but it was eventually awarded to Napoli as a good goal following a quick break in the game play for a video review.
Federico Bonazzoli of Salernitana splashed the net with a surprising equalizing goal, but Napoli restored their advantage on the final seconds prior to halftime, when Dries Mertens scored on a penalty shot following Elmas being taken down illegally by Frédéric Veseli.
Amir Kadri Rrahmani just so happened to extend Napoli’s quickly increasing lead shortly after the halftime break, and they added a 4th and final goal of the match for Napoli only 6 – minutes after their 3rd – goal when Veseli caused once again another penalty shot for the dominant Napoli, and this time for a handball violation following a shot by Insigne that ricocheted off of Viseli’s side and into his arm.
Sources:
Matar, Daniella. “Milan loses Ibrahimović to injury in 0 – 0 draw against Juve”. The Associated Press. January 23, 2022.
“Italian Serie A Table 2021 – 22”. ESPN. January 24, 2022.
