In a match that epitomized the struggles of AC Milan this season, the Rossoneri fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Napoli on March 30, 2025, at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. The loss not only deepens the pressure on head coach Sergio Conceicao but also leaves Milan languishing in ninth place, nine points adrift of the Champions League spots.
From the outset, Milan appeared to be on the back foot. Just 64 seconds into the match, Matteo Politano found the back of the net, sending a shockwave through the visiting side. Romelu Lukaku doubled Napoli's lead in the 19th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse that has become all too familiar for Milan this season.
Despite the dismal start, Conceicao's side showed resilience in the second half. The introduction of Rafael Leao and Santiago Gimenez sparked a much-needed revival, with Milan generating several scoring opportunities. However, their efforts were thwarted when Gimenez's penalty was saved by Napoli's goalkeeper Alex Meret, a moment that encapsulated Milan's ongoing struggles from the spot, having missed four out of nine penalties this season.
Conceicao, who has been at the helm for nearly three months, expressed his frustration post-match, stating, "Since I have been here, I never sought excuses about the lack of time to train, but today everything happened." The coach was forced to make significant adjustments to his starting XI due to a series of unfortunate events. Ruben Loftus-Cheek was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery to remove his appendix, while Malick Thiaw was sidelined due to a stomach bug. Additionally, Leao was only able to play a limited role due to discomfort from international duty.
"I woke up at 7:30 am to a call from the doctor about Loftus-Cheek's illness," Conceicao explained. "We had prepared the game in a certain way and had to change a lot. These little things keep happening; I don’t want to call on bad luck, but we really had a horrible day."
Despite the early setbacks, Milan's second-half performance gave fans a glimmer of hope. Luka Jovic managed to score in the dying moments of the match, providing a consolation goal that highlighted the potential within the squad. "At least there was a very positive reaction in the second half; we created so many scoring opportunities, and I feel we deserved a draw out of this," Conceicao remarked.
As the match concluded, the statistics painted a picture of a team that had the potential to achieve more. Milan ended the game with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.69 compared to Napoli's 0.96, indicating that while they struggled early on, they dominated the latter stages of the match.
"We were missing something in the first half, but we rectified the situation in the second half and did it with more courage and aggression," Conceicao noted. "I have a lot of faith in this squad; it's a healthy group that wants to change this atmosphere."
Looking ahead, Milan's focus now shifts to the Coppa Italia, where they will face their bitter rivals, Inter Milan, in the first leg of the semi-finals on April 2, 2025. This match represents a crucial opportunity for Conceicao's side to salvage their season and secure a route to European football for the next campaign.
"The Coppa Italia is a club objective," Conceicao emphasized. "The players have already shown character; we need to continue working on our balance. It’s tough for everyone in this league position, but I have a group that wants to turn these results around."
As AC Milan prepares for this pivotal clash against Inter, the pressure is mounting on Conceicao to deliver results. With the Champions League aspirations fading, the Coppa Italia may be their last chance to secure a spot in European competition next season. The question remains: can Conceicao inspire his team to rise from the ashes of this black day, or will they continue to falter in their quest for glory?
