Rafael Leao contributed a goal and an assist to Ruben Loftus-Cheek as AC Milan extended their lead to six points in second place, while Fiorentina paid homage to Joe Barone. The atmosphere at Stadio Franchi was imbued with emotion as it marked the first match following the passing of Viola director Joe Barone. The Italo-American was honored with banners, flags, a minute of silence, and symbolic gestures such as children releasing white balloons and his jersey placed at his seat in the stands. Barone’s sudden demise, due to a heart attack just before the scheduled game against Atalanta, led to the postponement of the fixture.
Nico Gonzalez and Christian Pulisic were not in optimal condition following international duty, and Giacomo Bonaventura and Theo Hernandez were suspended. Additionally, Pierre Kalulu, Simon Kjaer, and Tommaso Pobega were sidelined due to injuries.
The match saw Olivier Giroud scoring from close range after a sprint by Samuel Chukwueze, with the goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano thwarting subsequent attempts. Milan’s dominance continued with Leao’s efforts testing Terracciano and Giroud’s missed opportunity from an assist.
Milan seized the lead shortly after halftime when Leao received a through ball from Chukwueze, executing a skillful back-heel assist for Loftus-Cheek to convert. However, Fiorentina swiftly equalized through Alfred Duncan’s strike from the edge of the box.
The momentum swung back in Milan’s favor as Leao showcased his speed and composure to score his second of the match, eluding Milenkovic and Terracciano to find the net. Despite Fiorentina’s efforts, including threatening shots from Jonathan Ikone and Alessandro Florenzi, Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan made crucial saves, denying Fiorentina’s attempts to level the score.
In the end, Christian Pulisic’s goal, though disallowed for offside, and subsequent attempts in stoppage time were thwarted by Terracciano, securing Milan’s victory.
Fiorentina 1-2 Milan