AC Milan – Rennes: the Bretons have sunk, the summary of the match

Despite good intentions, Rennes was unable to do anything about it. AC Milan in this Europa League play-off first leg (0-3) and will have to achieve an exploit on the return leg to hope to continue in the competition.

AC Milan 3: 0

Rennes Live

23:30 – Good night

Thank you à all and &agrav; everyone for accompanying us to follow this Europa League play-off between AC Milan and Stade Rennais. See you in a week for the return match.

It is often said that meetings à this level is also played in the head and AC Milan recalled that that they also won with their heads. It only took two from Loftus-Cheek, whose physical impact was felt in the offensive phase, for the Milanese club to make the difference and offer themselves an ample success in the first leg of the Europa League play-off, clearing the horizon towards the round of 16. Two headbutts that drove into the head of Rennes, yet &agrav; the height of the event after a somewhat sluggish start which could have cost them dearly if Leao had not found oacute; the transversal &agrav; the continuation of a chaining control orientated chest and volley.

Because the Breton players have posedé problems by their placement in the of the Milanese never so &agrav; comfortable only when spaces open up to express their percussion. On its side law, Guéla Doué thus fought a fierce duel à the Portuguese star of the Rossoneri, subsequently forcing him to join the team. to defend, the height of it. Then all it takes is one oversight for everything to change. On the left, Pulisic attracted Truffert who freed the corridor. Reijnders shifted Florenzi. Alone, the Italian full-back applied himself to wrap up a cross that Loftus-Cheek cut at the near post. His cross header was perfectly executed and after a rebound he leaned on the post to finish his race in the nets.

Rennes did not seem to be affected by this first goal and managed à reach the break without further difficulty. The return to the pitch marked a shift and within five minutes, the Breton ship took on water. From a Hernandez's corner, Kjaer deflected with a header. On his line, Mandanda pushed back as best he could but the ball landed on Lotus-Cheek. Quicker than Theate, he headed into the goal to score a double. Barely time to recover, the Rennais saw the Théo Hernandez-Leao duo take action. During the maneuver, the Portuguese followed closely behind his French captain. The latter instinctively put him back and rightly, he took it upon himself to add to the bill. There were still 40 minutes left and this time, the Rennes heads bowed, as if struck by the ditch. which had just been dug. Not necessarily brilliant, AC Milan knew how to press when necessary to get going. the shelter.

It took a few minutes for the Bretons to regain their senses and attempt a reaction. The entry of Gouiri brought pep and spontaneity to the team. but neither he nor Santamaria from afar could worry Maignan and score this goal which went beyond the goal. to save honor, could have given a semblance of hope for the return match. A year after the regrets of the elimination against Shakhtar Donetsk, Rennes fell. on an opponent of another caliber and was able to measure the gap between him. Rest à entertain the idea of ​​a miracle in a week in Brittany and there; again, it is in the head that this will be played out.

23:05 – The r& action of Bourigeaud

"In the first half, we were in great shape I think. We also had a good time. put them in difficulty on some of our counterattacks. In the second half, we come back with the same intentions, trying to stay serious. We conceded a goal quite quickly and after this saved kick we had a goal. which hurts us, they accelerated. We ran a lot this evening and we missed it. of lucidity", explainedé Benjamin Bourigeaud at the microphone of RMC Sport 1 à leaving the meeting. The Rennes community, however, refuses to abdicate. "This is just the first round. We will continue à believe it for next week. We remain ambitious", he addedé.

Despite a correct match in the engagement, Rennes mortgaged his chances of qualification à San Siro. Caught on one of their rare placement errors à Half an hour into the game, the Bretons sank; when returning from the locker room giving way to two replays in the space of five minutes, did not succeed in achieving the goal. react to score a goal synonymous with hope for the future. Behind, AC Milan controlled the lead. and could even have added to the bill but Mandanda and Matusiwa avoided it. the worst. In a week's time, the challenge promises to be tricky to say the least for Rennes, forced to adapt. the feat to reach the round of 16 of the Europa League.

22:53 – Blas sur Maignan

In the duel with Thiaw in the area &amp ;agrave; left, Blas pulls away and at the end of the race pierces a too timid cross which Maignan captures without difficulty. At the same time, Nagida is lifted up. by the Rennes trainers and leaves the pitch.

22:52 – Good catch from Mandanda

Okafor sees Bourigeaud in difficulty; &agrav; right and sends a cross towards his partner in the duel with the Breton. Mandanda jumps and spreads his arms to catch the ball.

22:50 – Rennes à ten

Nagida is injured; and went out of bounds. The Rennais will finish the last minutes at home. 10.

22:48 – Additional time: 4 minutes

There will be four minutes of added time in this second period between AC Milan and Stade Rennais.

22:47 – Bennacer fr&amp ;ocirc;the skylight

20 mètres in the axis, Bennacer rolls from the left above the wall and his ball falls just behind& ;egrave;re the crossbar of a Mandanda, beaten.

22:45 – Reijnders hooké, Nagida takes a yellow

Santamaria misses his pass à 25 meters and Reijnders drives a lightning counter. The Dutchman takes advantage of calls from two partners to push up the lead. the entrance to the Rennes area where he is crocheted by Nagida. The Rennes full-back is logically warned for his mistake.

22:44 – Half a volley above

The pricked balloon de Bennacer hits a Rennes player and returns to the feet of Hernandez who resumes without control in a half-volley. His left attempt flies away.

22:42 – Musah goes around

Musah escapes the pressure of two opponents and pretends to shift to the right. right to take the ball in front of him and tear apart the Rennes defense. The Milan midfielder, at the end of the race, wraps a cross from the other side. towards Giroud but Omari intervenes with his head.

22:41 – Too strong for Salah

In the axis à 25 meters, Gouiri looks for Salah in a pivotal position but his pass is too strong for his partner who cannot control the ball.

22:40 – Adli entre

Last change for AC Milan with the exit of Pulisic à the 80th minute and the entry of Adli.

22:39 – Santamaria from afar

At around twenty meters, Santamaria unleashes a floating shot which skims the crossbar without diving towards the goal where Maignan was on the lookout.

22:38 – Gouiri at the far post

Side right, Blas rolls in an excellent cross à the opposite in the surface. At point blank range, Gouiri takes a header behind Thiaw's back, who misjudged the attack. path. The former Niçois misses the target and especially takes the ball away. Salah who arrived launched é and seemed better positioned.

22:37 – Gouiri corners

Sur On the right of the surface, Gouiri slips between two opponents and enters the zone of truth. Pushing his ball too far, he wants to avoid Thiaw and play behind Santamaria but his ball is intercepted.

22 :33 – Wave of changes

A quarter of an hour from the end of regular time, the two technicians embark on a series of changes. Pioli sends Bennacer and Terracciano onto the pitch to take over from Loftus-Cheek and Florenzi. Side Stéphan, Désiré Doué, Matusiwa and Truffert leave the field for the benefit of Blas, Salah and Nagida.

Double huge opportunity in favor of AC Milan. Offset in the surface &agrav; right, Pulisic hits hard on Mandanda. The former French international pushed back in the axis on Okafor whose recovery was blocked by Matusiwa, who fell back to protect his but.

22:30 – Pulisic contré

Milan proceeds with rapid action the image of this balloon given to you quickly ahead &agrav; right &agrav; Pulisic. From an eastern control, he refocuses, bypasses a defender and strikes with the left but on Omari.

22:28 – Spontaneityé from Gouiri

Seidu intercepts a Milanese restart and gives à right of the surface &agrav; Bourigeaud who finds Gouiri. The former Niçois turns around and connects with the left a strike that is too cross. which passes &agrav; side.

22:27 – Thiaw deflects into a corner

On the left of the surface, Doué rolls from the right a good cross towards the 6 meters. Terrier passes in front of Gabbia but Thiaw jumps in front of him and takes the ball away from him which he extends for a corner.

22:26 – Double change for Rennes

In the 66th minute, Stéphan brings new blood to the table; his team with the entries of Gouiri and Seidu, & the place of Kalimuendo and Guéla Doué.

22:22 – Rennes émoussé

Mandanda barely à find the right solution to restart and return the ball à Pulisic. The American is quickly surrounded. by two opponents and returns possession à Santamria. The Rennes midfielder also lacks options. We feel the Rennes are more in difficulty; on a physical level.

22:21 – Double change for AC Milan

In the 61st minute, Pioli proceeds è a double change with the exits of Leao and Kjaer, replaced by Okafor and Thiaw.

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