Milan's Champions League Hopes Dwindle After Defeat to Bologna
The future of Sergio Conceição as AC Milan manager hinges on his ability to secure a top-four finish in Serie A. However, the Rossoneri are moving in the wrong direction, as evidenced by their 2-1 loss to Bologna in a rescheduled match from the 9th round of the league.
Milan took the lead through Rafael Leão, but Santiago Castro equalized just five minutes later. The decisive blow came in the second half, when Swiss forward Dan Ndoye scored the winner for Bologna.
This defeat sees Milan drop from 7th to 8th place in the Serie A table, while Bologna leapfrogs both Milan and Fiorentina to claim 6th place. With their Champions League hopes fading, pressure is mounting on Conceição to turn things around quickly.
<2024-25, Italy - Serie A
Bologna - AC Milan 2:1 (0:1)
Goals: Rafael Leão, 43 (0:1); Castro S., 48 (1:1); Ndoye D., 82 (2:1)
Bologna: Skorupski; Posch; Lykogiannis; Lucumí; Beukema; Casale; De Silvestri (Calabria, 84); Juan Miranda; Freuler; Fabbian (Odgaard, 72); Urbanski K.; Ferguson L. (Pobega, 72); Domínguez B. (Cambiaghi, 80); Orsolini; Ndoye D.; Dallinga; Castro S. (till 80)
Bench: Bagnolini N.; Ravaglia F.; Erlic; Aebischer; Moro N.; El Azzouzi Ous.
Yellow Cards: Casale 53
AC Milan: Maignan; Emerson Royal; Tomori; Theo Hernández; Jiménez Al. (Abraham T., 84); Pavlović S.; Fofana Y.; Loftus-Cheek; Okafor; Terracciano F.; Gabbia; Reijnders; Thiaw; Félix J. (till 61); Musah Y.; Pulisic; Morata; Rafael Leão; Gimenez S. (Jovic, 76)
Bench: Sportiello; Torriani; Bartesaghi; Bondo; Chukwueze; Camarda; Sottil
Yellow Cards: Theo Hernández 47; Thiaw 54