Milan Player Ratings vs Inter: Super Serb Dismantles Nerazzurri | OneFootball

Milan halted Inter’s treble dream with a remarkable 3-0 victory in the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie. Sergio Conceicao’s charges delivered a superb performance at the San Siro to secure their first appearance in the domestic cup final since 2018.

After a 1-0 home loss to Atalanta last weekend killed Milan’s final hope of pulling off a late comeback in Serie A, tonight’s game had all the makings of a ‘must-win’ affair. However, Inter had three phenomenal chances to take the lead but couldn’t find a way past Mike Maignan.

When it looked like Milan would draw another first-half blank, Luka Jovic delivered a moment of magic. The in-form Serbian striker headed home Alex Jimenez’s cross to put the designated ‘away’ side 1-0 up at halftime, setting the tone for a dream night.

Only four minutes after the break, Jovic doubled his tally. This time, he latched onto a loose ball inside the six-yard box and slammed it past Josep Martinez. With a 3-1 aggregate lead, Milan had the luxury to drop back and try to catch Inter on the counter.

However, Simone Inzaghi’s side looked out of steam in the final half an hour, allowing Milan to control the game until the final whistle. Standout midfielder Tijjani Reijnders put the icing on the cake in the 85th minute to cap off a memorable night for the Rossoneri.

Without further ado, let’s look at our player ratings.

Milan (3-4-3)

Mike Maignan – 7

Despite Inter’s attacking prowess, the Frenchman only had to make three saves, including a fantastic stop to thwart Stefan de Vrij’s header in the second half.

Fikayo Tomori – 7

One of the Englishman’s best performances this season saw him neutralize Mehdi Taremi in the first half and keep Marko Arnautovic quiet afterward.

Matteo Gabbia – 7

Dominant in the air and composed when playing out from the back, Gabbia fared impressively, showing maturity and good positional awareness throughout the match.

Strahinja Pavlovic – 7.5

Stopping Lautaro Martinez might be the most arduous task in Italian football, yet the Serbian passed the test with flying colors. An outstanding display from the towering center-back!

Theo Hernandez – 6.5

Though the star left-back wasn’t always at his best, especially in the early stages, he gradually grew into the contest, becoming a genuine threat down the flank.

Tijjani Reijnders – 7.5

Back to his formidable best, the Dutch maestro enjoyed an astonishing encounter, pulling all the strings in the midfield. The goal was a fitting reward for his masterclass performance.

Youssouf Fofana – 6.5

Let’s forget about his sporadic attacking forays. The French midfielder was instrumental in the ‘break-up’ play, disabling Inter’s engine room with perfect positioning and endless running.

Alejandro Jimenez – 7

Invisible until he provided that match-defining assist for Jovic’s opener. It seemingly put the wind in his sails as he often ventured forward with conviction.

Rafael Leao – 6.5

Had it not been for a late assist for Reijnders, we would’ve spoken about another disappointing showing from the superstar. There’s an attitude issue Conceicao must address.

Christian Pulisic – 6

The USMNT star’s form decline has become alarming. After a forgettable match against Atalanta, the ex-Chelsea winger offered another near-anonymous display.

Luka Jovic – 8

What a night for the Serb! His thumping header opened the scoring before he showed he could be a ‘fox in the box’ for the second. He was Milan’s X-Factor tonight – almost unplayable in possession!

Substitutes

Malick Thiaw – 6.5

Tammy Abraham – 6.5

Joao Felix – N/A