A moment of brilliance from Rafael Leao and a close offside decision against Bryan Gil, Milan secured their fifth consecutive win in the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Girona. This was their first win under new coach Sergio Conceicao after former coach Paulo Fonseca was dismissed on December 30.
Due to injuries to key players such as Christian Pulisic, Samuel Chukwueze, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Malick Thiaw, as well as Fikayo Tomori’s suspension, Strahinja Pavlovic was given a rare opportunity to start. However, Milan’s start to the match was disrupted by the early substitution of Emerson Royal, who was unable to continue after picking up a knock.
Milan had a chance to take the lead when Tijjani Reijnders’ free kick was saved by the goalkeeper, but Yunus Musah squandered a great opportunity when he opted to pass instead of shooting. Milan also missed a golden chance when Rafael Leao set up Theo Hernandez, but his shot hit the crossbar.
Girona had their own chances, but Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan made crucial saves to keep them at bay. Finally, Milan’s pressure paid off when Ismael Bennacer won back possession and played a through ball to Leao, who outmaneuvered David Lopez and scored with a powerful left-footed shot. Despite Girona’s efforts, they were denied an equalizer by Maignan’s saves and a disallowed goal for offside. The second half saw a slower pace as Milan tried to hold on to their narrow lead.
