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AC Milan is regaining its pedigree as a European power after a turbulent stretch marked by the end of Silvio Berlusconi’s ownership and financial issues.
The seven-time continental champion reached the last four of the Champions League with a 1-1 draw at Napoli on Tuesday with a first-half goal from Olivier Giroud proving decisive.
Also, Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan blocked a late penalty from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Napoli’s standout winger, with Giroud also having a penalty kick saved before his goal.
Victor Osimhen equalized for Napoli with a header in stoppage time.
Milan advanced on 2-1 aggregate in the all-Italian matchup after beating the runaway Serie A leader 1-0 in the first leg.
“Everyone thought we were the underdogs, but we have a lot of heart, we put everything into this,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said.
Milan’s semifinal opponent will be either city rival Inter Milan or Benfica. Inter holds a 2-0 advantage entering the second leg against the Portuguese club at the San Siro on Wednesday.
Giroud scored two minutes before the break with a goal that was largely produced by the work of Milan’s prized winger Rafael Leão.
Leão gained possession in Milan’s own half and slalomed his way past Napoli’s entire defense before unselfishly picking out the unmarked Giroud to slot home into an empty net after pulling goalkeeper Alex Meret out of position.
Milan’s seven European Cup and Champions League titles rank second only to Madrid’s 14 but the Rossoneri last raised the trophy back in 2007.
Milan’s Serie A title last year was also its first in a while — since 2011.
Napoli, meanwhile, can now focus on closing out its first Serie A title in more than 30 years, since Maradona led the southern club to its only two Italian league championships in 1987 and 1990.
Napoli holds a seemingly insurmountable 14-point lead over Lazio with eight rounds remaining.
Real Madrid beats Chelsea
Real Madrid eliminated Chelsea on the other half of the draw in the night’s other matchup.
Madrid’s 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday completed a 4-0 aggregate victory and saw the Spanish giants advance to the Champions League semifinals for the 11th time in 13 seasons.
Rodrygo scored twice in the second half to derail a spirited Chelsea comeback that lasted the best part of an hour, but ultimately ended in a fourth straight loss under interim manager Frank Lampard.
Madrid can continue its quest for more glory in a competition it has won a record 14 times, with either Manchester City or Bayern Munich to come in the next round.
“We are ready to be there and we are ready to fight for the final,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
City was leading Bayern 3-0 after the first leg of the quarterfinals, setting up a likely rematch of last year’s semifinals. Madrid scored twice in added time and another in extra time at the Bernabeu last season to win 6-5 on aggregate.
Madrid is already the only team to successfully defend the Champions League in its modern guise – winning it three consecutive times from 2016-18 – and is still in contention to win it back-to-back again.
It is a record that no other team can compete with – and with a forward line of Vinicius Junior, Karim Benzema and Rodrygo in such daunting form, the defending champions will take some stopping.
Chelsea’s miserable campaign, however, is now destined to end without a trophy.
Defeat left Lampard fielding questions about where the 2021 European champion goes after its troubled start to life under new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
“People will make a lot about this season for Chelsea because we’ve had so much success,” Lampard said. “The reality is this club is going to be back, but it will take work.”
Chelsea sits 11th in the Premier League and 17 points off the top four despite spending around $630 million on new signings.
A club that won the Champions League twice under former owner Roman Abramovich now appears certain to miss out on the competition next season.
With the battle for the top four increasing in intensity in the light of a resurgent Arsenal, an improving Manchester United and a Saudi-backed Newcastle, Chelsea’s route back to European club soccer’s elite competition may not be straight forward.
That lack of cutting edge was evident again in the quarterfinals second leg against Madrid as Chelsea missed a host of chances.
N’Golo Kante failed to convert clear openings in each half with the score still 0-0. And former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois beat away a close-range effort from Marc Cucurella just before the break.
The home team was made to pay for those misses as Madrid struck twice on the break.
Ancelotti admitted his team “suffered a lot” before Rodrygo’s goals.
The Brazil forward opened the scoring in the 58th minute when turning in Vinicius’ cutback. He added a second in the 80th, this time after Federico Valverde’s assist.
He might have had a hat trick if not for a first-half effort hitting the outside of the post.
The home fans headed for the exits in numbers once Rodrygo’s second goal crossed the line.
But those who remained applauded at the end after being given some cause for encouragement as Chelsea pushed Madrid for a large part of the match.
“I think the fans appreciated the performance today,” Lampard said. “Maybe they’ve had moments this season when they are not feeling like that, so we have to latch onto that.”
(FRANCE 24 with AP)
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