Serie A | Verona 0-1 Milan: Reijnders revitalises Rossoneri | OneFootball

Tijjani Reijnders on an inspired Youssouf Fofana assist allowed Milan to get back on track with victory away to Hellas Verona, but Rafael Leao added to the injury crisis.

The Rossoneri had one win from five Serie A games and dropped Theo Hernandez again, despite an injury crisis ruling out Alvaro Morata, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Yunus Musah, Noah Okafor, Luka Jovic,  Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi. Filippo Terracciano was therefore tested in a new midfield role, with Reijnders as trequartista. Verona ended their run of four straight defeats with a 3-2 victory in Parma, but lost Abdou Harroui for the season.

The players walked out with seven rescue puppies who have been ‘adopted’ by Hellas Verona from a local shelter until they can find their forever home.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Early appeals for a penalty were rejected, as Jackson Tchatchoua’s arm was almost entirely across his chest when hit by the acrobatic Rafael Leao volley.

Samuel Chukwueze saw his long-range curler easily smothered, but it was Mike Maignan who had to make the first real save on Tomas Suslov’s solo strike, with Amin Sarr too slow to reach the rebound.

Rafael Leao went off with a muscular problem, replaced by Theo Hernandez, moving Alex Jimenez into a more advanced role down the left wing.

VERONA, ITALY – DECEMBER 20: Rafael Leao of AC Milan injured during the Serie A match between Verona and AC Milan at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on December 20, 2024 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Terracciano almost scored against his former club, unleashing a scorcher from outside the area that Lorenzo Montipò flew to fingertip over the bar.

After the restart, Darko Lazovic did just enough to stop Chukwueze meeting the Jimenez cross at the back post, though Milan broke the deadlock with a well-worked move.

Youssouf Fofana picked an inspired through ball releasing Reijnders from the offside trap and he swept a first-time right-foot finish into the far top corner. It was his fourth Serie A goal of the season, already equalling his career best.

Maignan smothered the Suslov effort at the base of the near post moments later, while Jimenez saw his daisy-cutter pushed out of the bottom corner.

Verona 0-1 Milan

Reijnders 56 (M)