AC Milan missed a crucial opportunity to secure a win against Juventus, ending in a 0-0 draw on Sunday. Christian Pulisic's penalty miss in the second half was a significant setback for Milan. The match saw both teams aiming to prove their Serie A title ambitions, but they failed to capitalise on their chances.
Massimiliano Allegri, returning to Turin as the former Juventus manager, witnessed his team squander several opportunities. This result left them two points behind Napoli, who lead the league. The first half was uneventful with only two shots on target, but the second half brought more excitement.
Federico Gatti's powerful volley from close range was brilliantly saved by Milan's captain, Mike Maignan. Milan had a chance to take the lead
when Santiago Gimenez was fouled by Lloyd Kelly in the box. However, Pulisic's penalty shot went over Michele Di Gregorio's crossbar.
Allegri introduced Rafael Leao after an hour of play. Leao had returned from injury last week against Napoli. Despite being set up perfectly by Pulisic at the back post, Leao missed a clear chance to score. Later, another opportunity for Leao was thwarted by Di Gregorio's save.
The match statistics showed Milan with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.74 from 13 attempts compared to Juventus' 0.68 from 12 shots. Despite not securing victory, Allegri achieved a personal milestone. He became the coach with the most games managed between Juventus and Milan in all competitions since 1929-30, surpassing Giovanni Trapattoni's record of 31 matches.
This draw was particularly disappointing for Juventus as they aimed to reclaim their position at the top of Serie A after Napoli overtook them earlier that day. Both teams had hoped to demonstrate their championship potential but ended up sharing points instead.
The game highlighted both teams' struggles in converting chances into goals. As the season progresses, these missed opportunities could prove costly in their pursuit of the Scudetto title.
