AC Milan and Juventus play out a lacklustre stalemate with no goals to show for it

The iconic Italian rivals faced off at San Siro with ambitions to solidify their chances of finishing second, trailing only the league leaders Inter Milan, while also seeking to secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League as promptly as possible.

Given the scarcity of goals in their recent meetings, it came as no surprise that clear-cut opportunities were few and far between during the first half-hour.

Adrien Rabiot attempted to change the narrative, but his long-range shot was expertly saved by Michele Di Gregorio. Moments later, Juventus found the net through Khephren Thuram, who tapped in a cross from Francisco Conceicao, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Not disheartened, the energetic Conceicao continued to pose a threat down the right flank, forcing Mike Maignan into another near-post save after a powerful run to the byline.

As the match approached half-time, the tension built, with Conceicao again testing Maignan in the dying seconds of the first half.

The Portuguese winger continued to test Milan’s defence after the interval, forcing Maignan into action once more. A swift counter-attack by the Rossoneri nearly led to the first goal of the match when Rafael Leao selflessly set up Alexis Saelemaekers, whose shot rebounded off the crossbar.

The match now had an exciting rhythm, but Juve’s plea for a penalty was ignored when Jonathan David fell in the box following a clash with Matteo Gabbia.

As the match wound down, Milan faced an injury setback when Luka Modric was forced off after colliding with Manuel Locatelli, leaving the Rossoneri without one of their key playmakers for the closing stages. Ultimately, both teams lacked the decisive edge to find that all-important goal.

This draw keeps both teams in the same positions in the league standings, with Milan and Juventus remaining in third and fourth place, respectively. It can be argued that this result favours Massimiliano Allegri’s side, who held off the Bianconeri and now sit six points clear of fifth-placed Como.

Explore all the match statistics here.