Milan close in on title glory after Tonali double sinks Verona
Milan, Italy - Sandro Tonali fired AC Milan closer to the Serie A title with a brace in Sunday’s 3-1 win at Verona which maintained their two-point lead over Inter Milan at the top of the league.
Italy midfielder Tonali struck with almost identical goals created by Rafael Leao either side of half-time before Alessandro Florenzi completed the scoring near the end to leave Milan needing four points from their final two games to claim a first Scudetto since 2011.
Their superior record in this season’s Milan derbies gives the seven-time European champions an advantage which would keep them ahead of champions Inter should the two local rivals end the season level on points.
“I’m in love with my players,” said coach Stefano Pioli to DAZN.
“I see the effort they put in every day and I know the journey we’ve been on... we’ve got to keep this concentration, determination and belief in the final two games.”
Milan overcame the toughest test of their run-in against ninthplaced Verona and now host Europe-chasing Atalanta next weekend before travelling to Sassuolo on the closing weekend of what has been an enthralling campaign.
Inter meanwhile are in Sardinia on Sunday against a Cagliari team fighting for its Serie A life, with their final opponents Sampdoria and the small matter of the Italian Cup final against Juventus on Wednesday further complicating matters.
Tonali’s double was the second time in three matches he has been crucial to Milan’s title charge after also netting a late winner at Lazio a fortnight ago.
Meanwhile, Giorgio Altare’s thumping header in stoppage time handed Cagliari a dramatic 1-1 draw at Salernitana which kept their survival hopes alive.
The 23-year-old’s last-gasp effort, which came just moments after his team had a penalty revoked following a long VAR check, ensured that Cagliari stay a single point behind 17th-placed Salernitana.