Milan Player Ratings vs Juventus: Theo Shines in Drab Contest | OneFootball

Saturday’s mouth-watering Serie A encounter between Milan and Juventus failed to live up to the billing. In one of the most uneventful games of the season, the two Italian titans shared the spoils in a tepid 0-0 stalemate at Stadio San Siro.

Though a point against Thiago Motta’s unbeaten charges is no small feat by any stretch of the imagination, a victory felt imperative for Milan before the kick-off. Paulo Fonseca’s charges spent November’s international break outside the European spots following a goal-glutted 3-3 draw against relegation-threatened Cagliari.

However, the latest iteration of this famous fixture was anything but action-packed. With both teams seemingly preoccupied with preventing the other from getting on the scoresheet, fans at San Siro witnessed a snoozefest. But that’s become a common theme in recent matches between Milan and Juventus.

The last four Serie A encounters between these teams on this ground have seen one or both sides fail to score in matches garnering under 2.5 goals. Yet, Saturday’s fixture took the term ‘boring’ to a brand-new level. Goalkeepers only had to intervene three times, wiih Milan generating an embarrassing 0.29 xG.

It’s now been two Serie A home outings without scoring for Milan, who lost further ground on temporary leaders Atalanta. Without further ado, let’s look at our player ratings.

Milan (4-2-3-1)

Mike Maignan – 6.5

Barring a comfortable save to thwart Khephren Thuram’s weak long-range attempt, the French shot-stopper had a field day.

Theo Hernandez – 7.5

Not many Serie A full-backs can cope with Francisco Conceicao’s pace and tricky feet, but the Milan superstar is in a league of his own.

Malick Thiaw – 7

The German center-back dealt with Teun Koopmeiners with relative ease, plus he made a crucial sliding tackle to block Andrea Cambiaso’s close-range shot.

Matteo Gabbia -7

Like his defensive partner, the homegrown Milan star enjoyed a spotless evening, pulling off numerous no-nonsense clearances to avert the danger.

Emerson Royal – 6

Despite being repeatedly beaten by Kenan Yildiz, the Brazilian right-back got away unpunished and nearly put Milan in front with an awkward header on the stroke of halftime.

Youssouf Fofana – 6

Unafraid to get his hands dirty, the French midfielder embraced the role of a ‘destructor,’ utterly neglecting his creative duties.

Tijjani Reijnders – 5.5

Milan desperately needed a spark in the engine room, but their talismanic ace let them down, struggling to make any meaningful impact on the game.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 6.5

Back to his favorite No.10 role, the ex-Chelsea star worked hard to link up play and create opportunities, but his influence waned as the match progressed.

Yunus Musah – 6

Invisible and ineffective in attack, the USMNT utility man at least displayed a commendable work ethic to help Milan fend off Juventus’ attacks.

Rafael Leao – 6.5

It felt like he underestimated the significance of this fixture, often showboating with no end product.

Alvaro Morata – 5.5

Fonseca must explain to the Spanish striker that he needs to focus more on his performance than complaining about every decision by the referee.

Substitutes

Christian Pulisic – 5.5

Davide Calabria – N/A