AC Milan 2-0 SS Lazio | Pioli vs Sarri | Tactical Analysis

Milan beat Lazio in a match in which Pioli’s pressing was key. Lazio played in a 4-3-3 formation and Milan in a 4-2-3-1 with Bennacer joining the double pivot to avoid the 2v3 in midfield.

When the center backs had the ball, Giroud was in charge of pressing them and as soon as they gave a pass to the midfield, both Krunic and Tonali were very aggressive trying to anticipate.

The same happened when Lazio played wide with Felipe Anderson and Zaccagni dropping back to receive. Both Theo Hernández, who scored a great goal in transition, and Davide Calabria jumped with the wingers so that they couldn’t turn, winning back several balls.

Lazio tried to form triangles in the build-up from the back to find the free man and progress. To do this, Sarri’s men had to take risks with passes to the midfielders playing with his backs to goal and that is what happened in the first goal.

1-0

Casale tries to pass to Marcos Antonio, but Bennacer anticipates to recover. Giroud seizes on the loose ball inside the visitors’ box and tees up Bennacer with a square pass. The latter bundles the ball past Provedel from close range in a crucial victory for AC Milan in the toup-four battle.

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