AC Milan join Juventus on European pedestal after beating Napoli

Serie A side AC Milan have equalled a UEFA Champions League record after their aggregate victory over Napoli in the 2022/23 quarterfinals. 

The Rossonerri survived a late scare and a penalty miss against Napoli in the only same-country tie of this year’s quarterfinal to reach a first UEFA Champions League semifinal since the 2006/07 season when they were crowned champions. 

Napoli scored a late goal through Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen to cancel out Olivier Giroud’s first-half goal, but it was not enough for the Partenopei as Milan were able to bank on their 1-0 win at the San Siro in the first leg to see them through. 

The loss represented the 11th time that Napoli had failed to overturn a first leg deficit, last doing so in 1989, but Milan will not mind that record at all as they were determined to set a record of their own with the hard-fought win on aggregate. 

After seeing off Napoli, AC Milan were able to celebrate the first UEFA Champions League semifinal in 16 years, and the seventh one in the club’s history. 

Reaching the magic number seven for semifinals in the UCL meant that Milan joined rivals Juventus to become the Italian side with the joint-most semifinal appearances in the UEFA Champions League. 

Stefano Pioli’s Milan will be hoping that they can emulate the last Milan side to reach the semifinals of the UCL by going on to win it. 

They could get an exciting tie against cross-town neighbours Inter in the semifinals if the Nerazzurri do not blow their first-leg advantage against Benfica in their own quarterfinal.

With the clock winding down, all hope looked lost for Napoli against AC Milan until their talisman Victor Osimhen showed why he was sorely missed in the first leg.  

The Nigerian striker connected with a Giacomo Raspadori cross to head past the solid Maignan to grab a 93rd-minute equaliser. 

His goal was the first ever by a Napoli player in the UCL quarterfinal, and was also the third goal by a Nigerian at this stage of the competition, while his fifth goal of the campaign also drew him level with Obafemi Martins and Yakubu Aiyegbeni for the most goals by a Nigerian in a single campaign.