Feyenoord secured qualification for the Champions League last-16 by holding Milan to a 1-1 draw, equalising in the second half through Julian Carranza with their only shot on target of the night.
Football Italia was among the accredited media at the San Siro. You can find our player ratings below:
Milan
Maignan 6 – He basically remained untested for most of the time, as the visitors found their second-half equaliser with their first shot on target of the night.
Walker 6.5 – His presence on the right flank seems to make the whole defence more confident and calm, as his leadership, concentration and speed still make him a tough obstacle to overcome for his opponents.
Thiaw 6.5 – He assisted Gimenez’s opener and provided a solid defensive display.
Pavlovic 6.5 – Every single play from the Serbian centre-back oozes focus, charisma and determination, qualities that the Rossoneri desperately need in that half of the pitch where they lack the same quality they have up front.
Theo Hernandez 4 – After a quiet first half, which was also marked by a lack of initiative from the left-back, he made two fatal mistakes that ultimately cost his side dearly. It might be hard for him to earn forgiveness from his coach this time.
Reijnders 6 – With his quality required in the build-up, his team lacks precision in the last third of the pitch. Conceiçao should wonder whether a deeper position can actually hinder the Dutch midfielder’s skills. (83 Abraham n/a)
Musah 6 – He started the night brilliantly, bringing physicality and composure to the Rossoneri. However, he struggled as the team became more disjointed, with two separate blocks that proved difficult to connect. (83 Chukwueze n/a)
Pulisic 6 – He was not on his best night, with his side lacking a strategy to open up gaps in a compact Feyenoord side. As a result, the USMNT star ran a lot but without creating the offensive spark needed to unhinge the visitors’ defence. (63 Bartesaghi 6)
Joao Felix 5.5 – He spends the whole game roaming across Milan’s final third, as if he struggled to find his ideal position to link up with his side’s midfield and attack. Quite slow and predictable, failed to cause havoc to the visitors.
Rafael Leao 6– He undeniably remains the main threat to deal with for every opponent, although his lack of consistency within the same game is terrible news for a team that tends to be over-reliant on the Portuguese star. As it is often the case, he created multiple potential opportunities but constantly lacked the finishing touch to capitalise on them. Also, he fell short when it mattered the most, during his side’s final assault.
Gimenez 6.5 – While the early opener seemed to have put his night on an excellent track, he failed to build on the initial excitement, as his former teammates once again proved to know how to limit him. (71 Fofana 6)
Coach: Conceiçao 5 – He seemed to reap the fruits of a daring starting line-up quickly, but eventually, the Rossoneri once again showcased the inability to remain balanced and focused at crucial moments, especially with many forwards simultaneously on the pitch. While Milan clearly paid for an individual mistake, they were supposed to find themselves in a better position in the second half after dominating the opening 45 minutes.
Feyenoord
Wellenreuther 6.5; Read 6, Beelen 5.5, Hancko 7, Smal 5.5; Milambo 5.5, Moder 6, Bueno 6.5 (75 Stengs n/a); Hadj Moussa 6 (87 Mitchell n/a), Redmond 5.5 (64 Carranza 7), Paixao 6.5. Coach: Bosschaart 7
