AC Milan cruise past Empoli To Eye Euro Spots

Text size

AC Milan swept past Empoli 3-0 on Saturday to reduce the gap separating them from Serie A’s European places to three points.

Alvaro Morata’s first league goal in over two months and fine lines in each half from Tijjani Reijnders were enough for Milan to claim an outright win at a foggy San Siro.

Milan remain seventh on 22 points, three behind Juventus, who sit in the Conference League position and are at difficult Lecce on Sunday.

Paulo Fonseca’s side have a game in hand but are six points off the top four and a further point behind league leaders Napoli ahead of their trip north to Turin on Sunday afternoon.

Empoli, who started the match with the league’s fourth-best defence, remain 10th after failing to score against Milan at the San Siro for the fifth game in a row.

Saturday’s win brightened up the 68,000 Milan fans who braved the chilly conditions and poor visibility due to fog which at times, especially in the first half, covered the pitch and the stands.

Milan were loudly booed off the pitch after their dismal goalless draw against Juve last weekend, but the hosts were quick at Empoli and never looked back when Morata hit his fourth goal of the season in the 19th minute.

Reijnders crashed in a first-time effort of his own on the stroke of half-time and then secured the points with a drive and finish which took his tally for the season to six.

Como and Monza both remain in the relegation zone after drawing 1-1 in today’s afternoon match, while Bologna will later face bottom side Venezia.