Europe's AC Milan easily defeats Rennes

AC Milan took a significant stride towards securing a spot in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League with a commanding 3-0 triumph over Rennes at the iconic San Siro stadium.

Fresh off their impressive victory against Italian champions Napoli over the weekend, AC Milan entered the match brimming with confidence, immediately asserting their dominance over their French counterparts.

Despite recent transfer rumors swirling around him, Rafael Leão displayed unwavering focus and determination, exemplified by his exquisite control of a diagonal pass and subsequent shot that rattled the crossbar, narrowly missing the target.

Under the astute guidance of manager Stefano Pioli, AC Milan continued to dictate the tempo of the game, fashioning several half-chances as they probed for openings. However, they were momentarily caught off guard by Benjamin Bourigeaud’s menacing effort from outside the box, which narrowly evaded the target.

Nevertheless, AC Milan seized the initiative and broke the deadlock in the 30th minute, courtesy of a pinpoint cross from Alessandro Florenzi that found Ruben Loftus-Cheek unmarked in the box. The English midfielder capitalized on the opportunity, directing a precise header into the far corner, leaving the Rennes goalkeeper helpless.

Julien Stéphan’s Rennes, who entered the contest on the back of an impressive eight-match winning streak across all competitions, found themselves trailing once again as Loftus-Cheek doubled his tally early in the second half. Exploiting a goalkeeping save from Steve Mandanda, Loftus-Cheek reacted swiftly to nod the ball into an empty net, extending AC Milan’s lead.

The dynamic midfielder’s brace marked his second in less than a month, following his stellar performance against Bologna on January 27th.

Buoyed by their commanding lead, AC Milan continued to showcase their attacking prowess, with Leão orchestrating a sublime backheel pass to set up Theo Hernandez for the team’s third goal. Hernandez calmly slotted the ball past Mandanda, effectively putting the result beyond doubt.

Despite their best efforts, Rennes struggled to mount a significant response, with their only notable chance coming from Amine Gouiri’s attempt, which was comfortably dealt with by AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Additionally, Milan substitute Noah Okafor came close to adding a fourth goal, only to be denied by a goal-line clearance after Mandanda thwarted Christian Pulisic’s initial effort.

With a comprehensive victory secured, AC Milan firmly asserted their control over the tie, leaving Rennes with a daunting task in the return leg. As they prepare to travel to northwest France, AC Milan find themselves in a commanding position, poised to advance to the next round of the Europa League.

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