Milan's Champions League Hopes Crumble in Bologna Defeat

Milan's Champions League Dream Takes a Hit: The Bologna Blowout

So, AC Milan’s chances of making it to the Champions League just took a massive hit. A 2-1 loss to Bologna in their rescheduled Serie A match? Ouch. That leaves them a whopping eight points behind the top four with only twelve games left to play. Honestly, who saw that coming? Especially after already being knocked out of the Champions League and recently losing to Torino. You know how sometimes things just spiral? This felt like one of those times.

A Controversial Goal and a Defensive Meltdown

Milan started strong, grabbing the lead just before halftime thanks to Rafael Leao’s incredible solo goal. It was a thing of beauty – a real highlight in an otherwise disappointing game. But then, three minutes into the second half, Bologna equalized. And it was controversial, to say the least. There were shouts of a handball in the build-up, but VAR didn't overturn it. That seemed to deflate Milan, and they just didn’t recover. Bologna then capitalized on a defensive lapse in the 82nd minute, with Dan Ndoye scoring the winner. It was Bologna’s first home league win against Milan in almost 23 years – a pretty brutal stat that underscores just how badly Milan struggled. It felt a bit like watching a slow-motion trainwreck.

The Aftermath: Crisis in Milan?

The defeat leaves Milan in eighth place with 41 points – a huge gap behind fourth-placed Juventus, who are sitting pretty on 49 points. Bologna, meanwhile, jumped to sixth place with 44 points. Remember, this game was rescheduled because of the devastating floods in the Emilia-Romagna region. It's good to know that half the proceeds went to support the flood victims, though, a small positive amidst the gloom.

Can Milan Still Make it? Leao's Hope Remains

Despite the setback, Milan haven’t given up hope. Rafael Leao, ever the optimist, said, “We still believe (in qualification), there are a lot of games left to play, teams can drop points and we just have to do our job which is to win matches.” Easier said than done, right? Their next match against Lazio is absolutely massive. It feels like a do-or-die situation – their last real chance to keep their Champions League dreams alive. This is where we'll see their true grit and determination. Can they bounce back from this crushing defeat?

What We Learned From This Game

Bologna pulled off a massive upset against AC Milan. This win seriously jeopardizes Milan’s Champions League hopes. Bologna ended a ridiculously long winless streak against Milan at home. And, as a reminder, the match was postponed due to the Emilia-Romagna floods. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel for more in-depth analysis of this match and other Serie A updates! (Link to YouTube channel here)