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Serie A | Genoa 1-2 Milan: Diavolo surge towards Champions League
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- Serie A | Genoa 1-2 Milan: Diavolo surge towards Champions League
Serie A | Genoa 1-2 Milan: Diavolo surge towards Champions League
Milan had a huge scare, but beat Genoa 2-1 with Christopher Nkunku and Zachary Athekame to take a big step towards the Champions League.
This fixture had to be moved earlier to ensure fairness in the increasingly tight race for Champions League football , as the Rossoneri dropped to joint fourth with Roma after scraping only seven points from eight rounds.
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Tension was sky high both on and off the field, but Rafael Leao , Alexis Saelemaekers and Pervis Estupinan were suspended , with Samuele Ricci and Christian Pulisic not fully fit. Luka Modric returned to the bench less than three weeks after surgery for a fractured cheekbone.
Genoa were ready to celebrate after securing Serie A safety, but missed Junior Messias , Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Maxwel Cornet .
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
GENOA, ITALY – MAY 17: Genoa fans put up a choreography prior to kick-off in the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on May 17, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
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Vitinha couldn't keep his finish down from a promising position, then Tommaso Baldanzi just failed to get on the end of his cross on the counter-attack.
Milan took a long time to get going, finally starting to threaten just before half-time with Alessandro Marcandalli preventing Christopher Nkunku getting on the end of an Adrien Rabiot assist.
As things stood with other results at half-time, the Rossoneri were out of the Champions League places.
GENOA, ITALY – MAY 17: Tommaso Baldanzi of Genoa (left) and Ardon Jashari of Milan vie for the ball during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on May 17, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
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Amorim's weak back-pass was intercepted by Christopher Nkunku, prompting Justin Bijlow to bring down the striker for a Milan penalty at the dawn of the second half. Nkunku kept his cool to convert and put the Rossoneri in front.
Play was halted for several minutes soon after, as a coin thrown from the stands struck the assistant referee.
GENOA, ITALY – MAY 17: Christopher Nkunku of Milan scores a goal on a penalty kick during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on May 17, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
Malinovskyi blasted not far off target, while Johan Vasquez made the decisive block as Nkunku met the Athekame low cross, then at the other end Vitinha couldn't keep his header steady at the back post.
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Athekame drilled in hard and low from the edge of the area on a Christian Pulisic lay-off to give Milan a 2-0 cushion.
GENOA, ITALY – MAY 17: Zachary Athekame of Milan removes a flare thrown onto the pitch by Genoa fans during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on May 17, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
However, Genoa fought back, as first Jeff Ekhator forced a great save out of Mike Maignan when intercepting the wayward Ardon Jashari back-pass, then Vasquez managed to bundle over the line from close range.
It was tense to the end, but Bijlow made two big saves in stoppages to deny Adrien Rabiot's screamer from distance and Pulisic at the near post.
Genoa 1-2 Milan
Nkunku pen 50 (M), Athekame 81 (M), Vasquez 87 (G)
