Tottenham Hotspur vs AC Milan: Delayed 10 Minutes, Half I Draw 0-0
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AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur stalemate throughout the first half of the second leg of the last 16 of the 2022/2023 Champions League/Photo/Reuters
LONDON – AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur stalemate throughout the first half of the second leg of the top 16 of the 2022/2023 Champions League at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Wednesday (8/3/2023) evening local time or Thursday (9/3/2023) early morning WIB. Kick-off was delayed 10 minutes due to traffic jams.
The Milan and Tottenham Hotspur buses were both delayed getting into the stadium due to being stuck in traffic. This is the second time in two days London traffic has forced a football match to be postponed. Originally the kick-off was at 03.00 WIB (20.00 GMT), pushed back by 10 minutes.
The Spurs and Milan team buses were stuck in traffic. They arrived 30 minutes later than the set schedule. Milan coach Stefano Pioli confirmed that Milan had requested a 10-minute delay before kick-off and was permitted by UEFA.
This is the second time in as many days London’s notoriously busy traffic has caused a delay. Previously, the same thing happened to Borussia Dortmund on their trip to Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. Dortmund gave up 0-2 in that match and were eliminated after losing 1-2 on aggregate.
Against Spurs, Milan were unable to score throughout the first half. Pioli relies on Olivier Giroud as a starter at the tip of the spear who is supported by Rafael Leao and Brahim Diaz in a 3-4-2-1 formation.
Milan without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Aster Vranckx, Yachine Adli, Sergino Dest and Tiemoue Bakayoko. Also goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu who was replaced by Mike Maignan earlier this week.
At the inaugural meeting at the San Siro, Milan won 1-0 through a single goal by Brahim Diaz. Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat at San Siro in the first leg was their first defeat in five meetings against Milan.
Tottenham coach Antonio Conte fielded the mainstay trio of Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and Harry Kane as a trident to dismantle the Milan defense. In midfield, Conte assigned Emerson, Oliver Skipp, Pierre Hojbjerg and Ivan Perisic
Spurs have progressed in two of the last three European games in which they have trailed from the first leg, they have lost four of their last six home matches in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Player lineup
Tottenham Hotspur (3-4-2-1): Forster; Romero, Lenglet, Davies; Emerson, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Perisic; Son, Kulusevski, Kane.
Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Tanganga, Sanchez, Porro, Sarr, Devine, Danjuma, Lucas, Richarlison
Coach: Antonio Conte
AC Milan (3-4-2-1): Maignan; Kalulu, Thiaw, Tomori; Messiah, Tonali, Krunic, Theo Hernandez; Brahim Diaz, Leg; Giroud
Cadangan: Mirante, Calabria, Bennacer, Ballo-Toure, Rebic, Kjaer, Florenzi, Origi, Pobega, Gabbia, Saelemaekers, De Ketelaere
Coach: Stefano Pioli
(sha)
