Italian Serie A
AC MilanAC Milan2SalernitanaSalernitana0

AC Milan 2-0 Salernitana: Milan go top of Serie A after goals from Franck Kessie and Alexis Saelemaekers

AC Milan goal
Goalscorer Alexis Saelemaekers and AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli pay tribute to defender Simon Kjaer, who has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury

AC Milan moved top of Serie A by beating Salernitana - and paid tribute to injured defender Simon Kjaer, who is not expected to play again this season.

Franck Kessie put Milan ahead after five minutes with a low shot after a fine run from Rafael Leao, before Alexis Saelemaekers curled in a second.

After Saelemaekers' goal, he ran to the bench and held up Kjaer's shirt.

Kjaer, who helped save Denmark team-mate Christian Eriksen's life in the summer, has suffered a knee injury.

He was injured after four minutes of Milan's 3-0 win over Genoa on Wednesday and is expected to be out for at least six months.

A statement from Milan on Friday said: "Simon Kjaer underwent arthroscopic surgery today to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament and reinsert the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

"The operation, which was carried out at the Casa di Cura La Madonnina clinic, was a perfect success."

On Monday, Kjaer, 32, attended the Ballon d'Or ceremony, where he was named the 18th best player of 2021 and received a round of applause and praise from host Didier Drogba.

During Denmark's match against Finland in the summer's Euro 2020, Eriksen, 29, suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch with Kjaer starting the CPR process that helped save his team-mate's life.

Milan's win takes them above Napoli, who lost 3-2 at home to Atalanta on Saturday night.

Milan have been Italian champions 18 times but not since 2010-11 and this victory means they have won 12 of 16 league games this season.

Line-ups

AC Milan

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 16Maignan
  • 25Florenzi
  • 23Tomori
  • 13Romagnoli
  • 19HernándezSubstituted forBallo-Touréat 61'minutes
  • 41BakayokoBooked at 24minsSubstituted forBennacerat 45'minutes
  • 79KessiéSubstituted forTonaliat 79'minutes
  • 56Saelemaekers
  • 10Díaz
  • 17Rafael LeãoSubstituted forMessiasat 45'minutes
  • 64PellegriSubstituted forKrunicat 16'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Tatarusanu
  • 4Bennacer
  • 5Ballo-Touré
  • 8Tonali
  • 11Ibrahimovic
  • 14Conti
  • 20Kalulu
  • 27Maldini
  • 30Messias
  • 33Krunic
  • 46Gabbia
  • 83Mirante

Salernitana

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 72Belec
  • 5Veseli
  • 23Gyömbér
  • 26Bogdan
  • 19RanieriSubstituted forJaroszynskiat 79'minutes
  • 21ZorteaSubstituted forKechridaat 61'minutes
  • 8Schiavone
  • 14Di TacchioBooked at 30minsSubstituted forKastanosat 45'minutes
  • 18Coulibaly
  • 7RibérySubstituted forDjuricat 61'minutesBooked at 86mins
  • 25SimySubstituted forBonazzoliat 61'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Fiorillo
  • 4Jaroszynski
  • 9Bonazzoli
  • 11Djuric
  • 20Kastanos
  • 22Obi
  • 24Kechrida
  • 28Capezzi
  • 33Delli Carri
  • 63Vergani
  • 96Guerrieri
Referee:
Antonio Giua
Attendance:
43,609

Match Stats

Home TeamAC MilanAway TeamSalernitana
Possession
Home70%
Away30%
Shots
Home22
Away7
Shots on Target
Home8
Away2
Corners
Home9
Away5
Fouls
Home11
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, AC Milan 2, Salernitana 0.

  2. Post update

    Mike Maignan (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  3. Full Time

    Second Half ends, AC Milan 2, Salernitana 0.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Frederic Veseli (Salernitana).

  5. Post update

    Corner, Salernitana. Conceded by Mike Maignan.

  6. Post update

    Attempt saved. Pawel Jaroszynski (Salernitana) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner.

  7. Post update

    Brahim Díaz (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Andrea Schiavone (Salernitana).

  9. Post update

    Foul by Alessandro Florenzi (AC Milan).

  10. Post update

    Grigoris Kastanos (Salernitana) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  11. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Federico Bonazzoli (Salernitana) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Grigoris Kastanos.

  12. Booking

    Milan Djuric (Salernitana) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  13. Post update

    Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Milan Djuric (Salernitana).

  15. Post update

    Foul by Alessandro Florenzi (AC Milan).

  16. Post update

    Federico Bonazzoli (Salernitana) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  17. Post update

    Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  18. Post update

    Foul by Andrea Schiavone (Salernitana).

  19. Post update

    Attempt missed. Sandro Tonali (AC Milan) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Alexis Saelemaekers.

  20. Post update

    Attempt missed. Brahim Díaz (AC Milan) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Alexis Saelemaekers.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Saturday 4th December 2021

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1AC Milan16122235181738
2Inter Milan16114139152437
3Napoli16113234122236
4Atalanta16104235191634
5Roma168172419525
6Fiorentina158072420424
7Juventus157352016424
8Bologna157352124-324
9Lazio156452929022
10Hellas Verona155552825320
11Empoli156272328-520
12Sassuolo155462423119
13Torino155371916318
14Udinese153752024-416
15Sampdoria154382129-815
16Venezia154381225-1315
17Spezia1532101534-1911
18Genoa151771729-1210
19Cagliari151681629-139
20Salernitana1622121133-228
View full Italian Serie A table

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