Milan 0-0 Empoli: Frustrated Rossoneri held to goalless draw

Milan missed the opportunity to further boost their top four hopes as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Empoli on Friday.

The Rossoneri went into their Serie A clash at San Siro looking to take advantage after rivals Inter could only draw with Salernitana earlier in the day.

But Stefano Pioli’s side ultimately also had to settle for a point as Paolo Zanetti’s visitors stubbornly kept them at bay despite Milan fashioning a number of opportunities, while Olivier Giroud saw a late goal disallowed for handball.

It marked a disappointing lead-in for the hosts as they prepare to face league leaders Napoli in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Milan wasted little time pursuing an opener, and back-to-back attempts from Ante Rebic and Theo Hernandez in the 13th minute forced a pair of saves from Samuele Perisan, while Sandro Tonali also went close six minutes from the interval.

Empoli continued to be besieged at the back following the break, with defender Tyronne Ebuehi eventually surviving a penalty call that had been given for handball, overturned after a VAR check on the hour mark.

The arrival of Giroud and Rafael Leao added fresh life into Milan’s attack, with the latter going close in the 73rd minute following Alessandro Florenzi’s cross.

It looked as if Giroud might have spared his side’s blushes when he had the ball in the net in the 89th minute, only for the VAR to rule it out for handball against the French striker, ultimately ensuring the hosts were kept at deadlock.