Milan 3-0 Empoli: Reijnders at the double in routine Serie A win

Tijjani Reijnders’s double and a goal from Alvaro Morata saw Milan claim a comfortable 3-0 win over Empoli at a foggy San Siro on Saturday.

Milan, who beat Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League in midweek, had drawn their previous two Serie A matches.

But Paulo Fonseca’s team returned to winning ways without too much fuss, with Empoli not managing to get a single shot on target.

Morata gave Milan the lead in the 19th minute, scoring with a first touch inside the left post after the Spanish striker landed a rebound.

Reijnders doubled Milan’s advantage just before the break with a brilliant half-volley before he made it 3-0 in the second half, sending a crisp, low finish home from outside of the box.

Milan are seventh in the standings with 22 points, seven points off leaders Napoli who visit 11th-placed Torino on Sunday.

Rossoneri. #MilanEmpoli #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/XmmrB4rQZs

— AC Milan (@acmilan) November 30, 2024

Data Debrief: Milan’s mean defence

Fonseca hit out at Milan’s sloppy defending in their 3-2 Champions League win in midweek, and his criticism fuelled a response from his team this time out.

Empoli had nine shots but finished with just 0.6 expected goals, as Milan – who accumulated 2.2 xG going the other way – kept a fifth clean sheet from their last seven home matches in the league.

The excellent Reijnders was decisive, as he netted his first double in a match in Europe’s top 10 leagues since he scored twice for AZ against Vitesse in May 2022.