Milan’s Champions League hopes dented with Bologna defeat

AC Milan’s slender hopes of reaching next season’s Champions League took another hit on Thursday with a 2-1 defeat at Bologna which left them eight points from Serie A’s top four.

Sergio Conceicao’s team sit eighth, some way behind fourth-placed Juventus after losing an entertaining contest at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, a match which was rescheduled from October due to torrential rain and flooding.

Swathes of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, much of which is fertile agricultural flatland, had been left under water following a massive autumn downpour.

Dan Ndoye prodded home the decisive goal in the 82nd minute for Bologna who moved above Milan into sixth on 44 points, five behind Juve, after winning their long-awaited game in hand.

The Switzerland attacker, who netted moments after Nicolo Casale thumped a header off the post, completed the comeback for Bologna after Rafael Leao had put Milan ahead just before half-time.

Milan were sluggish after the break and Santiago Castro had Bologna level in the 48th minute when he forced home a Giovanni Fabbian knockdown which Milan insisted was preceded by a handball.

The away side never recovered and were caught napping at a throw-in for Ndoye’s winner, which came after Nicolo Cambiaghi span Alex Jimenez and whipped in a perfect low cross.

Seven-time European champions Milan host Lazio on Sunday night which might be their last chance to stay in the fight for a place in the continent’s elite club competition.