Inter and Napoli buoyed as Milan frustrated
AC Milan dropped potentially crucial points in its bid to win Serie A after it was frustrated by Bologna in a 0-0 draw at San Siro.
The Rossoneri went into the international break holding a three-point lead on the back of three straight 1-0 wins, but they could not keep up that winning run.
Indeed, Bologna – whose coach Sinisa Mihajlovic was not present on the touchline as he is in hospital for leukemia treatment – restricted Stefano Pioli's team to little in the way of clear chances in its boss's 100th league match in charge, to the chagrin of an expectant Milan faithful.
With Napoli and Inter having both won on Monday (AEDT), Milan's advantage has now been cut to just one point with seven games remaining.
Rafael Leao had the first opportunity 16 minutes in, though the Portugal forward could not keep his shot down.
Michel Aebischer drilled straight at Mike Maignan after Marko Arnautovic's clever dummy, before Milan's goalkeeper tipped Musa Barrow's strike over after Gary Medel had made a fine block at the other end.
Bologna continued to frustrate Milan after the restart, with Leao particularly wasteful, first skewing a cross out of play before failing to get a shot off when he had space.
Leao provided a sublime pass for Davide Calabria in the 61st minute, but Medel just managed to divert the full-back's shot wide – a touch the referee failed to notice.
Ante Rebic blazed over as Milan kept up the pressure, with Leao then curling wide from just inside the area.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was given 20 minutes to try and make a difference, but the veteran headed over from the one chance that came his way as Milan was thwarted.
