ROME
\nAC Milan and Inter Milan secured matching 2-0 victories over Roman clubs as they briefly swopped places in Serie A ahead of their Champion League semi-final clash.
\nMilan briefly jumped from sixth to fourth, leapfrogging Inter, with a home victory over second-place Lazio in the early game.
\n\u201cWe played a great game. Now there is plenty of time to recover ahead of the semi-final against Inter,\u201d said Milan coach Stefano Pioli.
\n\u201cNow let\u2019s think about the Champions League.\u201d
\nInter then jumped back to fourth when they won away at Roma, keeping Jose Mourinho\u2019s team outside the European places.
\nInter coach, Simone Inzaghi said the Champions League semi-final would be \u201ca showdown played over 180 minutes.\u201d
\n\u201cWe know what we have to do,\u201d he added.
\nAt the San Siro, Ismael Bennacer pounced on a loose ball in the Lazio area and thrashed his shot home to give AC Milan the lead in the 17th minute.
\nAfter 29 minutes, wingback Theo Hernandez collected a roll-out from goalkeeper Mike Maignan on the edge of the Milan box.
\nAfter shrugging off an early challenge, the Frenchman ran unhindered deep into the Lazio half before thumping a dipping 30-metre shot past Ivan Provedel.
\nLazio did not manage a shot on target, although Toma Basic scuffed a close-range chance in the dying seconds.
\nThe two Milan clubs meet in the first leg of a Champions League semi-final on Wednesday and both seemed to have an eye on that match.
\nMilan withdrew Rafael Leao after 10 minutes. The winger indicated to the bench that he had a thigh problem and, after a discussion, was replaced.
\n\u201cHe stopped in time,\u201d said Pioli. \u201cWe\u2019ll see tomorrow. At the end of the game he was serene, he felt good, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s something particularly serious. We are able to play a great game even without him.\u201d
\nInter left several regular attacking starters on the bench against injury- hit Roma.
\nEdin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan remained spectators throughout while Lautauro Martinez appeared for the last 30 minutes.
\nLeft-back Federico Dimarco gave Inter the lead after 33 minutes and Romelu Lukaku added the second in the 74th minute.
\nInzaghi said that his changes reflected the health of his squad.
\n\u201cNow I have the chance to choose and rotate both in midfield and in attack,\u201d he said.
\nRoma also have an eye on Europe. They stayed seventh, five points behind Inter in the last Champions League place, but have another route into that competition if they win the Europa League. Roma host Leverkusen in the first leg of a semi-final on Thursday.
\nMourinho gathered his players on the field at the final whistle.
\n\u201cI thanked them for their efforts, the efforts of those who are exhausted, of those who played on one leg, of the one who played with broken ribs or after an injection,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cI go home with great pride. On Thursday we will be there.\u201d
\nTheir neighbours, Lazio stayed second behind newly-crowned champions Napoli.
\nEarlier on Saturday, Genoa ensured an immediate return to the top flight when they beat visiting Ascoli 2-1 in Serie B.
\nWith two rounds of games left, Genoa moved eight points clear of third-placed Bari who drew 1-1 at Modena.
\nLeaders Frosinone, who had secured promotion the previous week, won 3-1 at Pisa.
\nThe third promotion place will be determined in a playoff involving six teams. Genoa could replace neighbours Sampdoria who are bottom of Serie A and 10 points from safety.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ROME AC Milan and Inter Milan secured matching 2-0 victories over Roman clubs as they briefly swopped places in Serie A ahead of their Champion League semi-final clash. Milan briefly jumped from sixth to fourth, leapfrogging Inter, with a home victory over second-place Lazio in the early game. \u201cWe played a great game. Now there […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":330031,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-330020","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n