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Napoli 2-1 AC Milan: Five things we learned – mysteries, dilemmas and declines

Originally posted on SempreMilan | By Ivan Stoev | Last updated Mar 31, 2025 4:01 PM ET

After two wins in a row before the break, AC Milan travelled to face Napoli in a must-win game for both teams, given the respective top four and Scudetto hopes.

Napoli found themselves a goal up after one minute when Matteo Politano fired in, while Romelu Lukaku also netted to make it 2-0 at the break. This gave Milan a mountain to climb, something not uncommon under Sergio Conceicao.

The Rossoneri squandered a big opportunity to get back into the game when Santiago Gimenez missed a penalty off the bench, and other chances went begging before Luka Jovic halved the deficit inside the final 10 minutes.

The defeat means that the Diavolo remain in ninth position, and fourth place is now nine points away. Champions League football has almost definitely vanished, with a Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter the only real hope. Here are five things we learned from the game.

1. The Felix mystery

Joao Felix came on loan from Chelsea this winter and fans were sceptical of the move given how the player has failed to find consistency since his Benfica days.

Felix did, however, get off to a great start with a chip finish against Roma minutes after coming on the pitch, which gave hope to the fans and the management that this transfer might just work out.

Unfortunately, the reality is that bar a few moments after the Roma game Felix has been invisible in both phases of the game bringing nothing to the pitch. The stranger thing is that Conceicao continues to force him into play game after game despite no added value.

Against Napoli he opted for Felix from the start thus benching Rafael Leao, and whilst we’ve heard the notion that Leao can be a game-changer of the bench in second halves when the opposition is tired, he still offers more than his compatriot.

The reality is that Felix brought nothing and Leao was Milan’s main man in the second half, so he should’ve started the game regardless of his consistency issues, especially given his record against Napoli.

2. The Walker dilemma

Kyle Walker arrived in the winter with the mission to try and help stabilise the right flank, where both Emerson Royal and Davide Calabria struggled through the first half of the season on what was ultimately the weakest side of MIlan’s defence.

Walker did feel like an instant upgrade on the duo, at least defensively, as he brought some composure and experience. Yet, eventually his performances at the back declined whilst he is yet to deliver much going forward.

Against Napoli he was at fault for the second goal as he kept Lukaku onside whilst the whole defensive line was two metres further up the pitch. He also struggled in the tie against Feyenoord, and his best performance so far might be at most a 6/10.

The management really have to reflect whether a 34-year-old player that has shown signs of steep decline is really a solution. He doesn’t look like much of one now – especially given his salary – and he probably won’t get better as he continues to lose his pace.

3. Familiar issues persist

Before sacking Paulo Fonseca, Milan did actually begin to show signs of improvement at the back, but failed to score goals. After Conceicao arrived, the Rossoneri found the capacity to outscore their opponents whilst conceding pretty much every game and almost always first.

In recent weeks – with the attackers struggling for goals – Milan now look like a mid-table team at best and they concede twice every game guaranteed at this point. The issue extends to the individuals, too.

This article first appeared on SempreMilan and was syndicated with permission.

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