Mark van Bommel was sent off on his Milan league debut but the Serie A leaders still claimed the three points in a 2-0 win at Catania last night.
Despite playing most of the second half with 10 men, goals from Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent Milan seven points clear at the top ahead of today’s matches.
Goalscorer Robinho claimed the Rossoneri are closing in on the scudetto crown.
“I’m happy with the win against a team that defends really well,” he told SkySport.
“We’re still top and there are 15 or 20 games left so we have to keep playing this way. It’s tough to play with 10 men but I don’t think Van Bommel deserved his second yellow.”
Milan were quick to state their intent as they carved out an opportunity in the first minute.
An exchange between Antonio Cassano and Ibrahimovic broke down but the Sweden forward managed to prod the ball to the unmarked Robinho, whose curling shot from 20 yards lacked the power to beat Mariano Andujar in the Catania goal.
In a bright opening, the hosts were next to threaten as Maxi Lopez teed up Pablo Ledesma but his shot was well off target.
The game then settled down into cagey probing and it was almost half-time when Ibrahimovic’s brilliant pass picked out Cassano who couldn’t quite wrap his foot around the ball.
Ibrahimovic had two shots from distance well off target at the start of the second period before Van Bommel, who signed from Bayern Munich in midweek, received his marching orders on 54 minutes after a second booking.
Just four minutes later the visitors were in front as Andujar failed to hold Ibrahimovic’s fierce free-kick and Robinho was quickest to react to the rebound.
Milan remained dangerous on the counter and Andujar had to make saves from both Ibrahimovic and another league debutant, Urby Emanuelson.
And then five minutes from time they hit the Sicilians with the killer second as Robinho crossed for Ibrahimovic to poke home.
Earlier, Czech forward Libor Kozak grabbed both goals as Lazio beat Fiorentina 2-0 to keep their slim title hopes alive.
They trail Milan by seven points and provisionally moved up to third.
Kozak was offered a first league start of the season by coach Edy Reja as Mauro Zarate sat out the game amid growing transfer speculation surrounding the Argentine.
Serie A
Lazio 2
Kozak 69 pen, 73;
Fiorentina 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 15,000.
Catania 0
Milan 2
Robinho 58; Ibrahimovic 85;
HT: 0-0. Att: 16,613.
Red card: Van Bommel (M) 54.
Playing today – 15.00
Brescia vs Chievo (1-0) - 12.30
Bologna vs Roma (2-2)
Cagliari vs Bari (0-0)
Genoa vs Parma (1-1)
Inter vs Palermo (2-1)
Juventus vs Udinese (4-0) - 20.45
Lecce vs Cesena (0-1)
Napoli vs Sampdoria (2-1)
Next fixtures
Tuesday: 20.45 Milan vs Lazio.
Wednesday: 20.45 Cesena vs Catania; Chievo vs Napoli; Fiorentina vs Genoa; Palermo vs Juventus; Parma vs Lecce; Roma vs Brescia; Sampdoria vs Cagliari; Udinese vs Bologna.
Thursday: 20.45 Bari vs Inter.
Serie B
AlbinoLeffe 1 - Ascoli 1
Crotone 1 - Torino 1
Novara 2 - Cittadella 2
Padova 1 - Modena 1
Pescara 0 - Triestina 0
Piacenza 3 - Reggina 2
Sassuolo 0 - Portogruaro 1
Siena 4 - Livorno 0
Vicenza 0 - Grosseto 1
Tomorrow
Frosinone vs Atalanta (0-0) - 20.45
Standings: Siena 47; Novara 45; Atalanta 44; Varese 40; Livorno, Torino 35; Padova, Reggina 34; Pescara 32; Vicenza, Grosseto 31; Empoli 30; Crotone, Modena 29; AlbinoLeffe 28; Cittadella 26; Piacenza, Portogruaro 25; Sassuolo 24; Triestina 23; Ascoli (-5) 22; Frosinone 20.