Juve end Milan’s 27-match unbeaten run

Federico Chiesa scored a brace as Juventus inflicted a first league defeat this season on Serie A leaders AC Milan, ending their 27-match unbeaten run with a 3-1 win on Wednesday.

Stefano Pioli told his AC Milan players to have no regrets about their performance despite suffering their first Serie A defeat in 304 days.

"This defeat hurts," said Pioli. "If there is an opponent against whom we have suffered it is Juventus, who have won the Scudetto for nine years in a row. But understanding how bad you feel after a defeat will also help us grow," he added.

"I saw the spirit of a team that wants to lead and win," said Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo. "This match was crucial for us."

Milan retained top spot thanks to their rivals Inter Milan slipping up by losing 2-1 to Sampdoria earlier in the day, and Pioli insisted that he was proud of his team regardless of the result.

"It's been a long time since we've lived through the ugly sensation of a defeat," he told Sky Italia. "I gave the players a pat on the back, they deserved it. They shouldn't have regrets after a game like this, they should keep their heads up."

Milan's chances against the Italian champions were dealt a blow earlier on Wednesday when Ante Rebic and Rade Krunic tested positive for COVID-19 to take their tally of unavailable players to seven.

"Seven is a lot, but we didn't lose our identity," Pioli said. "The individual episodes and the quality of the opponent made the difference."