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Olivier Giroud signed a one-year contract extension with AC Milan until 2024 yesterday. It’s the day after scoring the goal that advanced his team to the Champions League semi-finals. “AC Milan is proud to announce that Olivier Giroud has renewed his contract with the club,” Milan said in a brief statement.
The Italian champions confirmed that the veteran France striker’s new contract will expire at the end of next season. Giroud scored in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at Napoli, giving Milan a 2-1 aggregate victory in their all-Italian Champions League quarter-final.
“I’m very proud, very happy… “It was the ideal way to celebrate last night,” Giroud said shortly after the announcement. Giroud, France’s all-time leading scorer, has 27 goals for Milan since joining from Chelsea at the beginning of last season. Giroud was instrumental in Milan winning their first Serie A title in 11 years in May, scoring a number of crucial goals for the club. Milan is currently fourth in Serie A, 22 points behind league leaders Napoli this season.
For the first time since winning the European championship in 2007, Milan advanced to the Champions League’s final four. They have recovered from a post-World Cup slump in recent weeks, and Tuesday’s performance was yet another statement performance that gives them hope of reaching the final.
Giroud agreed to stay at AC Milan until 2024
“This gives us real confidence in ourselves.”
“We already had faith, but beating Napoli and Tottenham will help us grow,” coach Stefano Pioli said. “These are the kinds of experiences that give you the strength and ability to deal with certain types of pressure.”
Many of us were playing in such an important match for the first time… It’s a significant step forward.”
Six minutes before the Portugal winger sped up the field to set up Giroud‘s game-winning goal. Rafael Leao tackled Hirving Lozano, and Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti expressed disappointment that his team did not receive a penalty. Although neither referee Szymon Marciniak nor the VAR officials saw anything wrong with Leao’s challenge. Spalletti was upset that his team did not receive a penalty kick despite being only a goal down.
