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Milan's dismal form continued with a stalemate at Empoli, but Ricardo Oliveira hit the woodwork twice.
The Rossoneri had lost four of their last five Serie A games and, including the Calciopoli penalty were eight points adrift of Empoli.
It was the Tuscans who had the first real chance after 11 minutes, as Antonio Busce' got down the right flank and Dida only just got hold of his cross before Luca Saudati came sliding in from six yards.
Milan went incredibly close to an opener soon after, as Ricardo Oliveira unleashed a strike from 20 metres that took a slight deflection to smash against the crossbar.
Moments later, Marcos Cafu combined with Kaka for a shot tipped on to the side-netting. From the resulting corner, Ricardo Oliveira's header was cleared off the line by Fabio Moro.
Davide Matteini went off on the counter-attack and brought a save out of Dida, but it was mainly Milan in the first half, a free kick touched on for Clarence Seedorf to drill wide.
Marek Jankulovski performed a crucial tackle to stop Igli Vannucchi as he sprinted into the area and Oliveira's header whistled wide from Paolo Maldini's cross. It took a deflection off Raggi's shoulder, but the referee did not award a corner kick.
Ricardo Oliveira was again frustrated by the frame of the goal, as on the stroke of half-time his angled drive had beaten Balli, but was stopped short by the base of the far upright.
After the break the Rossoneri spread the play to an unmarked Kaka, whose powerful but central finish stung the palms of Balli.
Vannucchi went off on the counter-attack for a Busce' shot smothered by Dida, then Pippo Inzaghi replaced a disappointing Alberto Gilardino. Seedorf smashed a volley so off target that it went to the outside corner of the penalty area, then Inzaghi was unable to turn in Cafu's centre.
Yet Empoli were very dangerous on the counter, as Busce' was allowed to roam forward and Dida fingertipped his angled drive round the far post. From the resulting corer, Matteini's volley was over. Milan co-owned striker Nicola Pozzi came on to refresh the home side's front line.
Dida spilled another long-range Vannucchi snapshot and substitute Marco Borriello's header into the air from a defensive mess-up was off target.
Yoann Gourcuff floated the ball back across the face of goal for a Borriello header, but in stoppages the Rossoneri had another great chance to win it. Billy Costacurta and Maldini redirected a corner kick and Balli stuck out a foot to make a decisive reaction save.
Seedorf's long-range free kick flew wide of the upright, but neither team could break through the deadlock.
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