#TBT: SUMMER QUALIFIERS

 As the unique sporting schedule that has been put in place in response to the current pandemic continues, AC Milan will be competing in the qualification phase of the Europa League in September. The only precedent for the Rossoneri competing in the qualifying rounds of a tournament other than the Champions League was in 2017, when we had a packed schedule in August, but remarkably, we even played our first competitive fixture as early as July. 

To be precise, it was on 27 July, in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania, that the Rossoneri took to the pitch for another official match after only five days off, including our journey back from Guangzhou, China, where we had player our final pre-season friendly on 22 July 2017, beating Bayern Munich 4-0, with Patrick Cutrone scoring a brace against Carlo Ancelotti's side. 

Our away match in Romania, for logistical and practical reasons, proved to be our most difficult of summer 2017, as we looked to secure our place in the group stage of the Europa League. The second leg on 3 August in fact proved more memorable, as it was on this day that a huge wall of Rossoneri fans turned out to cheer us on in our first competitive fixture of the new season, when we secured our passage to the next round secured in a comfortable 2-0 win, with goals from Bonaventura and Cutrone, the result that had been expected all along. 

Of course, our qualification to the group stages was actually only secured in the next round with our two clashes with Shkendija on 17 and 24 August, with a 6-0 victory in the home leg, and a 1-0 win away. 

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