#TBT: OLIVER BAGS IN AN INSTANT

AC Milan v Bologna will be the fourth time the two sides have met at San Siro on matchday 1 of a Serie A season. AC Milan 3-0 Bologna in 1998, AC Milan 2-1 Bologna in 2004 and AC Milan 1-2 Bologna in 2008. The first of the three previous matchday 1 meetings was on 12 September 1998 - the game, in which everyone noticed that something had changed. And definitely for the better.

In the 1997/98 season, the previous one, AC Milan hadn't scored a single goal against Bologna: 0-0 at San Siro as Maurizio Ganz made his debut and 3-0 to the Rossoblù at the Dall'Ara - Roberto Baggio bagged a brace against a Rossoneri side, who were forced to employ Dario Smoje as a centre-back.

12 September 1998 rolled around and it was clear that this season would be a totally different story. Renzo Ulvieri's Bologna side with Roberto Baggio had been succeeded by a Rossoblù side coached by Carletto Mazzone, who was able to count upon Beppe Signori as one of the key members of that squad. However, it was also an evening that saw a new-look AC Milan side take the stage, with Alberto Zaccheroni and Oliver Bierhoff playing the leading roles.

And they certainly would star in that show. AC Milan three Bologna nil, in front of more than 50,000 spectators at San Siro. President Berlusconi uttered these prophetic words after full time: "I enjoyed it, but I hope that AC Milan can improve even more." Oliver Bierhoff's brace and a Leonardo goal signalled the start of a new adventure, which would end in Scudetto glory.

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