AC MILAN v NAPOLI: A PREVIOUS MEETING

A big top of the table clash and at the same time a bogey team for the Rossoneri, who have not beaten the Partenopei at San Siro since December 2014. The 20:45 kick-off will attract a lot of interest and be an exciting watch: let's look back to January 2008, an unforgettable previous meeting for the Rossoneri fanbase. 

SETTING THE SCENE
13 January 2008, Napoli come to San Siro and the Rossoneri, winners of the Club World Cup less than a month earlier, had some unfinished business to attend. The first thing on the agenda was to get back to winning ways in the league at San Siro because at this point in January they still had not won a game at home in Serie A, in spite of a clean sweep in the Champions League at that point (3/3). The second was Alexandre Pato's first appearance at the club. The long-awaited debut had finally arrived for the young Brazilian. A significant investment made by the club, Pato had turned 18 in September and was now ready to take his place on the big stage. He would go on to set the Rossoneri world alight with his impact on the club.  

A FIERY FIRST HALF
Coach Ancelotti boldly deployed the first version of Ka-Pa-Ro from the start of the game, that is to say, Kaká, Pato and Ronaldo, the Brazilian trio. And San Siro was packed to the rafters: we took the lead in the 15th minute, Pirlo set up Ronaldo, a right-footed shot parried by Lezzo but not before it had crossed the goal line giving AC Milan the lead. Reja's Napoli were down but not out of the game and they responded immediately: in the 28th minute, Sosa equalised, with Lavezzi providing the assist. It was only level for three minutes though as Seedorf made the most of a practically open goal after Lezzo had made two incredible saves from Pato's efforts. The Neapolitans were down again, and Lezzo was called to action again off Pato, but in the 38th they equalise again, 2-2 after a Domizzi penalty, coming from a foul by Kaladze on Lavezzi. 

THE DUCK SEALS THE DEAL
In the second half, the Rossoneri finally secured the lead: in the first minute after the break, Seedorf's cross was headed in by Ronnie, 3-2. In the 68th minute, Kaká turned Gargano and hit a powerful, precise low shot to the far post, 4-2. Only one player was missing from the scoresheet, and that was Pato: after so many chances and keeping the fans on the edge of the seats, finally, a goal came for the Duck. From Favalli's rebound, Pato slipped past Domizzi and with a flat right-footed shot beat Lezzo who was rushing out to close him down. In the 74th minute of his debut, Alexandre scored his first goal for AC Milan to make this evening an unforgettable one in front of 75,000 people at San Siro.

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