AC MILAN v BOLOGNA: A PREVIOUS MEETING

The Rossoneri are back in Serie A action as they host Bologna in the first game of the run-in, which will conclude in the second half of May. The Rossoneri and Rossoblù have faced off on many occasions in the top flight of Italian football and is, this season, a fixture that is a must-win for both sides given their respective - but wildly disparate - standing in the league table. The meeting between the two at San Siro this year is on a Monday night, while the previous meeting that we want to describe to you was on a Saturday afternoon mid-way through the month of May. The year was 2003 and the game against the Felsinei was decisive in the Diavolo's attempts to reach big aims that season as well.

SETTING THE SCENE
It was matchday 33 and AC Milan needed a win to wrap up Champions League qualification with fifth-place Chievo having drawn within four points after the Rossoneri's defeat in Brescia at the end of the previous week. Morale was at a peak for Ancelotti's side given that they had just booked a place in the Final in Manchester after the 1-1 draw in the second leg of the semi-final against Inter. There was a party atmosphere at San Siro on the day of the Bologna game because it was the Rossoneri's last home game in the league in the 2002/03 season. The fixtures were coming thick and fast for the Rossoneri, who would take on Roma in the first leg of the Coppa Italia final at the Olimpico just three days later. Yet Ancelotti chose not to rotate the team too much, going with his usual 4-3-1-2 formation with Abbiati, between the sticks; Roque Júnior, Nesta, Costacurta and Kaladze in defence; Seedorf Pirlo and Gattuso in midfield; Rui Costa in the number 10 role behind strikers Shevchenko and Inzaghi.

AC MILAN DOMINANT, PIRLO OPENS THE SCORING
The Rossoneri were electric on the front foot and were well on top right from the off. The first chance fell to Shevchenko in the seventh minute. Andriy got in behind the defence and looked to feed Inzaghi, but Bologna goalkeeper Pagliuca came off his goal line to make a vital intervention. The Rossoblù's shot-stopper came up trumps again moments later to deny Gattuso, who received the ball from Rui Costa in a great position. A goal was coming and the Rossoneri bagged in the 23rd minute. Colucci fouled Seedorf in the box and Pirlo stepped up and converted the spot-kick with a sublime Panenka penalty. The Rossoneri taking the lead didn't change the outlook of the game as AC Milan continued to dominate and they created a chance for a second goal through Rui Costa. Ancelotti's side - now with Rivaldo who had come on for Rui Costa - came back out from the break and still looked much the better of the two sides and, after just a few seconds, Inzaghi came just inches away from making it 2-0.

SEEDORF WITH THE SECOND, SUPERPIPPO WRAPS IT UP
Just six minutes into the second half, AC Milan managed to double their lead through Clarence Seedorf, who rifled in a low driven shot from around 27 yards out. The Rossoneri controlled the game well and continued to create chances before, in the 66th minute, they found themselves three goals to the good. Pirlo's through ball found Inzaghi, who skipped past the defenders and fired past Pagliuca on the half volley. Bologna responded to going three down by scoring a brilliant goal through Meghni, who bagged following a brilliant ball by Signori. However, that was only to be a consolation goal. AC Milan dominated the remainder of the match and came close on a few times to a fourth goal, most notably with chances for Inzaghi and Nesta. In the 83rd minute, a brilliant one-two between SuperPippo and Rivaldo led to the Italian winning the Rossoneri's second penalty of the day. Inzaghi stepped up to take the spot-kick, which he himself had won, but Pagliuca guessed the right way and kept it out. It ended 3-1 to AC Milan, who secured qualification to the Champions League in 2003/04 and set themselves up for an unforgettable feat at the end of the month. 

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