SASSUOLO v AC MILAN: TIME MACHINE

When you say Reggio Emilia, you immediately think of Sassuolo, and that game in the afternoon on 22 May 2022, the Rossoneri's 19th Scudetto title win. Despite being in their tenth Serie A season this year, the rivalry with the Emilian side is recent and intense, marked by many goals and lots of entertainment. In this edition's Time Machine, we'd like to look back at three different games with three indisputable stars:

26 FEBRUARY 2017: PENALTY DOUBLE, BACCA SEALS IT

The Mapei Stadium hasn't always been a happy hunting ground for the Rossoneri. They lost their first three games away to Sassuolo, between 2014 and 2016, and arrived in Reggio Emilia in February 2017 hoping to break that duck. On the back of a win over Fiorentina, Montella's side were looking for three points in their quest for Europe. Two penalties in the first half decided the fate of the game. After 12 minutes, Berardi missed from the penalty spot - he had scored seven times in previous meetings between the two sides in Reggio Emilia - but Carlos Bacca tucked his away after 22 minutes to get his ninth of the season and seal the win for the away side.

30 SEPTEMBER 2018: THE FIRST TIME FOR SAMU

The above-mentioned win in February 2017 was a watershed moment as from that game on AC Milan have always returned home from Emilia with victory. The biggest win came at the beginning of the 2018/19 season. After three consecutive draws, AC Milan, under the leadership of Gattuso, were looking for their first three points on the road of the season and dominated the evening fixture at Mapei. Kessie opened the scoring after 39 minutes, Suso doubled the lead soon after the break before Samuel Castillejo grabbed his first in a Rossoneri shirt on the hour mark; it was a dream come true for the Spanish winger and childhood AC Milan supporter. Sassuolo's Đuričić shortened the lead from distance after 68 minutes but it counted for nothing and a free-kick from Susu in injury time ended the contest 4-1.

20 DECEMBER 2020: RAFA'S HISTORICAL FEAT

Before the title-clincher in May 2022, the most recent game with Sassuolo was another historical moment for football in Italy, as well as Europe; 6.7 seconds was all that was needed for Rafael Leão to score the fastest-ever goal in Europe's top five leagues. It was a lightening fast start to the game that also saw Alexis Saelemaekers score to earn a 2-1 victory in the final game of the solar year.

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