AC MILAN v SASSUOLO: TIME MACHINE

The Rossoneri host Sassuolo to end an intense January and look ahead to a February full of exciting fixtures. May 2014 saw the first home league match against the Neroverdi, for a contest which has since become an annual occasion for AC Milan and Sassuolo. Nine years on from that first match at San Siro, we relive the highlights from that game through our Time Machine.

THE SCENARIO
It was 18 May 2014, the final matchday of the Serie A 2013/14 season. The Neroverdi – in their first season in the top flight – surprised everyone, beating Allegri’s Milan at home and avoiding relegation with several games to spare. The Rossoneri, led by Clarence Seedorf, however, were chasing a last-minute qualification for European football in a final round that held many possibilities. With just one game left of the season, Milan, having missed out on the Champions League, were playing for a place in the Europa League alongside Parma and Torino.

MUNTARI’S EARLY OPENER, DE JONG DOUBLES
After just two minutes on the clock, a screaming left-footed strike from Sulley Muntari opened the scoring: Pazzini was on hand to find the Ghanaian midfielder, who controlled and unleashed a left-footed shot, which beat Pomini and found the back of the net to give the Rossoneri a 1-0 lead. In the 27th minute, De Jong’s free-kick from the edge of the box took a deflection and made it 2-0. Seedorf’s formation was organised and they went into the break with a two-goal advantage.

9 AGAINST 10 AT FULL TIME; THREE POINTS NOT ENOUGH
Intensity and energy levels dropped in the second half. Mexes’ sending off in the 68th minute made things difficult for the Rossoneri, as they retreated into their half and relied on their centre-backs to try and see them to full time. In the last few minutes, Pomini denied Pazzini from delivering a knockout blow, before the Emiliani got back into the game with Zaza’s penalty. In between, Cannavaro’s red card meant numerical parity was restored for a few minutes in a nail-biting finale before De Sciglio saw red for his challenge that conceded the penalty. It ended 2-1, but results elsewhere did not go the Rossoneri’s way as they finished the season in eighth place.

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