TIME MACHINE: AC MILAN v UDINESE

Matchday 8 of Serie A 2024/25 is upon us and AC Milan will face Udinese. The past between the two teams has much to tell and brings back pleasant memories in the minds of Milan fans. These include the thrilling success of the 2009/10 season, which was marked by the class of Ronaldinho and the goals of Huntelaar and Pato. It was a revamped AC Milan that prepared to welcome the Friulian side to the San Siro on 12 February 2010, and the 3-2 home victory proved to be instrumental in turning Leonardo's side's season around. Let's travel back in time to relive that AC Milan v Udinese encounter as we await the next chapter.

A turbulent start, then the recovery. On the Matchday 24 of the 2009/10 Serie A season, the calendar showed AC Milan v Udinese, and the Diavolo were going through a delicate moment. After finishing the first half of the season on a high note, Leonardo's Rossoneri have slowed down at the start of the second half, and they wanted the three points to rekindle their enthusiasm. The home match against De Biasi's Udinese was a chance to get back on track in the championship and get closer to the Champions League round of 16 match against Manchester United. 4-3-3 was the starting line-up. In front of Dida there were Abate, Thiago Silva, Nesta and Favalli, then the two tridents: Ambrosini, Pirlo and Gattuso in midfield, Mancini, Huntelaar and Ronaldinho up front. Hectic start. Ronaldinho was on a roll, and it took him only 7 minutes to light up the San Siro: a double turn and a soft cross that Huntelaar headed into the goal, anticipating Handanovič at the first post. 1-0. Udinese were coming alive, led by the play of Sanchez and Di Natale.

The game was tight, but then the Rossoneri's No.80 created some more magic: a telecommunicated first-time throw to set up Pato, who had taken over from Mancini, at speed, the goalkeeper was beaten due to a collision. 2-0 AC Milan in the 39th minute. At the end of the first half, the Bianconeri got back into the game through Floro Flores' header, and the second half was to be just as explosive. In the 57th minute, the visitors' defence failed to clear a Gaucho free-kick, and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar pounced on the loose ball, firing home a right-footed shot for AC Milan's third goal. The game remained entertaining and open to every scenario, with Gattuso, Di Natale and Pato all going close to scoring, and then it was the Udinese captain who beat Dida in the 86th minute to set the ending on fire. There was no room for further surprises as AC Milan won 3-2 and clinched the three points. The success reignited the Rossoneri, who continued to produce convincing results to move closer to the top. The team's season would end with third place in the championship and consequent qualification for the next Champions League.

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