TIME MACHINE: CAGLIARI v AC MILAN

#IZBACK. At the end of December 2019, we celebrated the return of Zlatan Ibrahimović with this hashtag. A much-appreciated gesture in the midst of the festive season, a blessing to forget a difficult period - Bergamo, in particular - and to rise again by relying on the Swedish totem. The proof of a different, better Rossoneri team was somehow already seen the weekend before the Cagliari v AC Milan match, when Ibra's entrance alone lit up the atmosphere at San Siro despite Sampdoria forcing (only) a draw. But at the first away match, on 11 January, on the pitch and for real: #IZBACK.

That afternoon at the Unipol Domus, Pioli's men were looking for answers and points, 22 were not enough, and we were far down the table. Conversely, Maran's line-up were surprisingly qualifying for the Europa League. Ibrahimović started on the pitch, and the Diavolo played well: Hernández found Olsen, Zlatan's header curved and hit the far post, Leão's effort from a corner went wide, centimetres from the target. Suddenly, however, Cagliari made themselves dangerous: Nández's lob and Donnarumma's shot were both saved. We had to wait until the second half for the goals, and after a few seconds Castillejo launched one for Leão: a volleyed stop, a choked and deflected right-footer, and the ball rose up past Olsen into the net.

But the highlight came in the 64th minute, when Ibrahimović scored again for AC Milan in Serie A, latching onto a cross from Theo and curling a left-footed shot into the corner of the net. There was a huge celebration around the Swede, who was unfazed as he celebrated something that had been missing for almost eight years. In Sardinia, the Rossoneri won 2-0. They were back on track. It was going to be a good winter in terms of performances until the COVID-19 pandemic forced a halt to the season. When it resumed, we remember our way once again, which culminated in the 2021/22 Scudetto thanks to the fundamental support of #IZBACK.

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