TIME MACHINE: CREMONESE v AC MILAN
History
Cremonese v AC Milan, as an away fixture, is a game that returns to the Rossoneri's calendar after almost four years of being played on AC Milan's home turf. It's a fixture steeped in memorable moments for the Rossoneri, especially when played at San Siro, such as the occasion when we won the Scudetto against the Grigiorossi. However, when it comes to matches played in Cremona, the record is more balanced, and 'balanced' is the perfect word to describe the clash that took place on 10 February 1985, at the Zini.
Back then, Nils Liedholm's squad was struggling, coming off three games without a win, featuring a home defeat to Como and draws with Udinese and Fiorentina. These results complicated AC Milan's quest for a European spot. This period of AC Milan's history preceded significant changes, including the Berlusconi era.
It's been more than 40 years since then, and the game has come a long way. Yet the Rossoneri squad that took to the pitch that day at the Zini was comprised of several of the Club's legends, including Tassotti and Galli at the back, Evani in midfield, and Virdis leading the attack, as well as the two foreign players at the time, the Englishmen Wilkins and Hateley. Despite being a time with plenty of potential, they still had to work hard to beat Mondonico's side, who had been recently promoted to Serie A and were destined to return to Serie B at the end of the 1984/85 season.
That day in February, AC Milan and Cremonese played 90 goalless minutes, and it was only in added time that the Rossoneri secured the victory. A foul in the box on Virdis gave Agostino Di Bartolomei a shot from the spot. He was midway through his first season as a Rossonero and had already recorded four goals, split equally between Serie A and the Coppa Italia. The midfielder from Rome stepped up to take a low, powerful right-footed shot straight at the goal and beat the goalkeeper. That day, AC Milan secured a crucial victory, one that proved decisive in a season that would see them return to European football.
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