TIME MACHINE: AC MILAN v ATALANTA

AC Milan vs Atalanta will be our first home fixture in May. The 2025/26 season is nearing its final stages and so the countdown has begun before we bid farewell to San Siro for the summer, but there are still many important moments ahead, like this one, with the Rossoneri and La Dea set to meet on Matchday 36 of Serie A. Take a look back at a previous meeting between these two sides on 26 February 2023 with our Time Machine.

At the time, AC Milan were emerging from a difficult spell in the league: draws against Roma (2-2) and Lecce (2-2), heavy defeats to Lazio (0-4) and Sassuolo (2-5), and a Derby loss (0-1). Victories over Torino (1-0) and Monza (1-0) steadied the course, while in between came a 1-0 first-leg win over Tottenham in the Champions League Round of 16. The first headline that night was not tactical but visual, since the team wore the Fourth Kit. There was also a major return: Mike Maignan was back between the posts after five months out with a calf injury. AC Milan started strongly, and after seven minutes, Leão found Giroud but he fired over. The breakthrough arrived in the 25th minute: Giroud’s aerial pass fell to Theo Hernández, who unleashed a fierce left-footed volley from the edge of the area. The ball struck the post, rebounded off Musso’s back and into the net. Shortly before the end of the half, Leão threatened again, bursting forward but lacking precision with the finish.

After the break, just past the hour mark, Díaz produced a gem for Giroud, whose pinpoint attempt was denied by Musso. Seconds later, Leão’s set piece forced another save. In the 69th minute, a sweeping vertical move between Giroud, Tonali, Leão, Díaz, and Tonali again ended with Leão unable to convert from close range under pressure from Mæhle. A minute later Hernández won it back and Leão released Messias, but the Brazilian dragged his left-footed effort wide. There was another welcome return that match, as Zlatan Ibrahimović made his seasonal debut, and it proved to have an effect; in the 86th minute, a brilliant pass from Leão sent Messias through, and this time he kept his composure to lift a cool finish over the goalkeeper. It ended 2-0 to Milan, securing three vital points and an injection of energy in their race for Champions League qualification.

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