Milan 3, Udinese 2: Intoxicating

This was a match that every other time in the past year, Milan would have lost. Every time. But not today. Maldini and Boban have shown that their initial plan of having a young, talented team complimented with a few more experienced players was exactly what was needed to stop the mental nose dive that Milan has been in for so long and create meaningful, memorable football. The kind of match that is simply intoxicating.

Intoxicating

The first half started quite badly, as Gigio made a massive error in the sixth minute, coming off of his line and crashing into Lasagna, only to allow Stryger-Larsen to send the ball straight into an open net. 1-0 Udinese. The entire first half, Milan played fairly deflated, with Udinese deservedly encouraged. It was the kind of half we have sadly grown used to, especially with these early games.

At the half, Pioli did something only a coach as experienced as himself would do: he subbed Bonaventura off and brought on Rebic. People forget that we have a player who played in the last World Cup Final, as he had failed to impress much so far this season. That worked out really well for us, as Udinese were also caught off guard in the 48th minute as Conti put in a perfect cross for the Croatian, who slotted home the equalizer. 1-1 all. That was Rebic’s first goal for Milan.

That's how a World Cup Runner up medalist does it

That energized the crowd and opened up the game. Gigio made sure that he made up for his error with some spectacular saves, while Milan repeatedly tested Musso at the other end. It was intoxicating.

Milan have also been missing some of those truly special moments, especially the kind of goals that young kids would want to try to emulate. Theo Hernandez scored one of those in the 71st, when the ball was rebounded out from a corner, and he just took it on the volley from distance and put it screaming past Musso to the delight of a packed San Siro. 2-1 Milan. His “Slip n Slide” style celebration was equally brilliant, and his teammates piled ecstatically on top of him to celebrate with him.

How else would you celebrate a goal like that?

However in the 85th, Donarumma, with it being the lunchtime game and all, apparently decided he wanted another serving of Lasagna, as this time, the Udinese striker headed it past him for the second equalizer. 2-2 all. Milan fans felt punched in the stomach, but Udinese were going crazy.

This is the part where Ibrahimovic came up big. He had already had an increasing number of chances in the latter part of the game, helping to drag the team’s mentality along and keep Musso very busy. At a point where the rest of the team would have given up, he fought harder, and kept Milan in the game to the bitter end. That end was the 93rd minute, when he himself provided the assist for Rebic’s second Milan goal, and second on the night. 3-2. Milan had won. Somehow, on the shoulders of experience, we had won. The San Siro almost literally exploded, it was so incredibly intoxicating.

Double win

Maldini and Boban were reportedly on the sidelines at the end of the game, and Boban gave his fellow Croatian, the hero Rebic, an especially touching embrace. This is the kind of game Milan would have traditionally lost. But we won. Despite being a troublesome lunchtime match, in front of an Ibrahimovic-inspired packed San Siro, we did it. Maybe all of the criticism people have had of this management was premature, because that kind of play, those goals, that kind of win… were simply intoxicating.

This post inspired by the music of Queen's "We Will Rock You"

Our next match is

Serie A Week 21

Brescia vs. Milan

Friday, January 24 • 20:45 CET (2:45pm EST)