MILAN. Four goals, a post and a crossbar. An unstoppable AC Milan demolishes the hopes of the young Salzburg players at San Siro with a concentration of their best virtues to return after nine years in the Champions League round of 16. The ability to strike almost at the first lunge, then the strength to resist without falling even in a precarious balance, finally the ability to spread, overwhelming dangerous opponents in a few minutes until a few moments before. A repertoire recited in the decisive evenings by the usual performers. Giroud, author of another fundamental double like the one in the derby on February 5th and in the afternoon of the Scudetto against Sassuolo in Reggio Emilia. Then Tomori, granite in defense. And Leao essential to open the defenses. The qualification is completed with another 4-0 (Krunic and Messias also scored) like that of the previous week trimmed at Dinamo in Zagreb.
Pioli leaves both creative attacking midfielders (Diaz and De Ketelaere) on the bench to field a less imaginative but more pragmatic midfielder, like Krunic, functional to a plot in which Milan can also aim for a draw to qualify. But the startup does not photograph this makeshift scenario in the least. Milan start as if they were to win at all costs and hit a post after a few minutes with Hernandez. The Rossoneri attack their opponents in every area of the pitch. And they are rewarded by Giroud’s winning header from Tonali’s corner, now accustomed to assists on set pieces in this Champions League (the uncertainty of goalkeeper Kohn is decisive). Strangely, however, the goal of the advantage blocks Milan which begins to suffer the initiatives of the Austrians. Tomori has to outdo himself to stop a sure shot from Kjaergaard. The intervention of the English defender is one of those that can only be played by central players who are used to taking risks and reading situations in advance. Kjaergaard rages on the left wing creating danger in series for the benefit of Adamu, stopped by Tatarusanu. Salzburg is on the pitch with the freshness of its 20-year-olds, in a continuous search for verticality at most in two touches of the ball. Milan surrendered the initiative limiting itself to countering with Leao’s descents.
But the talent of Pioli players is to seize the first useful opportunity to get out of danger. A few seconds after the restart are enough to secure the qualification thanks to another header, this time by Krunic, freed from a masterpiece by Giroud: movement and textbook side of the center forward. The Frenchman is unstoppable and delivers the definitive blow to the Austrians by taking advantage of a cut from one side to the other of Leao’s area, exuberant even in imagining particular attack solutions. At 3-0, Salzburg disappears definitively. Milan is rampant with a cross from Leao and the final goal from Messias in the last half hour which becomes a long party to celebrate the return to the Europe that matters.