Milan, first away win against Sampdoria

Bergamo, Reggio Emilia, Salzburg. Three away draws that had worried the Rossoneri fans more prone to anxiety: but how did AC Milan lose the magic touch? The answers came from Marassi: taking away the three points after the efforts of the Champions League – and doing it in a match to be played outnumbered for the entire second half – was not exactly easy. The one with Sampdoria is the first hit of the season for the Devil “on the road”: if the equal with Atalanta and the one in Austria could fit in the economy of a calendar full of hard commitments, it was above all the one that aroused some perplexity. 0-0 with Sassuolo. He had lacked a bit of bite, he had not convinced the team attitude. This time the intensity was not lacking, right from the start. And we have seen it.

Lotta

—

He had prepared a different match, Stefano Pioli. It had to be Origi’s evening, the race was designed to enhance the dynamism of the former Liverpool, in collaboration with the confirmed De Ketelaere in an all-Belgian axis. Origi’s almost last-minute knockout put Giroud’s power back at center stage. And inevitably a more muscular Milan was born, especially when Leao greeted the company for the red waved by Fabbri. Pobega’s match has become even more, the Messias-Tomori change half an hour from the ninetieth has further accentuated the Rossoneri’s desire to put it on the fight. The emergency solution worked: it could have ended differently if Gabbiadini and Verre had been luckier, of course, but overall Milan’s battle plan held up. Also for a good dose of clarity: Leao’s expulsion and Djuricic’s equal could have blown the Rossoneri’s nerves, but it didn’t.

All right

—

The other unusual aspect of the last away AC Milan is the side from which the goals come. Saelemaekers on target in Salzburg, Messias in Marassi, his favorite theater. It is the revenge of those … on the right, understood as a range of competence. Milan generally leans openly to the left: there is Leao and without Rafa it’s up to Rebic (when he is well), or in fact a second striker. With the friendly participation of Theo train, always ready to present himself in the opponent’s trocar. The right front serves more as a balancer, historically, in Pioli’s Milan. But Messias has always scored goals, at all levels. And that of Ferraris also weighs in the future, especially now that Leao’s disqualification and Rebic’s physical troubles have left the left side in the big match against Napoli.