No one who watched the first few matches of this season could have ever guessed it would end like this. Certainly not ending on August 1st, interrupted by a global pandemic. Since the original kickoff, the coach changed, Ibrahimovic returned, and Milan are the absolute antithesis of what they started out as. Milan are also the only unbeaten team in Serie A since the return. So adding the three-nil win over Cagliari was not only the icing on the cake, it was a grand finale.
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| #AlwaysMilan |
Before I get to the match, something happened right after that tore me up inside. Bonaventura slowly walked out into the middle of the pitch, crouched down for a minute, as if to say goodbye, then slowly walked back off. This was his final match for Milan, and he is woven into our hearts and souls. Such a shame that the fans could not be there to honor him, as well as a few others whose contracts are now up. He fought tonight as he always has while wearing the Milan crest, and I wish with all my heart we could have given him the grand finale that he deserves, a packed stadium, chanting his name one last time. (Kleenex break here.)
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| The picture of Milan's mentality |
One of the strangest goals of the night, and also of the season, happened in the 10th minute, when Leao’s shot hit the inside of the crossbar, bounced back out, and Klavan ended up tapping it into his own net to make it 1-0 Milan. Leao also had an amazingly acrobatic bicycle kick in the 24th that hit the crossbar, I guess that crossbar just had it in for him tonight. About ten minutes later, he would pull up with what looked a groin injury, and end up being subbed off for the Jack of our Hearts, Bonaventura.
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| Current mood |
Just before the half, Milan were awarded a penalty. Ibrahimovic stepped up to take it, and Cragno saved it. It only took him ten minutes into the second half to get his goal, though, from a great Castillejo assist. 2-0 Milan. Castillejo scored a goal for himself just two minutes later, with a brilliant Bonaventura cross. 3-0 Milan.
Brescianini got to make his debut, and Daniel Maldini got about 30 minutes, too. Saelemakers came on and immediately got a yellow card, and Gigio had to make one good save in stoppage time. But other than that, this beautiful team who have already given us so much joy since the restart dominated this match and entertained yet again. Such a grand finale.
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| Hope for the future |
My heart is so full right now, I wish that all of the players could have been given the love of the fans. They have to know what an amazing thing they have accomplished, and maybe they accomplished it because the fans were not there to whistle and abuse their every move. But they deserve to know the happiness they have brought to us, especially in this year that has been so difficult for everyone globally. I would especially love to be able to acknowledge the players who played or even watched their last match as a Milan player. Thank you for sweating blood, for surviving this insane season, the neverending rumors, and still giving us your all in every training session and match. Through injury and health, wins, draws, and losses, you gave us laughter and tears, joy and pain. But mostly, you have given us back the Milan of our hearts. Grazie mille, ragazzi.
This post inspired by the music of The Cure’s “Pictures of You”