It was almost too good to believe. I might not have believed it if I hadn't witnessed it for myself. Juventus falling apart at home, and Milan scoring three beautiful goals. Even with Kessie's missed penalty, it was a triumph for the ages. With Champions League qualification and people's jobs on the line, too, it was also necessary. Pirlo, who burned all bridges with Milan when he went to Juventus, also needed the win to secure his job. But you know what they say... traitors never prosper.
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| Loyalty to the shirt can mean everything |
The first half was tense, and Juventus largely controlled the first 20 minutes. Well, except when Valeri got in the way of the ball twice in less than a minute. But that was his most egregious error on the night, so he can be forgiven. Theo Hernandez was brutalized once again, beginning with taking a de Ligt ball full force, point blank. But mostly it was like the worst and most anxiety-inducing chess match that you ever saw. Gigio Donnarumma made some rare errors and didn't quite seem himself, likely due to the abuse he took from the Curva Sud last week. But Milan gradually took control and got a few shots off.
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| Kjaer was absolutely epic. |
Then, in stoppage time, Brahim scored an absolutely gorgeous goal to make it 1-0 Milan. Juventus were calling for a handball, so Valeri checked with VAR, which showed that Brahim chested the ball to control it before taking his shot, so the goal stood. So delicious to have a controversial call go our way against Juventus, especially in J Stadium. Also perfect that Brahim had been an unusual choice to start, but Pioli got it exactly right. Brahim rewarded his choice by running straight over to Pioli and hugging him like he was his father. It was magical.
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| Magical. |
The next VAR check also went Milan's way, when Chiellini handled the ball in the box in the 57th minute, and Valeri awarded Milan a penalty. Kessie stepped up to take it, but Szczesny saved it, leaving Milan fans uneasy with only a 1-0 lead. Ibrahimovic seemed to be injured, so Pioli subbed on Rebic in his place, which was also the perfect choice. That became clear to everyone in the 78th, when he found an opening in the Juve defense and took the perfect, powerful shot from outside the box that went curling into the top right hand corner, out of Szczesny's reach. 2-0 Milan.
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| He may have had a penalty save, but he saved us time and time again |
Whereas Chiesa had tormented us in our last meeting with Juve, he was largely ineffective today. So Pirlo replaced him with Dybala in the 79th, but it was too little, too late. Tomori sealed Juventus' fate with an incredible header in the 82nd, having out-jumped Chiellini, and sent the ball down into the lower right hand corner of the net. 3-0 Milan. That was Tomori's first Milan goal, and it was spectacular. Szczesny may have saved a penalty, but he had a bad day at the office. Saelemaekers did get a yellow card, so will miss the Torino match.
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| It feels kinda like that |
I find it impossible to put into words what this win means to me. Not only did we come up massively big when it mattered most, but we did it against Juve. In their house. With Pirlo as their coach. There are simply not words to express my elation. One giant step toward Champions League qualification, while sending Juventus one massive step backwards.
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| So much love, such a team performance |
Maybe it wasn't Milan's finest football, but it was an incredible team performance. Sure, Juventus looked lost after the first 20 minutes, but those players are still paid €236 million per year, compared to Milan's €90 million a year wagebill. With Milan's young squad, it was like David defeating Goliath. But we got to give Pirlo some payback, too, for betraying Milan and saying all of those horrible things after lifting so many trophies with us over ten years' time. It's just proof that traitors never prosper.
This post inspired by John Williams' "Call of the Champions"