#ONTHISDAY: 2008, AC MILAN 5-2 NAPOLI

Among the AC Milan v Napoli games that have made history, Milan v Napoli in 2008 is a separate and special chapter in the book. On 13 January 15 years ago, Milan played their 18th game of the Serie A campaign at San Siro. The Rossoneri, who had just lost to Inter before Christmas after Pirlo had given AC Milan the lead but Cruz and Ibrahimović led the Inter comeback, were looking to bounce back from that defeat and pick up pace in their chase to narrow the 7-point gap to the Champions League spots.

The show starts early because Milan v Napoli is the chance to celebrate the victory in the FIFA Club World Cub in Yokohama with the Milan fans, of whom there were more than 75,000 in the stadium. The third trophy of a magical 2007, enriched by the European Super Cup and above all, the Champions League.

Ancelotti's side lined up with a 4-3-1-2 formation: Dida; Bonera, Nesta, Kaladze, Maldini; Seedorf, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Kaka, Ronaldo; Pato. The young Brazilian striker, bought in the summer from Internacional de Porto Alegre but officially unavailable until the January transfer window (Italian clubs could not sign more than one non-EU player per year), was the main headline of the match. At the first opportunity, Pato makes his long-awaited debut for Milan.

Right from the off the Diavolo began to dance the samba. Iezzo was busy, and in the 15th minute Ronaldo beat him, opening the scoring thanks to a shot that the goalkeeper got a hand to, but not enough to keep it from just crossing over the line. Reja’s side – 1 place above Milan in the league – were giving away and creating their own chances, getting on the front foot and responding to Milan’s fast start: in the 28th minute after a quickly taken set-piece, Lavezzi’s assist gave Sosa a tap-in to equalise for Napoli.

In the 31st minute, the Rossoneri went back in front: Pato missed two chances to score thanks to Iezzo’s double save, but Seedorf calmly put the ball into the back of the net. Another lead, but another equaliser soon followed when Kaladze pushed Lavezzi in the area, Rosetti awarded the penalty and Domizzi scored from the spot to make it 2-2.

It was already a great game with the score line 2-2 at the break, but Milan’s Brazilians stole the show in the second half. A few seconds into the second half and Seedorf’s cross was headed home by Ronaldo for his brace. Now the floodgates opened, and Kaká joined the party in the 68th minute, turning sharply and firing home a powerful right-footed shot into the corner to make it four.

So who was left? Pato. San Siro waits only for “The Duck”. And there he was in the 74^th minute, a moment of brilliance. On the run, he controlled Favalli’s throw-in, flew past Domizzi and shot under Iezzo to make it 5-2. Milan were unstoppable in a perfect evening. A memorable victory.

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