TIME MACHINE: BRAHIM DÍAZ IN AC MILAN v MONZA

The first-ever meeting between AC Milan and Monza in Serie A took place on 22 October 2022 at San Siro. What connects the Rossoneri and the Brianzoli - in addition to geographical proximity - is the Berlusconi ownership, who for 30 years was the architect of our success and has been at the helm of the Biancorossi since 2018. It's almost a derby of the heart, which when the ball was taken out onto the pitch saw Brahim Díaz take centre-stage; he was undoubtedly the star of the show, bagging a brace, his first in a Rossoneri shirt.

The 2022/23 season was Brahim's third as an AC Milan player, and first wearing the Scudetto on his chest, won just a few months earlier in Reggio Emilia. His year started well with a goal and an assist against Udinese in Serie A's opening fixture, almost a tradition for him after also being decisive on matchday 1 in 2021/22 at the Marassi against Sampdoria. Furthermore, at San Siro, he had mesmorised just two weeks earlier, on 9 October, when scoring the second goal against Juventus to make it 2-0 following a full-length run from one end of the pitch to the other. Against Monza, AC Milan donned their third kit and a fired up Brahim netted twice in the opening 41 minutes of the game. The first, particularly, was a great piece of skill: receiving and bringing down a ball out from Tătărușanu, he drove forward towards goal, rode Antov and Caldirola's efforts to stop him and beat an onrushing Di Gregorio with the perfect finish.

He doubled the lead in the 41st minute with a movement in the penalty area that only great forwards can make: with his back to goal, he received a ball into the box from Origi, controlled, turned and fired across the keeper into the far corner to leave the opposition stunned. 2-0 for the Rossoneri who, despite Colpani reducing the deficit, got their third through Origi and fourth from Rafael Leão to comfortably win 4-1. Brahim was replaced in the 53rd minute by De Ketelaere, amidst applause from the entire stadium. With this success, the Rossoneri maintained second place in the table behind Napoli, who would eventually go on to win their third Scudetto.

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