TIME MACHINE: MESSIAS IN MONZA v AC MILAN

From February 18th to February 18th. One year ago, AC Milan and Monza met for the first-time ever in Serie A at the Brianzoli's home ground. This weekend, matchday 25 coughs up exactly the same league fixture. Palladino's surprising Biancorossi were still unbeaten in 2023, while Pioli's Rossoneri were looking to find some form after a troublesome January in terms of results. The match was resolved by a flash of genius from Junior Messias. As the second clash in the top flight between Monza and AC Milan edges closer, let's relive the game from the Brazilian playmaker's perspective in our Time Machine.

Junior had a long spell in the lower leagues, before a great year at Crotone allowed him to play out a dream and don his club's shirt, AC Milan. He joined the Rossoneri late on in the 2021 summer transfer market, with his first goal as an AC Milan player in the very important away win to Atlético Madrid (1-0 in the Champions League). He continued to play his part in the winning the 2021/22 Scudetto thanks to five goals and two assists in Serie A. Junior Messias' impact on AC Milan was certainly positive and the Rossoneri fans have always appreciated his humility and attitude, in addition to his undoubted technical skill. Some fitness issues had partially limited his contribution at the start of the 2022/23 season, his second for us, but he was ready to lend a hand and strike the killer blow in Monza.

Narrow wins over Torino and Tottenham had given some momentum to Coach Pioli's team, who were looking to find some consistency in the ever-treacherous trip to Brianza: 18 February 2023, Monza v AC Milan. The home team started off the stronger, but the Rossoneri got better as the game progressed. Leão clipped the post from distance in the 19th minute, before the Portuguese player, Díaz and Tomori called Di Gregorio into action for a triple save between the 25th and 29th minutes. The game was still a stalemate. However, in the 31st minute, Messias brought a ball down in the area and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot into the back of the net to beat Di Gregorio and make it 1-0. The Brazilian, thus, confirmed his lively start to the game before being replaced midway through the second half. The scoreline remained as it was and the Rossoneri ran out 1-0 winners, earning three important points for team confidence and the rest of the season, the number 30's final one for the Rossoneri before moving to Genoa.

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