AC MILAN v CHELSEA: TIME MACHINE

After Stamford Bridge, it's San Siro. The order of matches in the 2022/23 group stage is identical to that of 1999/00: first in London, then Milan. The Rossoneri meet Chelsea again after the first leg on Wednesday 5 October and, more importantly, welcome back the San Siro crowd for another European night. Let's prepare for matchday four in Group E with a new blast from the past. 

SETTING THE SCENE
It is 26 October 1999 and AC Milan, the reigning Italian Champions, host Chelsea coached by Gianluca Vialli. In the first leg the two teams kept each other out in a 0-0 with little excitement, at San Siro the fifth round of Group H is played and the situation is quite balanced. Hertha Berlin leads the group with 8 points, ahead of Chelsea on 7 and AC Milan on 5: access to the second group stage is at stake and there is little margin for error. 

LOTS OF CHANCES, ZERO GOALS
In the first half Chelsea started better and drew two big saves from Abbiati in the first minutes, on Flo and former Foggia and Genoa man Dan Petrescu. The first Rossoneri chances came in the 19th minute, with Sheva's free kick going wide of the post. Vialli's Blues extended their lead in the 22nd minute again with Flo, who was answered again by Shevchenko with a header that ended up hitting the outside post. Ferrer for the English and Leonardo for us were the last heroes of a heated, entertaining but goalless first half. 

EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE
The approach to the second half, however, favoured Zaccheroni's Milan: in the 54th minute Ambrosini forced De Goey into a great save with a shot from the edge of the box, and in the 56th minute Bierhoff's header missed the target by a few inches. These were the warning signs of the winner, but Abbiati was still there first to Poyet's shot. There were 74 minutes gone and on the turn Serginho found Bierhoff's head to make it 1-0 AC Milan! The jubilation was temporary, however, because three minutes later, on a Roberto Di Matteo throw, Denny Wise controlled well and beat Abbiati on the finish. In the 77th minute it was 1-1 and the result never changed. After the 0-0 at Stamford Bridge, the balance between AC Milan and Chelsea reigned once again. 

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