AC MILAN v FIORENTINA: TIME MACHINE

The eighties, the nineties and the noughties: a match for each decade, reliving some of the best AC Milan v Fiorentina encounters at San Siro. Here's a brief look back at some classic games in our Time Machine feature, ahead of Sunday's clash at 18:00 CET.

9 OCTOBER 1988: STARTING WITH FOUR
A 4-0 win, we've seen worse starts... On the opening day of Serie A, at San Siro, Sacchi's current title holders AC Milan dominated Fiorentina with a performance of pure quality. A great display especially from star man Pietro Paolo Virdis. The Sardinian striker scored a hat-trick in under ten minutes, showing off his entire skill set: from the power of his free-kick for the second goal (Donadoni had scored the first) to the stubbornness and coolness of first winning and then scoring a penalty; with an easy tap-in in between demonstrating his poacher's instinct. The Rossoneri finished that season in third place.

22 JANUARY 1995: DI CANIO'S FIRST
The cold weather at the start of a new year was contrasted by a very heated contest on the pitch, which hung in the balance almost until the very end. Capello's Rossoneri, in the season which they came back to win the Scudetto, fought their way to a tough 2-0 win. A struggle, with wasted chances and the sending off of Carnasciali before half-time: these incidents could have been fatal but their opponents couldn't find the back of the net. Their moment came in the 78th minute, after a scare from Carbone who hit the post from distance, thanks to a scrappy goal poked in by Desailly. The finishing touch was added by Di Canio, who came on in the middle of the second half and whose dirty work was crucial for the first goal before doubling their lead with his first goal in a Milanista jersey to secure the win at home.

12 DECEMBER 2004: MILAN, 6 OF THE BEST
Ancelotti's finest in one of the most beautiful and complete performances. A tsunami of Rossoneri wiped out the newly-promoted Violi, victims of a perfect afternoon orchestrated by Shevchenko, Seedorf and co. Andriy and Clarence scored a brace each, Chiellini's deflection into his own net and a goal from Crespo rounded off a sweet 6-0. The Diavolo was at its best, unstoppable in attack, especially in the second half, to the delight of the 70,000 Rossoneri in the stands of San Siro. This historic score secured their fourth win in a row before the draw (a controversial 0-0) in Turin at home to Juve in a direct clash for the top of the table. This year, at the pinnacle of Italian and European football, would end trophyless.

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