A first-half brace from Brahim Díaz helped AC Milan to a 4-1 win over Monza in Serie A, making it an unhappy return to San Siro for former Rossoneri CEO Adriano Galliani on Saturday.
Divock Origi scored his first goal for Milan and substitute Rafael Leão sealed the game after Filippo Ranocchia had pulled one back for Monza.
The only negative note for Milan was the sight of Díaz limping off early in the second half clutching his left thigh. He received a standing ovation and Milan will hope his injury is not too serious, with their two final matches in the Champions League group stage coming up over the next two weeks.
“When he (Díaz) is in good shape you can tell, he has these sharp little legs, he is doing really well also because he is in good physical condition,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said.
“He had a muscular problem, it doesn't seem anything serious for him or for (United States defender Sergiño) Dest. We have so many matches coming up, I hope to have as many players as possible.”
Dest impressed in his first Serie A start before being taken off at halftime after picking up a slight injury.
Milan moved level with Serie A leader Napoli ahead of the southern club’s match against Roma on Sunday.
Monza, which had won three of its last four league matches, remained five points above the relegation zone.
Much of the focus before the match had been on the return of Silvio Berlusconi and Galliani to the club they led to 29 trophies in 31 years.
Berlusconi bought Monza in 2018 and installed Galliani as CEO — reuniting the duo that found success at Milan until Berlusconi sold the Rossoneri in 2017.
The former Italian premier was not seen at San Siro but the television cameras were on Galliani, who — as promised — managed to contain his emotions during the match.
He was visibly moved before kickoff, however, looking around his old home and hugging everyone on the touchline, including former Milan player and current director Paolo Maldini.
Milan took the lead in the 16th minute in stunning fashion as Díaz collected a goal kick in the center circle and burst downfield, past several defenders before slotting across into the bottom right corner.
The Spain midfielder doubled his tally four minutes from halftime as Origi rolled the ball across from the right and Díaz turned his marker before firing an angled drive into the far bottom corner.
Origi got on the scoresheet himself in the 65th as he gathered the ball from Junior Messias and smashed it into the top right corner.
Ranocchia got his side back into the match five minutes later with a superb free kick into the right side of the net but Leão restored Milan’s three-goal advantage with six minutes remaining.
LATE WINNER
Henrikh Mkhitaryan netted in stoppage time to salvage a 4-3 win for Inter Milan, which had looked to be heading for a draw at bitter rival Fiorentina after relinquishing a two-goal lead.
Inter went into the game aiming to move level with fifth-place Lazio, five points behind Napoli, and things appeared to be going to plan when Nicolò Barella and Lautaro Martínez put the Nerazzurri 2-0 up after 15 minutes.
However, Arthur Cabral pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 33rd and Jonathan Ikoné leveled on the hour mark.
Martínez restored Inter’s lead in the 73rd but the Nerazzurri seemed destined to only pick up a point when Luka Jović leveled again for Fiorentina in the final minute before Mkhitaryan’s winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Also, Salernitana beat Spezia 1-0.