AC Milan’s hopes of a Scudetto comeback certainly haven’t been dented in the last week, and could be further boosted tonight.
As Calciomercato.com write, the 1-1 draw between Inter and Atalanta in the tense and controversial match at San Siro leads to a very interesting scenario for the Rossoneri. A win at the Stadio Olimpico against Lazio would see Milan move within points of Cristian Chivu’s side.
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Thoughts go back 27 years, to the 1998-99 season. Coincidentally, in that season too, the match at the Olimpico between Lazio and Milan had important, almost decisive, implications in the fight for the title.
History repeating itself?
Back in 1999, with Alberto Zaccheroni in charge at Milan, there were seven matches remaining and the Rossoneri were seven points behind Lazio. From that moment on, the Biancocelesti were defeated in the derby against Roma and against Juventus before drawing their penultimate game vs. Fiorentina.
The team from the capital therefore dropped eight points and Milan took advantage with seven consecutive wins, overtaking the Biancocelesti on the second-last matchday and winning the Scudetto in the final game.
Milan had another big title moment in 2022, again at the Olimpico, again against Lazio. It was on April 24th and the Rossoneri, led by Stefano Pioli, knew that they would go above Inter with a victory.
The home side started strongly with a goal from Immobile, before the Diavolo mounted a comeback in the second half with goals from Olivier Giroud and Sandro Tonali in the final minutes. Tonali’s winner would become one of the most iconic moments in the eventual Scudetto win.
Back in 1999, the meeting between Lazio and Milan ended 0-0, leaving the league situation unchanged at that point. The Rossoneri remained seven points behind, failing to close the gap on the Biancocelesti, but from that match onward Zaccheroni’s men began a comeback.
In 2026 the situation is similar, albeit with its differences: Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan also finds itself at a disadvantage in the standings (after Inter’s draw, the gap between the two teams has become eight points), but can dream of a similar comeback with a win.
