Olivier Giroud was the man for the big occasion again as AC Milan secured their passage into the Champions League last 16 with a win over Red Bull Salzburg.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (via MilanNews) begin their reflection on a special night at San Siro by recalling the familiar phrase: ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’. This saying is perfect for Giroud who since he has been at Milan has shown that he can always be decisive in the matches that matter.
Last season he scored huge goals that helped win the Scudetto (the brace in the derby, the winner at Napoli, the equaliser at Lazio and the brace against Sassuolo above all), and last night he registered four goal contributions to completely remove any notion of fear that the team would struggle with the pressure.
At the age of 36, Giroud still manages to be decisive in the great European nights. It began with a header from a corner and continued with a headed assist for Rade Krunic’s goal to make it 2-0. The Frenchman scored a second with a close-range finish before setting up Junior Messias for the fourth goal.
Giroud was therefore able to lead Milan once again, with whom he has scored 22 goals as a starter in 43 games (essentially one every two games). He hopes to also be a protagonist at the World Cup with France, and he has long been in talks with Milan over the extension of his current deal, which expires in June 2023.
The last word belongs to Giroud, who spoke to the media after the game: “This was a perfect evening for me and for the team. I am proud of the spirit of the group. We wanted to have a great match and we did it. We have no limits.”
