Zlatan Ibrahimovic got his first start in over seven weeks but AC Milan had to battle into the Italian Cup quarter-finals with a 5-4 win on...
Zlatan Ibrahimovic got his first start in over seven weeks but AC Milan had to battle into the Italian Cup quarter-finals with a 5-4 win on penalties over Torino after Tuesday’s match ended 0-0 after extra time.
Hakan Calhanoglu slotted in the winning penalty with Tomas Rincon missing from the spot for Torino in the San Siro after a stalemate following 120 minutes of play.
“It was a very hard battle, but Milan never gave up, we were a team for 120 minutes,” said coach Stefano Pioli.
“These players make me proud, for how they train and their commitment. You can see that I feel good here at Milan. This team makes me proud. And when you are so happy, you convey confidence.”
Ibrahimovic had made a brief late appearance last weekend in a 2-0 win over Torino in Serie A, having been sidelined with a left thigh injury since scoring a double against Napoli on November 22.
“I wanted to give Ibra a longer time after his return to the championship,” continued Pioli, whose side are top of the Serie A standings. “He played a good match and this will help him find the best condition.”
On Tuesday, the 38-year-old Swede played the first half before being substituted off for Calhanoglu.
Ex-Milan coach...
