Zlatan Ibrahimovic rolled back the years with two impressive goals to help AC Milan beat Sassuolo 2-1 in Serie A clash.
The 38-year-old netted twice in the first half, either side of Francesco Caputo’s penalty for Sassuolo on Tuesday.
Sassuolo had to play the entire second half with 10 men after midfielder Mehdi Bourabia was sent off on the stroke of halftime following a second yellow card.
It was Milan’s seventh victory in the nine games since Serie A resumed following the pandemic-enforced shutdown and moved the team up to fifth.
Ibrahimovic rejoined Milan in December on a six-month contract with an option for next season.
“Will I stay? There are still three matches, 10 days and no one has said anything else,” the Swedish forward said. “But I’m working, we are doing good things and if we take the table since I arrived I think we would be second or third.”
Milan has lost just two matches since Ibrahimovic’s arrival.
“We will talk with him immediately after the end of the season, he is also completely focused on these matches and he is doing so in an excellent manner, as always,” Milan sporting director Frederic Massara said.
Ibrahimovic gave Milan the lead in the 19th minute with a diving header at the back post following a cross from Hakan Çalhanoglu.
There was a dramatic end to the half as Caputo leveled from the spot three minutes from the break. The referee had awarded the penalty after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor and judging that the ball had hit Çalhanoglu’s arm.
Çalhanoglu redeemed himself moments later with a second assist — a through-ball for Ibrahimovic to run onto, round the goalkeeper and place into the back of the net.
It was the first time since 1999 that Milan has scored at least two goals in nine successive matches.