When they needed him most, Milan’s Junior Messias appeared. With three minutes remaining at the Wanda Metropolitano and their elimination drawing ever closer, the Brazilian rose above everyone to head in the goal that gives them life, sending staff and teammates streaming from their bench and this group into a final day when almost anything can happen.
By the other bench, Diego Simone stood looking into space. This had been coming, and it is not over yet, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. “It’s hard to lose like this,” Jan Oblak said.