AC Milan prepare to face Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday night and there are crucial battles that must be won.
The Rossoneri have won all three Serie A games so far this season, while Jurgen Klopp’s side have picked up 10 points from their opening four league outings.
READ MORE: How Milan could line up vs Liverpool: Three changes, no Ibrahimovic
With quality on both sides of the pitch, this promises to be a thrilling encounter with fascinating sub-plots, and so it will be interesting to see how Milan fare in their first game back in the Champions League in seven years.
Team news
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruled out with an Achilles tendon issue, while Sandro Tonali has made the squad despite sitting out training on Tuesday.
Olivier Giroud is also included after a spell on the sidelines due to Covid regulations, while Stefano Pioli doesn’t have any other major concerns in his squad.
As for Liverpool, they have an almost full strength squad available, with Klopp missing Harvey Elliott after his serious injury suffered last week while Roberto Firmino isn’t expected to feature.
Stats
1- Liverpool and AC Milan have only met on two occasions in European competitions, with both matches being Champions League finals. The Reds won on penalties in 2005, but the Rossoneri gained revenge with a 2-1 victory in Athens in 2007.
2- AC Milan’s last victory against an English team was in February 2012, when they beat Arsenal 4-0 in the Champions League.
3- The trip to Liverpool will be the Rossoneri’s first Champions League match since they were eliminated from the competition by Atletico Madrid at the round of 16 stage in March 2014.
4- Zlatan Ibrahimović has scored 48 times in 120 matches in the Champions League. He netted nine of these goals for AC Milan between 2010 and 2012.
5- Ibrahimović is the player to have scored for the most teams in Champions League history, six in fact: Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
6- On average, AC Milan’s Olivier Giroud has been involved in a goal every 95 minutes in the Champions League (18 goals, six assists). The French striker netted eight goals in 16 appearances against Liverpool in all competitions while playing for Arsenal and Chelsea between 2012/13 and 2019/20, more than any other player in the same period.
Key battles
Hernandez/Leao vs Alexander-Arnold/Salah
Milan’s ability to not only contain Liverpool’s threat down their right wing but to also flip that and cause them problems and expose any defensive weaknesses on that side of the pitch is going to be critical.
Mohamed Salah is a world-class operator, as is Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, in Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao, we have two players who can match their pace and set up a really intriguing battle.
Leao has to be switched on and track back. Hernandez must try and push Salah into his own half and make him defend rather than be constantly concerned by what’s coming his way as the attacking threat he brings to us is a difference-maker. This could be decisive to the outcome of the game.
Kjaer vs Mane
While the focal point of Liverpool’s attack will also of course be a concern for our centre-half pairing, Simon Kjaer may well have to be alert to the danger from Liverpool’s left wing.
The Danish stalwart must be ready to step across and deal with Sadio Mane if he gets the better of Davide Calabria, as the Reds love to attack down the wings, find openings and cut the ball across for either an onrushing attacker or midfielder or the winger from the opposite side.
With that in mind, Kjaer is going to be busy and it’s hoped that along with Fikayo Tomori, they can provide a solid foundation in front of Mike Maignan.
Midfield clash
If Sandro Tonali isn’t passed fit to start, that will likely see Ismael Bennacer and Franck Kessie form the two-man deeper midfield duo.
Not only will the pair be pivotal in providing defensive protection in front of the backline by breaking play up and making interceptions, but the speed and accuracy with which they distribute the ball into our attacking players will be the difference.
If we can break the lines, catch Liverpool on the counter attack and be clinical, it’s going to need us stopping their midfield from having control over the game.
Rebic vs Van Dijk
Physically, this isn’t a match. Virgil van Dijk will look to impose himself on Ante Rebic with Zlatan Ibrahimovic sidelined and Olivier Giroud likely to start on the bench.
With that in mind, to avoid becoming isolated and becoming a non-factor in our attacking play, Rebic has to use his movement and speed to either drag the Dutchman out of position for others to benefit or use the channels to try and create openings of his own.
Further, his work-rate has to be spot on here to lead the high press and not allow Van Dijk to start Liverpool’s build-up play. It’s going to be a tough night for the Croatian international if he starts, but he has the quality to make a difference with a bit of quality or magic of his own.
