AC Milan are again in Champions League motion tonight in entrance of their dwelling followers, hoping to beat Girona and take a step in direction of the highest eight.
After beginning with consecutive defeats to Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, Milan have received 4 on the spin in Europe. This can be Sergio Conceicao’s first sport within the competitors along with his new membership, and he’ll hope to .
There are actually for him to take care of, however the expectation should be that there’s sufficient on the sector to get the job finished in opposition to a facet which have misplaced 5 of their six matches within the UCL up to now.
The 5 key battles
We begin with a duel in the midst of the sector between Youssouf Fofana and Yaser Asprilla. Fofana has labored quite a lot of extra time this season attributable to an absence of actual options within the squad, which has led to a pointy current dip in efficiency ranges, inflicting points within the current video games in opposition to Como and Juventus.
The Frenchman is an efficient presence in entrance of the defence on his day, however the €18m summer season signing Asprilla from Watford will look to trigger large points in transition. He solely has one aim to his identify throughout all competitions, although enjoying within the playmaker position tonight the Colombian would possibly get some pleasure if Milan should not cautious.
Milan’s most important risk stays Rafael Leao. Solely Lille’s Edon Zhegrova (39) has made accomplished dribbles within the Champions League this season than Leão (38). His present per 90 minutes tally of seven.6 in 2024-25 is the second-most by a Milan participant on file since 2003-04, behind solely Leão himself in 2021-22 (8 per 90).
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Not solely that, however he already has three aim contributions this season within the UCL, together with a masterful efficiency in opposition to one other Spanish opponent: Actual Madrid. Given he has been occupying extra central spots lately, he would possibly look to focus on the skilled centre-back David Lopez, who admitted earlier than the sport that Girona .
Having served a suspension in opposition to Juventus, Alvaro Morata can be again within the facet and he’s somebody that . The Spaniard has confronted them six occasions in his profession with 4 wins, one draw and one defeat. He has scored 4 objectives within the course of, together with the hat-trick that he obtained for Atletico Madrid final season.
The opposite participant that the Catalan facet spent large on throughout the summer season was Ladislav Krejci, who arrived from Sparta Praha. The 25-year-old Czech worldwide is more likely to be the one tasked with limiting Morata’s affect each inside and possibly even exterior the field, given he likes to float, whereas he has two objectives this season so is a risk from set items.
One participant that’s maybe but to indicate a lot enchancment beneath Conceicao – which was laborious given his earlier excessive ranges – is Tijjani Reijnders. Like Fofana he has been overworked, and although his affect on video games has waned barely, he nonetheless has three Champions League objectives this season and eight general displaying the risk he gives.
His opponent would be the 33-year-old veteran Oriol Romeu, beforehand of Barcelona. He has shuttled between the 2 Catalan sides since 2022 however rejoined on a season-long mortgage deal in the summertime and has made 14 begins, displaying his significance. Romeu ought to for the double pivot alongside Ivan Martin in a 4-2-3-1.
We and with a battle between Strahinja Pavlovic and Viktor Tsygankov, with each enduring fairly unusual conditions. The Serbian centre-back will get the nod principally out of necessity due to Malick Thiaw and Fikayo Tomori’s absences, but reviews are suggesting it might be his final sport as Fenerbahce have launched a bid of over €20m.
Tsygankov in the meantime was one of many stars of Girona’s unbelievable season in 2023-24, racking up 15 aim contributions enjoying in off the correct facet. This season hasn’t gone as properly although, with solely 10 begins, one aim and two assists to his identify. San Siro actually isn’t a foul place to attempt to regain some type.
