AC Milan are in want of a second leg comeback once they welcome Feyenoord to San Siro for his or her Champions League play-off spherical tie.
Within the first leg again at De Kuip, got here within the opening three minutes by way of Igor Paixao and it signifies that Milan might want to come from behind to progress for the primary time since 2007.
The Rossoneri had been merely not on the races in Rotterdam and failed to interrupt down their resilient hosts, one thing that Zlatan Ibrahimovic – standing in for Sergio Conceicao – insisted should change within the second leg .
Sport date: Tuesday, February 18Kick-off time: 18:45 (CET)Venue: San SiroReferee: Szymon Marciniak (VAR: Dingert)
Group information
It has been an odd previous couple of days for Sergio Conceicao, who was in a position to have fun the 1-0 victory over Hellas Verona at San Siro solely briefly earlier than studying of some very unhappy information.
Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa – the legendary president of FC Porto and somebody Conceicao knew extremely carefully – handed away on Saturday on the age of 87 after a battle with most cancers.
The Portuguese coach for the funeral on Sunday after which returned to take coaching in the present day, nevertheless it should have had an impression on each his mindset and the preparations for the sport.
Conceicao nonetheless has some choice issues, however not as many as there have been for the primary leg when eight gamers had been unavailable. As a reminder, UEFA laws capping new signings being named within the squad at three imply Warren Bondo and Riccardo Sottil weren’t included. Alex Jimenez and Luka Jovic stay out too.
By way of injured gamers Alessandro Florenzi is on his approach again however is not going to be prepared any time quickly, Emerson Royal can be out for 2 months not less than and Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s return date continues to be pushed again.
The excellent news is that in comparison with the primary leg Yunus Musah is again from suspension, so there would be the resolution relating to whether or not of Santiago Gimenez, Joao Felix, Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao from minute one once more or whether or not to make use of Musah as a substitute of one among them for steadiness.
At current, the lineup is troublesome to foretell, and there has typically been late adjustments to what has been predicted. Nevertheless, it appears that there’s going to be a center floor tried by Conceicao.
The defence stays unchanged: Mike Maignan, Kyle Walker, Strahinja Pavlovic, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez.
Then in midfield, it’s once more a lot of the identical, nonetheless, within the 4-4-2 form. Yunus Musah begins on the fitting, permitting some extra flexibility formationally, with Youssouf Fofana and Tijjani Reijnders within the center. On the left, Rafael Leao will return from the beginning.
Main the road, we are going to once more see Joao Felix and Gimenez. The change in form undoubtedly leaves quite a bit to the wire, so it’s potential we see the ‘fab 4’ or simply three of them as soon as once more.
Predicted Milan XI (4-4-2): Maignan; Walker, Pavlovic, Tomori, Theo; Musah, Fofana, Reijners, Leao; Gimenez, Felix.
Extra Tales / The Match
The opponents
In we recapped the summer season enterprise that Feyenoord did to attempt to launch the post-Arne Slot period in the fitting approach, and why it has not precisely gone to plan up thus far.
Brian Priske was sacked firstly of final week with Feyenoord sitting fifth within the league desk, not solely behind the runaway title challengers Ajax and PSV Eindhoven but in addition beneath FC Utrecht and AZ Alkmaar too.
The Dutch aspect confirmed on Tuesday that from Priske’s duties as the primary workforce head coach, and his first recreation was the 1-0 win over Milan, Feyenoord’s first dwelling Champions League knockout win since 1974.
Bosschaart has introduced the record of gamers referred to as up for the match at San Siro and the optimistic information is that Calvin Stengs – a participant who was out of the earlier recreation – is again coaching with the squad and is accessible.
That’s the place the excellent news stops, although, as a result of Quinten Timber, Facundo Gonzalez, Gernot Trauner, Ramiz Zerrouki, Inbeom Hwang, Ayase Ueda, Jordan Lotomba, Justin Bijlow, Bart Nieuwkoop and Chris-Kevin Nadje is not going to journey to Milan with the workforce.
Lastly, Quilindschy Hartman, Oussama Targhalline and Stéphano Carrilo usually are not within the UEFA squad record so will even be unable to make the journey, leaving Bosschaart with fairly a restricted squad to select from.
From the primary recreation,there are anticipated to be no adjustments in defence, which can please Leao as he can have one other . This implies Wellenreuther, Smal, Beelen and Hancko ought to as soon as once more begin too.
Timber’s absence means Ivanusec ought to come into the lineup for the second leg within the captain’s place, although Milambo and Moder ought to stay. Main the road, there’ll once more simply be one change, Carranza for Ueda – he’ll play by way of the center with Paixao and Moussa on both aspect of him.
Predicted Feyenoord XI (4-3-3): Wellenreuther; Learn, Beelen, Hancko, Smal; Milambo, Moder, Ivanusec; Moussa, Carranza, Paixao.
Face to face
AC Milan and Feyenoord will meet for simply the fourth time in a aggressive recreation, and previous to the primary leg it had been over 55 years because the final time the perimeters met.
Within the 1969-70 version of the European Cup it was Nestor Combin’s purpose at San Siro that gave Milan a primary leg lead, however then Wim Jansen and Willem van Hanegem netted again at De Kuip to present the Dutchman a 2-1 mixture win.
Extra usually talking, Milan have performed 28 occasions towards groups from the Netherlands, with simply 12 wins in that point, plus seven attracts and 9 losses.
Key details and stats
➤ Milan have misplaced two of their three conferences with Feyenoord within the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, though each of these defeats have come away. Their solely dwelling recreation towards them was a 1-0 victory in November 1969 (first leg of a final 16 tie).
➤ Feyenoord have misplaced 5 of their six away video games towards Italian sides within the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, solely managing to keep away from defeat in February 2000 v Lazio (a 2-1 win). Certainly, the one a kind of six video games to happen within the knockout phases was a 0-1 defeat to Milan within the 1969-70 marketing campaign.
➤ Milan have didn’t progress from 5 of their six UEFA Champions League ties when shedding the primary leg, with their solely such development coming in 2006-07 versus Manchester United (misplaced 2-3 within the first leg, received 3-0 within the second leg of the semi-finals).
➤ Feyenoord want to qualify for the final 16 in a European Cup/UEFA Champions League marketing campaign for the primary time since 1974-75, which was additionally the final season during which they managed to win each legs of a knockout tie in such competitions (7-0 and 4-1 v Coleraine within the first spherical).
➤ Milan have received every of their final three dwelling video games within the UEFA Champions League. The final time they received 4 in a row within the competitors was in December 2007 (4), whereas the final time they received 4 in a row inside the similar Champions League marketing campaign was in 2004-05 once they had been runners-up (a run of six).
Extra Tales / Options
➤ Feyenoord have solely received three of their final 17 away video games within the UEFA Champions League (D3 L11), though two of these victories have arrived this season (3-2 v Girona and 3-1 v Benfica). Certainly, their solely away defeat within the competitors to this point this time period got here away at Lille (P4 W2 D1 L1).
➤ The primary leg between Feyenoord and Milan produced simply 1.06 anticipated targets between the 2 sides; the second-lowest whole in a UEFA Champions League match this season. It was additionally one among solely two video games this time period to see neither aspect create a giant likelihood, together with Internazionale v Sparta Prague in January.
➤ Feyenoord’s Igor Paixão has been concerned in eight goal-ending sequences of play within the UEFA Champions League this season, with Raphinha (13) being the one winger who has taken half in additional in 2024-25.
➤ Since making his UEFA Champions League debut in September 2021, Milan winger Rafael Leão is one among solely two gamers to finish 100+ dribbles within the competitors (100), together with Vinícius Júnior (137). He additionally leads all gamers within the 2024-25 version (33), with three of these coming within the first leg between Feyenoord and Milan final week (3).
➤ Feyenoord defender Givairo Learn made eight tackles within the first leg towards Milan; essentially the most by an adolescent in a UEFA Champions League knockout stage match since FC Schalke 04’s Joël Matip in April 2011 (eight v Internazionale in a quarter-final recreation).
Ones to observe
Igor Paixao is, certainly, the primary participant to observe on this recreation, and it’s a motive why Musah on the fitting isn’t too far-fetched of an concept. The winger dominated final day out, and he’ll do the identical if given an opportunity.
David Hancko is also actually problematic once more, and this can be a fear. The central defender final week, and if he’s allowed to do the identical at San Siro, it may very well be an extended evening.
We begin simply there for Milan. Gimenez was left annoyed by his efficiency in Europe final week, and he should present higher on this recreation. His document in Serie A to this point is actually optimistic, however one of the best gamers show their value on the largest phases and the Rossoneri will hope the Mexican’s time within the limelight is tomorrow.
Along with this, Rafael Leao wants to point out extra on this recreation. Previously few video games, he has been unnoticed for tactical causes, so he must earn a spot transferring ahead. The left winger in a 4-4-2 may very well be the important thing participant on this recreation, and the Portuguese should show this a lot.
Prediction
Tomorrow has the marks to be a particular evening at San Siro, and Zlatan has already said how a lot impression the followers can have on this recreation. Nevertheless, the Dutch outfit is not going to make issues straightforward, and it may very well be a battle.
While we predict the Rossoneri might progress, it might not be in regular time and that is actually a priority.
AC Milan 2-1 Feyenoord
