December 22, 2024
Seven-time European champions AC Milan host six-time winners Liverpool on the opening matchday of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League campaign at San Siro.
Both teams of the 2005 Istanbul miracle meets once again as they renew their rivalry in a different circumstances.
Liverpool are coming into the game against Milan after a shocking 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, and will be desperate to bounce back strongly. Arne Slot’s men have started the season well with three wins from four league matches, scoring seven goals and conceding just one goal.
The Merseyside will look forward to a victory as a major boost from their recent loss. Beating a team like AC Milan would be a positive one for Arne Slot’s side.
Meanwhile, AC Milan picked up their first league win of the campaign at the weekend against Venezia, having lost one and drew two. They will look to build on that strong performance as confidence against Liverpool.
However, the Rossoneri will have a big task of facing off a strong attacking Liverpool, as they have let in six goals in four games, keeping only one cleansheet, unlike their opponents who kept three cleansheets in four games.
Liverpool and AC Milan are two of the most storied rivals in UEFA Champions League history, and they have been a part of some of the most memorable matches in the competition’s history.
Both sides have met on seven occasions with Liverpool edging the Italians with five wins, losing only once to AC Milan. Their last meeting also ended in a 2-1 victory for Liverpool, at San Siro, December 2021. Both sides won the Champions League finals once against each other, Liverpool winning the 2005 edition while AC Milan won the 2007 edition.
Liverpool have also been fairly dominant against Italian opposition. Although, they have lost their last European game against Atalanta, leading to their elimination in the previous term of the UEFA Europa League.
Arne Slot will hope to do better, in his first European game, in charge of Liverpool. The Englishside are having only Harvey Elliott as the absentee for the clash. Still, boosting an attacking side which include Mohammed Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and a Federico Chiesa, who understands Italian football, should give Liverpool a big edge against Milan.
However, the home team record against English sides is a worrying one as they have only beaten English teams 14 times out of a possible 49 attempts. Paulo Fonseca will need to show a different AC Milan side, to overcome a strong team like Liverpool.
However, they will have a number of injury problems to deal with. Ismael Bennacer, Malick Thiaw, Alessandro Florenzi, and Marco Sportiello are all sidelined with knocks.
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