AC Milan and Liverpool Set to Face Off in Champions League Opener

AC Milan and Liverpool, two of the most accomplished teams in the history of the UEFA Champions League, are preparing to face each other in the opening matchday of the revamped European competition. The match, held at the iconic San Siro stadium, promises significant importance as every result and goal in this group stage can heavily influence the teams’ European trajectories.

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AC Milan approaches this crucial European fixture with great confidence following a strong start to the season. The Rossoneri recently secured a convincing victory over Venezia, marking a promising initiation into the 2024/25 season. Manager Paulo Fonseca has the advantage of welcoming back captain Davide Calabria, who has recovered from injury and is in contention for a starting position, along with Emerson Royal. The defense may see the return of Fikayo Tomori, while the midfield trio of Seko Fofana, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Tijjani Reijnders is expected to continue after their impressive performance in the league. Striker Álvaro Morata could make his first appearance in the starting lineup for Milan against Liverpool.

In a press conference, Fonseca acknowledged Liverpool’s strength, noting, “Liverpool is one of the best teams in Europe, with excellent positional play and outstanding individual talents. We will need to be defensively perfect to win this match. In the Champions League, any mistake can be critical; a full defensive performance is crucial for attacking stability. This match is an opportunity for the team to demonstrate its growth.”

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Contrary to their Italian rivals, Liverpool enters this European clash following an unexpected loss at Anfield to Nottingham Forest, concluding their perfect start to the season. Prior to this setback, the Reds enjoyed three consecutive victories, even shutting out Manchester United in a dominant 3-0 win. During the summer, Liverpool made changes with Federico Chiesa joining from Juventus, while prominent players like Joël Matip and Thiago Alcântara departed. The significant alteration came with the hiring of Arne Slot as head coach, replacing Jürgen Klopp after nine years. Harvey Elliott is the only confirmed absentee due to injury, although Chiesa might debut at San Siro.

“We have great respect for AC Milan, and for us Dutch people, this is a special club,” Slot expressed before the match. “In the league, we didn’t perform as expected, but you can’t compare that game to the one against AC Milan. Rafael Leão is an exceptional player, but focusing only on top talents makes us forget the importance of others just below that tier. Stopping him will hinge on the team’s collective performance.”

Pre-Match Numbers
Fans in Italy can watch the match broadcast on Sky and NOW. For international viewers, local broadcasts are accessible under the “Abroad” section on official websites. AC Milan’s channels will feature the Matchday show on Milan TV, offering live coverage starting at 8:00 PM, which includes interviews and Coach Fonseca’s press conference.

Latest from the Champions League
The match will be officiated by Norwegian referee Espen Eskås, making his debut officiation for both teams. Assisting him will be Ergan and Bashevkin, along with fourth official Hagenes. The VAR room will include German officials Dankert and Dingert.

This game is part of an expansive schedule of Champions League matches over three days. On Tuesday, matches include Juventus versus PSV and Young Boys versus Aston Villa, while at 9:00 PM, Real Madrid will face Stuttgart, Sporting will play Lille, and Bayern Munich will tackle Dinamo Zagreb. Wednesday will see Bologna against Shakhtar and Sparta Praha take on Red Bull Salzburg, followed by PSG versus Girona and Manchester City versus Inter. The week concludes on Thursday with Crvena Zvezda facing Benfica, among other exciting fixtures.