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AC Milan fancied to secure Champions League progression after recent surge

A 12-point haul from their opening six games in the 2024-25 Champions League has given AC Milan an excellent chance of reaching the knockout stage.

Victories over Girona and Dinamo Zagreb would probably be enough to secure a place in the top eight and automatic progression to the last-16.

The oddsmakers at Betway Sports rate them as favourites to defeat the La Liga outfit in their next game and it would be a brave move to back against them achieving the feat.

Girona have won just once in the Champions League this season – a 2-0 home victory over Slovan Bratislava on Matchday 3. Dinamo Zagreb have fared much better, picking up eight points from their six matches to stay in contention for a place in the knockout play-off round.

They visit Arsenal before hosting Milan in their final league phase match and there could be plenty riding on the fixture when it is staged later this month.

Milan will hope to head into the games in a buoyant mood having enjoyed an upturn in fortunes since Sergio Conceicao replaced Paulo Fonseca as manager.

Winning the Supercoppa Italiana by beating Inter was an excellent way for Conceicao to endear himself to the fans, but there is still plenty of work to do.

Milan’s primary aim this season is to force their way back into contention for a top four finish in Serie A, but that will be easier said than done. The recent 2-1 victory over Como moved them five points behind fourth-placed Lazio with a game in hand, but the overall performance was unconvincing.

While the January transfer window gives Milan the chance to improve their squad, their rivals for European qualification are also planning to strengthen. With that in mind, this season’s Champions League could actually be the main catalyst for Milan to enjoy an uptick in fortunes during the second half of the season.

Finishing in the top eight after the completion of the league phase would not only boost confidence in the squad, but would also ensure Milan are seeded for the knockout stage. Although there are some big clubs who could progress through the play-off round, there are several teams who may reach the last-16 who Milan would be favourites to beat.

A favourable draw could fire them into the quarter-finals of the competition, which would further lift the mood around the club. As Inter (2022/23) and Borussia Dortmund (2023/24) have shown over the past two seasons, supposedly unfancied teams can go a long way in the Champions League.

Although both teams were ultimately defeated in their respective finals, reaching that stage of the competition was a noteworthy feat. Milan have not played in the final since defeating Liverpool 2-1 to lift the trophy for the seventh time in 2006/07.

Given the shift in power in European football in recent years, it is easy to forget that Milan are actually the second most successful club in the history of the competition. Their tally of seven titles dwarfs so-called big-hitters such as Manchester United (3), Juventus (2), Manchester City (1) and Arsenal (zero).

With two winnable games to come and the potential of a favourable draw in the last-16, progress in the Champions League is achievable. Conceicao must build on the promising start he has made by capitalising on the opportunity to guide Milan to the latter stages of the competition.

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