AC Milan and Roma will meet each other on the European stage for the first time as they contest the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie on Thursday night.
The occasion itself needs no exaggeration, given that it will be two Italian rivals meeting in Europe and there is an American flavour two given the ownerships of the two clubs, plus both sides are in fantastic form too.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Stefano Pioli spoke about the qualities that his side must show against a resurgent opponent, and made several references to Real Madrid versus Manchester City.
Game date: Thursday, April 11
Kick-off time: 21:00 (CEST)
Venue: San Siro
Referee: Clement Turpin (VAR: Brissard)
Team news
Given some of the potential opponents that were on the big screen in Nyon at the time of the draw, it would be fair to say there was a mixed reaction when Roma came out of the hat, given they were (and perhaps remain) a bit of an unknown quantity under Daniele De Rossi.
Milan come into the game having won each of their last seven matches across all competitions, something that will give the squad plenty of confidence, although there are some rather notable absences.
Fikayo Tomori is suspended after picking up a yellow card in the return leg against Slavia Praha, Pierre Kalulu is injured for a while longer yet and Jan-Carlo Simic does not qualify for the UEFA B-list in the squad.
Moreover, the expectation is that Clinton Nsiala and Davide Bartesaghi will not be called up, and Alex Jimenez is out until the end of the season, so there will not be much help for the defensive ranks from the Primavera either.
According to the reports that are circulating at the moment, Mike Maignan should be in goal with Davide Calabria, Malick Thiaw, Matteo Gabbia and Theo Hernandez as the back four in front of him. Thiaw is back in training after a foot problem, and should start over Simon Kjaer.
Ismael Bennacer and Tijjani Reijnders are expected to occupy the double pivot again, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek returning to the attacking midfielder role having served a suspension on Saturday.
He should be flanked by Christian Pulisic to the right and Rafael Leao to the left with Olivier Giroud the centre-forward. The likes of Noah Okafor, Luka Jovic, Samuel Chukwueze, Yacine Adli and others can lend a hand off the bench.
Probable Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Gabbia, Theo; Bennacer, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud.
The opponents
For this particular section it felt fitting to throw it over to our resident Romanista Euan Burns, who answered some of our questions regarding their campaign so far and what to expect.
What did you make of the summer business that Roma did, and where did it leave your expectations for 2023-24?
“There was fair reason for optimism after the summer. Roma got €30m for Roger Ibanez and managed to replace him for free with Evan Ndicka, who has been impressive when available. Houssem Aouar came in for free which suggested some more creativity in midfield, as did the arrival of Renato Sanches.
“Leandro Paredes’ return seemed like a smart move after Nemanja Matic’s departure, whilst players like Sardar Azmoun and Rasmus Kristensen made sense as depth options without splashing too much cash. Romelu Lukaku’s arrival was very intriguing as he’d struggled with the second stint at Inter, but Tammy Abraham’s injury meant a quality striker was needed.
“Overall, I’d say it was a positive window with plenty of promise and little economic risk (the biggest fee paid was the €5.8m loan fee for Lukaku), but little in the way of guaranteed success.”
What went wrong under José Mourinho, and by comparison what has gone right under Daniele De Rossi?
“Honestly, vibes. The atmosphere had become terrible under Jose Mourinho, we’ve seen time and again how his management style and way of dealing with the authorities is thrilling in some respects and wears very thin in others.
“Once the results started to fall away as well as any hint of entertaining football, there was always a chance that a change would be made. I was surprised it happened mid-season, but so far it looks like the right call. Mourinho did a huge amount for Roma and will always be loved, but it had gone stale.
“As for what Daniele De Rossi has done right, also vibes. The squad looks happier, and he is perhaps the only person they could have appointed who would maintain and even enhance the atmosphere that Mourinho created in the Stadio Olimpico for each game.
“De Rossi has reinstated some confidence in Roma’s most creative players and then when the wins start coming, you create a snowball effect.”
How did you feel when Roma drew Milan in the Europa League?
“I’m generally not a fan of ties between clubs from the same country unless they’re massive rivals, Inter vs. Milan, Real Madrid vs. Barcelona etc.
“It is certainly a fascinating one, though, as Milan have quietly been in superb form recently and despite there being a bit more focus on Roma’s upturn in form under De Rossi, Milan should be the slight favourites. Both teams are capable of superb displays right now, but they are also both capable of really going missing.”
Are there any injuries/selection problems?
“Ndicka is suspended for the first leg which is a blow to Roma, but Chris Smalling is fit again so either he or Diego Llorente can replace him. Sardar Azmoun is out injured, but that is mitigated by Abraham getting minutes off the bench against Lazio.
“Dean Huijsen and Rasmus Kristensen are not registered in the knockout squad so they’ll play no part, but beyond that handful of absentees, Roma are in decent health for this one.”
Probable Roma XI (4-3-3): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Smalling, Spinazzola; Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini; Dybala, Lukaku, El Shaarawy.
Head to head
Roma are joint-third in the list of clubs that Milan have faced the most in their history, with the sides having clashed on 197 occasions across all competitions (level with Torino).
The record reads favourably for the Rossoneri with 84 wins in that span, 62 draws and 51 defeats, which gives a win rate of 42.6%.
Not only that, but Milan have already completed the league double over the Giallorossi, which began with a 2-1 victory at the Studio Olimpico on September 1 with Giroud (penalty) and Leao scoring.
It was 3-1 in the return game, with Adli scoring his first goal for the club and Giroud doubling the advantage early in the second half, before Theo sealed the win after Paredes’ spot kick had halved the deficit.
Match facts…
➤ This is the first time Milan and Roma will face in a European match – the Rossoneri were eliminated by fellow Italian side and city rivals Internazionale last season in the UEFA Champions League. Roma last faced an Italian team in Europe in the 2014-15 Europa League last 16, losing 4-1 on aggregate to Fiorentina.
➤ Milan are currently unbeaten in nine games against Roma (W6 D3), with all nine coming in Serie A. They last enjoyed a longer unbeaten run against them between 1970 and 1979 (20 matches).
➤ Having reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals last season, Milan have got to the last-eight of a major European competition in consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so six seasons on the bounce between 2001-02 and 2006-07. It’s their first not in the Champions League since 2001-02, when they faced – and eliminated – Hapoel Tel Aviv in the UEFA Cup quarter-final.
➤ Roma have only won two of their last 14 away matches in major European competition (D6 L6), with no wins in their last eight away knockout matches (D4 L4) and three goals scored across those games.
➤ Since their first game in this season’s UEFA Europa League in February, Milan have had more shots on target (28) and scored more goals (12) than any other side, with only Benfica (9.0) having a higher expected goals total than they’ve accumulated (8.7).
➤ Romelu Lukaku has been involved in 11 goals in his last eight away UEFA Europa League appearances (9 goals, 2 assists). Lukaku scored in all of his first five appearances in all competitions against Milan but has since failed to score in his last five; he does, however, have 39 goals in 70 games at the San Siro, only netting more at Goodison Park in his top-five European league club career (48).
➤ Roma’s Stephan El Shaarawy has five assists in nine UEFA Europa League appearances this season, having managed just one in 29 games before this season. He’s both the only Roma player and only Italian player to assist five goals in a Europa League campaign.
➤ Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been involved in 11 goals in his 15 UEFA Europa League appearances (8 goals, 3 assists), netting four in four for the Italian side this season. Loftus-Cheek could be just the second English player to net 5+ goals in a major European campaign for an Italian side, along with Tammy Abraham in 2021-22 for Roma (9).
Ones to watch
Leao has three goals in Europe this season and will obviously be the key man for Milan, especially after scoring twice against Rennes, while Loftus-Cheek scored a brace in the last round as well.
Reijnders coming back into the midfield should give some added dynamism, while at the back Gabbia has been very consistent since his return.
We threw the question over to Euan to pick out who could cause Milan some damage for Roma.
“The two standout players under De Rossi have been Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Watchers of Italian football will know the quality those two players can produce when they are on song.
“His Serie A form has been poor recently but Lukaku has been irrepressible in the Europa League. He has seven goals in nine UEL games this season, bettered only by Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng.
“Paredes has been quietly excellent for a long time now, and whilst he is hated by so many, Gianluca Mancini is having a good season.”
Prediction
Two things feel quite likely heading into this game: there will be goals, and there will not be a result that puts the tie beyond doubt before the return leg in the capital. Buoyed by a sell-out home crowd, Milan will hope to take an advantage south.
Milan 2-1 Roma
Hopefully Mike comes up good. Disastrumma certainly wasn’t having a good night lol
Goku Bruh Dollarrumma Conceded 3 today 🤣. But What are Your Prediction Mine 3-1to milann