AC Milan know that a big improvement is needed tonight against Chelsea compared to last week’s 3-0 defeat as their Champions League knockout hopes now rest on edge.
The game at San Siro tonight will be heavily influenced by some key battles that will take place in each department, starting with the one between Matteo Gabbia and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Italian defender passed the test against Juve’s Dusan Vlahovic at the weekend, but Auba scored at Stamford Bridge and certainly has the qualities to make it a rough first Champions League start.
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Cutting off the supply to Aubameyang will be crucial and that is why Ismael Bennacer will perform a vital shielding role in front of the back four, hoping to stop Mason Mount from creating. The English playmaker has taken on more importance in Graham Potter’s system as he roams around looking for space and a killer ball, as his two assists against Wolves at the weekend show.
Up at the other end, we must highlight Thiago Silva vs. Olivier Giroud even though it was picked out as a duel last week. The Brazilian certainly got the better of his opponent both in the air and on the ground, hardly giving Giroud a sniff at all, which denied the Rossoneri the option of an out ball and allowed Chelsea to establish territorial dominance. That must change tonight.
There will be no Wesley Fofana this evening as he went off injured in last week’s game, so Milan will again pin their hopes on Rafael Leao to be the main creative force, with Trevoh Chalobah likely to be keeping tabs on him this time. Leão has been directly involved in four goals in seven games to date for Milan in the UCL, so he will aim to test the English defender early and often.
Finally, Brahim Diaz will start with Charles De Ketelaere injured and he will have a doubly important role. Firstly he must find pockets of space in off the right to keep Mateo Kovacic honest, obviously hoping to score like he did against Juve, while also pressing and disrupting the Croatian’s attempts to build play out from in front of Chelsea’s defence.
