AC Milan are back in Champions League action on Wednesday night as they welcome Red Star to San Siro, hoping to take a step towards the top eight.
Milan have been resurgent in Europe after a difficult start to the campaign, winning their last three in the competition and moving up the table nicely. However, there is still a lot of pressure on given the 2-1 loss to Atalanta on Friday night.
There is still a climate of distrust that surrounds the team at the moment given the big-game failures and the losses coming too regularly, something Paulo Fonseca acknowledged in his pre-match press conference.
Game date: Wednesday, December 11
Kick-off time: 21:00 (CET)
Venue: San Siro
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (VAR: Soto Grado)
Team news
As mentioned above, the Rossoneri began with defeats against Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen but won the next three against Club Brugge, Real Madrid and Slovan Bratislava. That means a spot in the top eight and direct qualification for the last 16 is well within reach.
Red Star are up next and they will be a very tough examination for reasons we will come onto, then after that Girona come to San Siro and a trip to Dinamo Zagreb closes out the ‘league phase’, so they are ‘accessible’ fixtures on paper.
Nonetheless, Fonseca is under scrutiny paradoxically because of Milan’s domestic form. A loss to Atalanta on Friday means that the gap to the Champions League spots got even wider, so there is the feeling that going through this year will mean little if there is no qualification for the next.
The four known absences for this game: Luka Jovic, Ismael Bennacer and Alessandro Florenzi are currently recovering from respective back, calf and knee operations, with the first two due back in the next few weeks.
The other is Christian Pulisic who limped off in the first half of the game in Bergamo. An MRI scan showed a calf problem which might keep him out until 2025, so there is a big question about who will replace him. Noah Okafor was absent from training on Tuesday too so he is a strong doubt.
In defence, there are no changes expected, with Fonseca being asked specifically about the excessive change of central defenders earlier. Mike Maignan, Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Malick Thiaw and Theo Hernandez, therefore, should make up the back bank of five.
The midfielders, as has become normal this season, will also not change much: Tijjani Reijnders will partner Youssouf Fofana. However, they will be spearheaded – or potentially joined by – Ruben Loftus-Cheek with Fonseca suggesting that whilst the Englishman can be like Pulisic, he may change the system.
On the wings, Fonseca looks to Samuel Chukwueze for a more attacking spark, and Rafael Leao (who can hopefully lead by example, but more on that later), with Alvaro Morata continuing as the striker.
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Emerson, Thiaw, Gabbia, Theo; Fofana, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Morata.
The opponents
As the most recognisable and biggest Serbian club, it is no surprise that last season Crvena Zvezda won the Serbian SuperLiga for a record 35th time, finishing seven points ahead of Belgrade rivals Partizan who were second.
They did, however, undergo a coaching change in December as Barak Bakhar left and was replaced by Vladan Milojevic, a former centre-back who remains in charge now.
As per Transfermarkt, Red Star spent €17.53m in the summer with the main signing being the winger Milson from Maccabi Tel Aviv for €5m. Centre-back Nasser Djiga also signed from Basel for €3m.
They made a number of signings between €1-2m, including Bruno Duarte, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Timi Max Elsnik, Young-woo Sell and Nemanja Stoic.
Silas also came on loan from Stuttgart after being a hot property in the Bundesliga. Couple of years ago, and Namenja Radonjic signed from Torino.
Around €25m was generated in sales with the main ones being In-beom Hwang to Feyenood for €7m, Osman Bukari to Austin for the same fee and Marko Stamenic to Nottingham Forest for €5.5m.
Milan will face a side that are in quite simply ridiculous form. They have won 16 of their 17 league games so far this season (drawing the other). Red Star have scored 55 goals and allowed nine, sitting 15 points ahead of their rivals Partizan in second.
In the Champions League they have naturally found things more difficult, having been hammered by Inter and Barcelona already. Yet, in the last round they put five goals past VfB Stuttgart in what was a memorable European night.
The main men have been Cherif Ndiaye (ten goals, one assist in the league), Luka Ilic (five goals, two assists) and Bruno Duarte (the same as Ilic). The side from the Serbian capital have had 16 different goal scorers in the league alone though, which shows just how spread their attacking threat is.
Gutesa should remain between the sticks for the visitors, but it seems that the entire back four could be changed from the weekend’s 6-0 win. It seems that Vladan Milojevic may start the game with Mimovic, Djiga, Spajic and Seol at the back.
The midfield should remain more solid, with Rade Krunic expected to partner Elsnik at the base of a three-man midfield. Ahead of them, Radonjic should return to the squad, with Silas and Ivanic expected on the flanks.
Ndiaye, the main danger man of the team, will be expected to lead any successes going forward.
Predicted Red Star XI (4-2-3-1): Gutesa; Mimovic, Djiga, Spajic, Seol; Krunic, Elsnik; Silas, Radonjic, Ivanic; Ndiaye
Head to head
Milan have played Red Star six times in their almost 125-year history, and they remain unbeaten with three wins and three draws.
The first meetings came in the 1988-89 European Cup, with the Rossoneri emerging victorious in the last 16 via a penalty shootout (5-3) after two 1-1 draws.
The next two games were in the third round of the Champions League qualification phase in 2006-07. Pippo Inzaghi (2) and Clarence Seedorf sealed a 3-1 aggregate win, and Milan would of course go on to lift the trophy in Athens
Most recently, Milan and Red Star faced each other in the 2020-21 Europa League and needed away goals to go through. A Pankovic own-goal and a Theo Hernandez penalty secured a 2-2 draw in the first leg, then Franck Kessie also scored a spot kick in the 1-1 back at San Siro.
Key facts and stats
➤ Milan have faced Crvena Zvezda on six previous occasions in Europe, going unbeaten across each of those matches (W2 D4). Including qualifiers, the only side they’ve faced more times in European competition without ever losing is Sparta Prague (8).
➤ Crvena Zvezda have only won one of their 14 away matches against Italian sides in Europe (D4 L9), with that lone victory coming against Chievo in October 2002 in the UEFA Cup (2-0).
➤ Milan have won their last three UEFA Champions League matches, more than in their previous 11 games combined (W2 D3 L6). They last won four in a row between February and April 2005 (5).
➤ Crvena Zvedza ended a run of 14 consecutive UEFA Champions League games without a win (D1 L13) with a 5-1 win over Stuttgart on MD5. They haven’t won consecutive games in the European Cup since doing so in 1991-92 (three in a row), when they were the reigning champions.
➤ Milan have scored exactly three goals in each of their last three UEFA Champions League games, their best run in the European Cup since between April and September 1989. They’ve never scored 3+ goals in four games in a row in the European Cup/Champions League.
➤ Only Borussia Dortmund (6) have scored more goals via substitutes than Crvena Zvezda (5) in the UEFA Champions League this season. Substitutes have scored with five of their 13 shots for the Serbian side (38%), compared to four goals from 33 shots from the starting players (12%).
➤ Since the start of last season, Rafael Leão leads all Milan players in major European competition for goals and assists combined (5 goals, 4 assists), shots attempted (36), dribbles (93) and ball carry distance (3,377m). He’s looking to score in consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances for the first time.
➤ Silas Katompa Mvumpa has scored in each of his last two UEFA Champions League appearances for Crvena Zvezda – the last player to net in three in a row in the European Cup for the club was Dejan Savicevic in March/April 1991.
➤ Should Crvena Zvezda’s Andrija Maksimovic start against Milan (17y 188d on the day of the game), he will be the youngest player in UEFA Champions League history to see each of his first five appearances in the competition come as start, a record previously held by Vincent Kompany for RSC Anderlecht (17y 244d).
Ones to watch
It feels strange starting a ones to watch with Theo, but we must start seeing more from the Frenchman. There has been a lot of talk about his situation of late, and he needs to begin to silence the noise, especially if he wants a new deal.
Then, Loftus-Cheek has something to deliver. His position in the team has been inconsistent, and with noone tying down the Trequartista or winger spots, the Englishman has a chance to earn himself a starting spot with Pulisic absent.
Finally, we must see a big game from Leao. With Noah Okafor’s injury, there is not set to be any rotation, and with Pulisic absent, there is no obvious Mr. Reliable there to take the reign in attack. For this reason, a big game from Leao can reassure the fans, and Fonseca, about his ability to carry the squad when needed. After all, if he is to become one of the best, he needs to show a basic trait that they carry.
The visitors will undoubtedly look towards Ndiaye for inspiration, given he has been on fire this season. 13 goal contributions across the league and Champions League is no easy feat, and if the Rossoneri are caught napping – which they have occasionally been this season – they will be punished.
Prediction
There can be no two ways about it. Milan must win against Red Star, failing to do so would have huge consequences, especially with the game taking place at San Siro. Despite not having Pulisic available, there are no excuses to be made, and the Rossoneri must attempt to restore confidence after Friday’s defeat.
AC Milan 3-1 Red Star
8-0 Win or we don’t make Top 8.
That’s all I’m going to say.
5:0 against this losers.Horible fans they have and they are horible team.
Tie between Arsenal – Monaco
a big win for Barca against Dortmund (4-0 and above and we need to score 4) and we can take place at the top 8.
Or we depend on the game between Atletico – Leverkusen on Jan
So far yesterday’s results weren’t good for us.
8-0. 5-0. LOL. The reality is that if we’re going to win, it’ll probably be by one goal. And clean sheet is not possible, so it’ll be 2-1 or 3-2.
Was I right or was I right?