Salzburg-Milan is a match valid for the first day of the group stage of the Champions League and is played on Tuesday at 21:00
The Champions League opener could not have come at a better time for AC Milan. The Rossoneri are away in Salzburg just three days after their triumph in the Milan derby against Inter Milan, beaten 3-2 in what is set to be one of the most spectacular and exciting matches of the championship that has just begun. The enthusiasm, needless to say, can be felt at Milanello: the comeback victory over the Nerazzurri only revived the ambitions of Stefano Pioli’s men, led by a stratospheric Leao and by the usual relentless Giroud, once again decisive against the arch-rivals.
Last Saturday’s performance in the extracittadina cancelled out the dull 0-0 draw at Reggio Emilia against Sassuolo a few days earlier, a match that confirmed the difficulties encountered so far by the reigning champions of Italy away from the San Siro, where they have never lost but neither won. Now, however, they must reset and focus on the cup: for Milan, in fact, this time it is almost an obligation to qualify for the knockout phase after missing out last year in a much more complicated group than this one. Being top of the league has allowed the Rossoneri to be in a group that is anything but prohibitive: there is Chelsea, true, but the other two teams are well within reach – in addition to the Austrians, they will also face Dinamo Zagreb – provided that Theo Hernandez and his team-mates do not inexplicably decide to complicate their lives.
It will therefore be crucial to start strong, so as to arrive at the direct clash with the Blues with full points. Do not underestimate the formation coached by Matthias Jaissle, undisputed dominator in their homeland and by now accustomed to frequenting the maximum continental competition with a certain assiduity (last year they reached the round of 16 for the first time). Despite depriving itself of its jewels every summer – Adeyemi and Camara have left – Salzburg manages to remain competitive. The purchase of Brazilian striker Fernando from Shakhtar is proving to be an excellent coup. With the exception of the first game, the Austrians have only been successful in the league, scoring 18 goals in seven matches.
Matthias Jaissle
The Prediction
Milan’s path to the Champions League should start with a victory. On paper, the Rossoneri are superior and they arrive in Austria on the wings of enthusiasm after the beautiful victory in the derby. In any case, Salzburg will have to be very careful. Leaving aside the fact that they play in a low-level league, Jaissle’s men have great experience in the European context, they know how to make themselves dangerous, and in front of their own public they always seem to have an edge. They are a team that plays a fast, offensive type of football and the odds of Milan conceding at least one goal remain very high.
The likely line-up for Salzburg v Milan
- SALISBURG (4-3-1-2): Kohn; Dedic, Solet, Wöber, Ulmer; Capaldo, Seiwald, Kjaergaard; Kameri; Okafor, Fernando.
- MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Hernández; Tonali, Bennacer; Messias, De Ketelaere, Leão; Giroud.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
