A great history, an ambitious present. Two of the most successful teams in the history of the Champions League, AC Milan and Liverpool, kick off their presence in the revamped premier European competition by facing each other on the opening matchday. It is not a group match, it is worth more: in the new format, every result and every goal can be decisive for European destinies. An unmissable appointment at San Siro, which we introduce with our Match Preview.
LATEST FROM MILANELLO
After starting the season in the best possible way, the Rossoneri approach their European opener with confidence and conviction. The league weekend brought a great victory over Venezia, with goals and points to kick off the first busy week of our 2024/25 season in style. The stakes are high, and the goal is to start strong in a brand-new Champions League. To achieve this, Fonseca can also count on the return of captain Calabria, who has recovered from a recent injury and is vying for a starting spot with Emerson Royal. In defence, Tomori might return from the first minute, while in midfield, the trio of Fofana, Loftus-Cheek, and Reijnders, who impressed in the league, is likely to be confirmed. A possible change is up front, as AC Milan v Liverpool could see Álvaro Morata make his first start as a Rossonero.
“Liverpool is one of the best teams in Europe, with excellent positional play and outstanding individual talents,” said Fonseca in the press conference. “We will need to be defensively perfect to win this match. In the Champions League, you can’t afford to make any mistakes; a complete defensive performance is necessary to attack with stability. This match is an opportunity for the team to show that it is growing”.
LATEST FROM LIVERPOOL
In contrast to the Rossoneri, the Reds come into this European encounter on the back of a surprising defeat, having lost 1-0 at Anfield to Nottingham Forest. This setback spoiled a perfect start, which included three consecutive victories (without conceding a goal), culminating in a 3-0 win at Manchester United. Over the summer, Liverpool made minimal changes in terms of players. Federico Chiesa arrived from Juventus, and key figures like Matip and Thiago Alcântara departed, but there was a significant shift in coaching. After nine years, the Reds parted ways with Jürgen Klopp and welcomed former Feyenoord coach Arne Slot. The only confirmed absentee is Harvey Elliott, who was injured with the English Under-21 team, while Chiesa might make his debut at San Siro. The situations of Mac Allister and Jones, who were used in the Premier League over the weekend, remain to be assessed.
“We have great respect for AC Milan, and for us Dutch people, this is a special club,” Arne Slot said on the eve of the match. “In the league, we didn’t play well, but you can’t compare that game to the one ahead of us (against AC Milan). Leão is an outstanding player, a top player, but when we talk about such individuals, we tend to forget those just below that level. Stopping him? It will depend on the performance of the whole team”.
PRE-MATCH NUMBERS
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This will be the fifth encounter in European competitions between AC Milan and Liverpool. All previous meetings were in the Champions League, with the 2005 and 2007 Finals preceding the two group stage matches in 2021/22.
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The Rossoneri have remained unbeaten in their last four matches against English teams, conceding just one goal: the Round of 16 match against Tottenham in the 2022/23 season and the group stage clash with Newcastle last season.
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No player has scored more than Álvaro Morata in the first phase of the 2023/24 edition, with five goals. Over the last two seasons, only two players, Vinícius Júnior and Kvaratskhelia, have more successful dribbles than Rafael Leão‘s 57.
WHERE TO WATCH AC MILAN v LIVERPOOL
In Italy, the match will be broadcast by Sky and NOW. To watch AC Milan v Liverpool in another country, you can check the “Where to Watch Milan on TV” section under “Abroad.” On the Rossoneri channels, the Matchday show will air on Milan TV: live coverage starts at 8:00 PM leading up to kick-off, followed by interviews and Coach Fonseca’s press conference. Don’t miss the coverage on acmilan.com, the AC Milan Official App, official social media, and WhatsApp.
LATEST FROM CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
The Norwegian Espen Eskås will officiate the match at San Siro. For the 36-year-old from Oslo, this is his first assignment with both teams, while his only previous encounter with an Italian team was Roma v Slavia Praha in the 2023/24 Europa League. Completing the all-Norwegian referee team are assistants Ergan and Bashevkin, along with fourth official Hagenes. In the VAR room, the German Dankert will be assisted by his compatriot Dingert.
The first matchweek of the Champions League will be the only one played over the span of three days. On Tuesday 17 September, Juventus v PSV and Young Boys v Aston Villa will kick off at 18:45 CEST, while at 21:00 CEST, along with AC Milan v Liverpool, it will be the turn of Real Madrid v Stuttgart, Sporting v Lille, and Bayern Munich v Dinamo Zagreb. On Wednesday 18 September, Bologna v Shakhtar and Sparta Praha v Red Bull Salzburg will play at 18:45 CEST, followed by PSG v Girona, Club Brugge v Borussia Dortmund, Celtic v Slovan Bratislava, and Manchester City v Inter at 21:00 CEST. Finally, on Thursday 19 September, Crvena Zvezda v Benfica and Feyenoord v Bayer Leverkusen will open at 18:45 CEST, while at 21:00 CEST the week will close with Brest v Sturm Graz, Atalanta v Arsenal, Atlético Madrid v Red Bull Leipzig, and Monaco v Barcelona.
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