AC Milan will resume their European adventure on Thursday evening, taking on Stade Rennes in the knockout phase play-off of the Europa League. It’s not quite the same pedigree as the Champions League, but the feeling is still that most Rossoneri fans are looking forward to it. And rightfully so, with the trophy missing from the cabinet.
There is no doubt that the Champions League exit cost Milan a lot of money, missing out on some key revenue, but there is still €30m or so up for grabs. Not to mention that Stefano Pioli is keen on ending his tenure at the club on a good note, just as the players want to prove themselves after an up-and-down season. In short, there is still a lot to play for.
Just like Milan (6W, 2D), Stade Rennes are unbeaten in the league since December (5W, 1D) and will be looking to extend their good run of form at San Siro. Granted that the opposition hasn’t always been the strongest in those games, it’s clear that the French side are gaining momentum and this should make for an exciting clash on Thursday evening.
The tie will be played over two legs, with the second one scheduled already for next week, and it will be interesting to see how this will affect the game. One could argue that Rennes have an advantage in that sense, able to play more on the result in the first leg and then finish in front of their fans. But pre-game plans like that usually go out the window, so we expect a lively game.
In defence, there are some question marks for Milan as Simon Kjaer has been struggling with a minor discomfort. Should the Dane fail to make it, then Theo Hernandez will be the starting centre-back as Jan-Carlo Simic isn’t called up. Given the squad regulations and whatnot, it’s tough to criticise Pioli here especially since Malick Thiaw has now returned to group training. Still unfortunate, though.
Taking a look at the tickets sold for the game, it’s actually gone better than Milan perhaps expected. Sure, it’s not sold out like a Champions League Round of 16 would have been, but only a few sections remain with one day left until the game. And with reports suggesting that a whopping 7,000 Rennes fans could be present at the stadium, the atmosphere will most likely be fantastic underneath the San Siro floodlights.
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➤ Milan Primavera snatched a draw from the jaws of victory on Saturday afternoon as they conceded three late goals to draw 3-3 with Sassuolo. Francesco Camarda was back in the news as he scored a wonderful brace, while the plan to get him contracted for seven years has emerged.
➤ AC Milan Women will be spending the second half of the season playing against teams in the bottom half after their 1-0 defeat away at Sassuolo on Matchday 16.
➤ The latest from training in view of the Rennes clash: Malick Thiaw will be called up as will Samuel Chukwueze, but there are doubts about Simon Kjaer's fitness and a number of Primavera players could be in the squad.
➤ Milan are contemplating another move for Real Madrid youngster Arda Guler and the Spanish side would favour a move to the Rossoneri for their player, a report from Spain claims.
➤ If Charles De Ketelaere had previously shown good signs in glimpses with Atalanta, we can now talk confidently about a player who is in excellent form. This is good news for Milan, who are now expected to net even more money thanks to bonuses.
➤ Our featured content over the past week includes a tactical analysis of the win over Napoli, a look at the dilemma regarding Rafael Leao's future and why Luka Jovic's future will not be as simple as a one-year renewal.
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