AC Milan vs PSG: A Pivotal Champions League Showdown – Match Preview
As we look ahead to the much-anticipated UEFA Champions League fixture at the Parc des Princes, where AC Milan goes head-to-head with Paris Saint-Germain, the footballing world holds its breath. It’s not just a match; it’s a critical juncture for both teams. Let’s delve into the AC Milan vs PSG prediction and preview, keeping an eye on every detail.
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Group of Giants: Previewing the Clash
When the UEFA Champions League group stage draw was concluded, the spotlight immediately turned to Group F. With the presence of Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, accompanied by Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund, it was a guarantee that at least one European giant would stumble. This impending encounter between PSG and the Rossoneri could have a substantial say in determining who progresses.
PSG’s journey in this group stage hasn’t been smooth sailing. They suffered a significant setback on Matchday 2 when they faced the raucous St. James’ Park, falling to a disheartening 4-1 defeat against a resolute Newcastle. Now, the Magpies have emerged as the favorites. Thus, the visit of Milan on Wednesday has assumed immense significance. Intriguingly, PSG has a historical record of failing to defeat the Rossoneri in their four previous Champions League meetings. It’s a statistical quirk and an intriguing backdrop to this clash.
The Parisians, however, have managed to steady the ship since their tumultuous experience on Tyneside. They secured a win against Rennes before the international break and continued their resurgence with a convincing 3-0 victory against Strasbourg. A shining star in PSG’s resurgence is Kylian Mbappé, who played a pivotal role in these matches, both scoring and creating goals. His influence in the group stage is remarkable, with 26 goals and 20 assists since 2017-18, outshining any other player in the competition during that period.
Furthermore, PSG’s dominant possession-based style, with an average possession share of 70.5%, is second only to Manchester City’s 71.8% in the Champions League this season. Notably, defenders like Achraf Hakimi, Milan Škriniar, and Marquinhos rank among the top 10 players for open-play passes heading into Matchday 3, underscoring the cohesion of their play.
But PSG isn’t without its concerns. Warren Zaïre-Emery is likely to return after missing the previous game with a minor knee injury. However, key players Marco Asensio, Presnel Kimpembe, and Nuno Mendes are sidelined, posing a selection challenge for the team.
On the other side of the pitch, AC Milan faces a significant challenge. They must find a way to break their goalless streak if they aim to replicate last season’s impressive run to the last four. During the first two Champions League matchdays of 2023-24, only Manchester City and Real Madrid attempted more shots than Milan. Nevertheless, the Rossoneri struggled to find the back of the net in goalless draws against Newcastle and Dortmund.
What’s striking is that, in the history of the Champions League, only Club Brugge between November 2018 and September 2019 played out three successive goalless draws. Milan’s inability to score extends to four consecutive European outings, marking their longest drought in this illustrious history.
Rafael Leão holds the key to breaking this streak. His impressive 16 take-ons across Matchdays 1 and 2, with a 43% success rate, highlights his potential to unlock defenses. Additionally, Leão has created five chances from open play in the Champions League this season, a tally matched only by Theo Hernández among Milan players. Wednesday’s match could even pit Hernández against his brother Lucas, who scored PSG’s consolation against Newcastle.
However, Milan’s coach, Stefano Pioli, faces selection dilemmas, with Ismaël Bennacer sidelined alongside Samuel Chukwueze, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek nursing a muscle injury sustained before the international break.
AC Milan vs Paris Saint-Germain Head-to-Head
The historical context of this matchup adds another layer of intrigue. PSG hasn’t faced Milan in the Champions League since the teams drew twice in 2000-01’s second group stage. Nevertheless, PSG has recently started to enjoy success against Italian teams. They won their last three matches against Italian opponents, a stark contrast to their previous record of just two wins out of 20 matches.
Milan, on the other hand, has a relatively strong record against French sides. They’ve only lost three of their 16 Champions League meetings with French teams, with their most memorable loss coming in the 1993 final against Marseille, as well as defeats to Lens in 2002-03 and Lille in 2006-07.
Recent Form
In recent years, PSG has transformed their home ground into a fortress in the Champions League’s group stage, especially since the club’s takeover by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011. Since their return to the competition in 2012-13 after a seven-season hiatus, PSG has lost just one of their 34 home games at this stage (with 27 wins and six draws). That solitary loss came at the hands of Manchester United in October 2020.
However, following their defeat to Newcastle on Matchday 2, PSG now faces the risk of losing back-to-back games in the same Champions League group stage campaign for the first time since 2004-05. During that season, they lost their first two matches, ultimately failing to reach the last 16.
On the Milan side, they head into Wednesday’s fixture in relatively good form. They’ve lost only one of their last seven matches in all competitions, with four wins and two draws. Furthermore, they are unbeaten in their last three away games, including two wins and one draw, since their humbling 5-1 loss to Inter in last month’s Derby della Madonnina.
AC Milan vs Paris Saint-Germain Prediction
Looking ahead, a PSG victory would not only secure them the top spot but also give them a four-point lead over Milan before the return fixture on Matchday 4. Despite the stakes, it’s worth noting that neither PSG nor Milan is seen as a top contender for the Champions League title in the coming season.
Squads
Paris Saint-Germain Squad:
- Keylor Navas
- Alexandre Letellier
- Arnau Tenas
- Gianluigi Donnarumma
- Achraf Hakimi
- Presnel Kimpembe
- Marquinhos
- Lucas Hernández
- Nuno Mendes
- Nordi Mukiele
- Milan Škriniar
- Manuel Ugarte
- Fabián Ruiz
- Danilo
- Vitinha
- Kang-in Lee
- Carlos Soler
- Warren Zaïre-Emery
- Ethan Mbappé
- Kylian Mbappé
- Gonçalo Ramos
- Ousmane Dembélé
- Marco Asensio
- Randal Kolo Muani
- Bradley Barcola
Head Coach: Luis Enrique
AC Milan Squad:
- Mike Maignan
- Marco Sportiello
- Antonio Mirante
- Davide Calabria
- Theo Hernández
- Pierre Kalulu
- Fikayo Tomori
- Simon Kjær
- Malick Thiaw
- Mattia Caldara
- Alessandro Florenzi
- Yacine Adli
- Ruben Loftus-Cheek
- Tijjani Reijnders
- Tommaso Pobega
- Rade Krunić
- Yunus Musah
- Olivier Giroud
- Rafael Leão
- Christian Pulisic
- Luka Jović
- Noah Okafor
- Samuel Chukwueze
Head Coach: Stefano Pioli
These are the players who will be representing their respective teams in the AC Milan vs. PSG Champions League match.
