AC Milan will look to keep their chances of qualifying for the knockout round of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League (UCL) alive when they travel to the Croatian capital to face Dinamo Zagreb.
Venue: Stadion Maksimir (Zagreb)
Key Statistics
Dinamo Zagreb are unbeaten at home in the UCL this season (W3, D2).
They have kept one clean sheet in their last eight games.
The hosts have won ten of the 12 games they have played at home this season.
AC Milan have won just one of their last five UCL away games (D1, L3).
They have failed to score in the last two UCL games.
The visitors have conceded three times without reply between the 16th and 30th minute in the UCL group stage this season. Only Sporting CP have conceded more goals during that time period (four).
Milan have kept one clean sheet in their last eleven games.
Head to head
Dinamo Zagreb have lost all five previous meetings with AC Milan, conceding 13 goals in the process.
Latest performances in all competitions
Dinamo Zagreb: D-W-D-L-W
AC Milan: W-W-L-W-L
Dinamo Zagreb
The race for qualification from UEFA Champions League Group E will continue this Tuesday with the bottom-of-the-table Zagreb looking to take maximum points and climb above Milan when both sides meet at the Stadion Maksimir.
The hosts have four points in the UCL this season after recording one win, one draw and two losses from their opening four games of the group stage. They are level on points with Milan, but behind Group E leaders Chelsea by just three points and so still have a stake in this group.
To keep their chances of playing in the knockout round of the UCL for the first time since the competition was reformatted alive, they have to win this game.
However, they are winless in their last three UCL games since victory over Chelsea in the opening round and have shown signs of rustiness in attack where they scored just two goals in those three games. However, the Croatian side remain unbeaten on home soil in the competition this term (W3, D2), perhaps providing some hope that they can mount an assault on a top-two finish from this group.
In fact, the last team to beat Ante Čačić’s men at home in the UCL was Manchester City back in 2019, so the Croatian champions are clearly a tough nut to crack on home soil. With ten wins in 12 games at home this season (D2), Čačić’s men will come into this tie confident of getting a win.
But for that to happen, they will have to fight past their miserable H2H record against AC Milan, having lost all five previous meetings with the Rossoneri, conceding 13 goals in the process.
Possible Dinamo Zagreb starting line-up
Dominik Livakovic; Sadegh Moharrami, Stefan Ristovski, Dino Peric, Robert Ljubicic; Luke Ivanusec, Arijan Ademi, Martin Baturina; Mislav Oršić, Dario Spikic, Bruno Petkovic.
Injured: Bosko Sutalo
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
AC Milan
AC Milan will look to make it three wins in three when they travel to Zagreb on Tuesday.
The Rossoneri have won their last two games against Verona (2-1) and Monza (4-1) to keep their quest for the Scudetto alive.
But those wins followed back-to-back losses in the UEFA Champions League against Group E leaders Chelsea. The visitors conceded two goals and failed to score in those two games against Chelsea. And so they come into this round of games sitting in third place, having recorded just one win and one draw so far in the UCL.
That win came against Zagreb at San Siro in round two of the group stage games. And so, Stefano Pioli’s men will hope for a repeat performance in this game. However, since returning to the UCL last season, the Rossoneri have desperately struggled away from the San Siro, winning just one of their last five road trips in the competition (D1, L3).
But in trying to prepare themselves for this game, manager Stefano Pioli rested Rafael Leão, Olivier Giroud and Sandro Tonali against Monza over the weekend. So those key players should be fresh and ready to help their side towards a first knockout stage qualification since 2013/14.
Possible AC Milan starting line-up
Ciprian Tatarusanu; Pierre Kalulu, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Rade Krunic, Sandro Tonali, Ismael Bennacer; Brahim Diaz, Rafael Leao, Olivier Giroud.
Injured: Alessandro Florenzi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis Saelemaekers, Mike Maignan
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Dinamo Zagreb 2-2 AC Milan
