Feyenoord head into Tuesday’s Champions League playoff second leg against AC Milan with a slender 1-0 lead, having pulled off a shock win at home in the first leg. The Dutch side will be looking to finish the job in Milan and secure a spot in the last 16, where they could face either Inter Milan or Arsenal.
In Rotterdam, Feyenoord stunned Milan with a 1-0 victory thanks to an early goal by Igor Paixao, whose long-range shot in the third minute somehow slipped past AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
That moment of error from Maignan proved costly, and now AC Milan faces an uphill battle in the second leg. History isn't on their side either, as they’ve only come back from a first-leg loss to progress once in their last six Champions League knockout ties — that being a memorable comeback against Manchester United in 2007. But playing at home at the San Siro, they’ll be hoping their strong home form can carry them through.
Milan, though, will have to deal with the absence of former Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez, who struggled in the first leg but found the net in Milan's 1-0 win over Hellas Verona in Serie A last Saturday. Milan has been unbeaten in 12 games at home since October, although they are still fighting for a European spot in Serie A, and their best chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League may now be through winning this year’s competition.
For Feyenoord, their path to the last 16 would be historic, as they haven’t reached this stage of the Champions League since the 1974-75 season. Their new interim manager, Pascal Bosschaart, took over after the abrupt departure of Brian Priske, who was let go despite leading the team to a solid 3-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam. Unfortunately, Feyenoord’s momentum took a hit with a goalless draw at NAC Breda over the weekend, extending their winless streak on the road to five games.
On the bright side, Feyenoord's Champions League matches have been high-scoring affairs, with 22 goals across their four away games so far — an average of over five goals per match. But they've also struggled defensively, and haven't kept a clean sheet away from home in the competition since 2002.
Tuesday’s second leg is set to be a thrilling encounter, with both sides having plenty to play for.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
One of the few positives for Conceicao and Milan after their first-leg loss was that they came away without any new injuries or suspensions. They’ll also have USA international Yunus Musah back in the squad after serving a suspension in Rotterdam.
However, they’re still missing Alessandro Florenzi (ACL) and Emerson Royal (calf), while Christian Pulisic is reportedly not at full fitness. Given the tight turnaround since the weekend’s match, it’s also unlikely that Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be fit in time to make his return from a muscular issue.
Rafael Leao, who was benched for Milan's win over Verona, is expected to be back in the starting lineup. The Portuguese winger set up Gimenez’s goal as a substitute in the first leg and has been a standout performer in this season’s Champions League, with more successful dribbles (33) than any other player.
On the other hand, Feyenoord’s hard-earned victory in the first leg came at a cost. Ayase Ueda and captain Quinten Timber were both forced off with hamstring and knee injuries, respectively, and missed the weekend’s draw with NEC. Neither player has been included in the traveling squad for this crucial
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Walker, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Musah, Felix, Leao; Gimenez
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Wellenreuther; Read, Beelen, Hancko, Smal; Moder, Milambo; Hadj Moussa, Ivanusec, Paixao; Carranza
EXPERT PREDICTION
AC Milan 2-0 Feyernoord
