AC Milan and Manchester United will both stake their claim for a place in the Europa League quarter-finals as they meet at the San Siro in the return leg of their last-16 tie on Thursday.
A 1-1 first-leg stalemate in the first leg means there is everything to play for between the former European champions.
Before Sir Alex Ferguson’s team brushed Milan aside in the 2009/10 round of 16 (3-2 A, 4-0 H), United had lost both of their previous UEFA trips to Lombardy without scoring.
AC Milan Preview
Milan produced an utterly outstanding group-stage campaign in autumn, finishing top of Group H with four wins in six fixtures (D1, L1) before squeezing past Red Star Belgrade on the away goal rule in the round of 32 (2-2 A, 1-1 H).
The Rossoneri have ousted English opponents in eight of their 14 UEFA two-legged ties but bowed out in two of their last three such engagements.
However, they have only won 46.67% of their European clashes against Premier League visitors at the San Siro (W7, D4, L4).
Stefano Pioli’s men enjoy a fine record in the Europa League home games, having racked up ten victories in 15 such matches (D2, L3).
Milan head into proceedings as underdogs to qualify for the quarter-finals but can take some comfort from the fact that they have won 24 of 28 UEFA competition ties in which they drew the first leg on the road.
Manchester United Preview
Having moved across from the Champions League, Manchester United saw off Real Sociedad 4-1 on aggregate (4-1 A, 0-0 H) to slightly improve their indifferent away record in the Europa League.
Although United’s overall away record in the competition reads W7, D4, L6, it is worth noting that they’ve only suffered one defeat in their last 11 Europa League trips (W6, D4).
However, the Red Devils have only won 27.78% of their UEFA European trips to Italian cubs (GP:18 – W5, D3, L10) though ending up on the winning sides in both of their previous visits to the country.
Interestingly, the Premier League giants have won 41.67% of the UEFA competition ties in which they drew the first leg at home (W5, L7).
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men have endured mixed fortunes in the UEFA competition ties after drawing the first leg 1-1 (W3, L3).
Team News
AC Milan
Out: Ismael Benancer, Mario Mandzukic.
Doubts: Alessio Romagnoli, Rafael Leao. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is in the matchday squad but is unlikely to start the match.
Manchester United
Out: Juan Mata, Phil Jones.
Doubts: Donny van de Beek, Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani. The latter two should be on the bench.
Predicted Line-ups
AC Milan (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Theo Hernandez, Fikayo Tomori, Simon Kjaer, Davide Calabria; Franck Kessie, Sandro Tonali; Hakan Calhanoglu, Rade Krunic, Alexis Saelemaekers; Ante Rebic.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Dean Henderson; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay, Fred, Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford; Mason Greenwood.
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