Yahoo Sports The five key battles that could win or lose the game for Milan against Bayer Leverkusen
AC Milan will play the second game of their 2024-25 Champions League campaign on Tuesday night, and they face a Bayer Leverkusen side who were arguably the biggest story in European football last season.
The list of accolades for Xabi Alonso’s side last season is remarkable as they won the Bundesliga by going unbeaten (with only six draws), won the DFB-Pokal, reached the Europa League final where they lost to Atalanta in Dublin and scored 144 goals across all competitions. In short, this will be a big test of Milan’s defensive resolve.
It is the battle between the Serie A top scorers and a side who have 14 goals in five Bundesliga goals, so it feels right to focus more on the attacking duels. Florian Wirtz has been directly involved in 24 goals in his last 26 starts for Bayer Leverkusen in European competition (12 goals, 12 assists) and he is their main threat.
It feels like this could be Youssouf Fofana‘s biggest task so far since arriving at the club, given that he should operate as a shield in front of the right side of the back four and thus will be tasked with limiting Wirtz’s influence. Emerson Royal and Christian Pulisic will have to do their bit too.
Speaking of Christian Pulisic, he has netted in each of his last two Champions League appearances for Milan (two goals), while he could become the first player from the USA to score in three consecutive appearances in the competition. He has five goals and two assists in seven games this season already and has been the danger man.
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It feels as though he will look to target Leverkusen’s left-sided centre-back Piero Hincapié, who has attracted reported interest from a number of European clubs – including Milan – with his performances. The 22-year-old is already a staple of the Ecuador national team, too.
Moving into the midfield, there should be a fascinating contest between Granit Xhaka and Tijjani Reijnders. The 32-year-old Xhaka is of course best known for his time at Arsenal but left after becoming surplus to requirements, and now he is flourishing in a deeper creative and combative role under Xabi Alonso. He has four goal contributions (1G, 3A) in the league already.
Reijnders meanwhile is the creative engine of Milan’s double pivot and has remained virtually undroppable under Paulo Fonseca since his arrival too. The feeling is that spaces will open up for the Dutchman to drive into and exploit, yet the work he does helping Fofana but also Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao on the defensive end will also be absolutely vital.
Indeed, the Rossoneri’s left side against Die Werkself’s right side might just among the most interesting battles in the entire Champions League. Rafael Leao will try and get at Edmond Tapsoba who plays on the right of the three-man defence, accelerating into any gaps that open up behind Frimpong leaving the 25-year-old Burkinabè defender in isolation.
Jeremie Frimpong meanwhile became one of the hottest properties in Europe going into the summer after a season with 14 goals and 12 assists across 47 games (all comps). Bayer kept hold of him and Alonso continues to use him in a right wing-back role.
That means Theo Hernandez will be tasked with the double responsibility of stopping the creative threat of the Dutchman – who battles with Denzel Dumfries for a national team spot, someone Theo has a feud with – and also pinning him back at the other end with his own runs and some link-ups with Leao.
Of all the pre-match battle pieces we have written this is the one where it was hardest to pick five. Grimaldo versus Emerson Royal/Davide Calabria is one to watch on the right side, as is Victor Boniface against Matteo Gabbia/Strahinja Pavlovic then Jonathan Tah vs. Tammy Abraham at the other end. Strap yourselves in, this could be some spectacle.
