Two European giants, AC Milan and Liverpool, are set to reignite their storied rivalry at the San Siro as they kick off their 2024/25 Champions League campaign on Tuesday night.
Both clubs, known for their rich continental histories, promise another thrilling encounter in Europe’s premier competition.
AC Milan, now under the guidance of new manager Paulo Fonseca, and Liverpool, led by Arne Slot, are both looking to rebound from early-season struggles.
Slot, who succeeded Jurgen Klopp, took over a Liverpool side that secured a third-place finish in the Premier League, marking their return to Champions League football.
However, expectations are high for the Reds this season, especially after a trophy-less campaign last year.
Liverpool’s group stage journey is filled with high-stakes matchups.
Alongside familiar rivals AC Milan, they will face reigning champions Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.
Other potential challengers include Bologna, RB Leipzig, Girona, Lille, and PSV Eindhoven.
Only the top eight teams from the 36-club league phase will automatically advance to the last 16, while teams finishing 9th to 24th will enter a playoff.
For those finishing 25th and below, their European journey will come to an end.
Liverpool arrives in Milan after a rare Premier League setback, a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, where a stunning goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi punished Liverpool’s wastefulness.
Despite this loss, Liverpool has a strong record against Italian teams, with four wins in their last five European matches in Italy.
However, memories of their Europa League quarter-final exit to Atalanta last season still linger.
AC Milan, on the other hand, finally registered their first win in Serie A with a 4-0 triumph over Venezia.
After a slow start to the season, Fonseca’s side secured victory with goals from Theo Hernandez, Youssouf Fofana, Christian Pulisic, and Rafael Leao.
Fonseca, who faced early pressure after managing just two points from his first three matches, now aims to build on this momentum as he leads Milan in his first Champions League match.
The Rossoneri face a challenging group stage, with opponents including Real Madrid, Leverkusen, Girona, Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb, Slovan Bratislava, and Red Star Belgrade.
For the Milan faithful, defeating Liverpool is a top priority.
Although Milan avenged their 2005 Istanbul final heartbreak with a win in the 2007 Champions League final, Liverpool came out on top in their 2021/22 group stage encounters, winning both matches, including a 2-1 victory at the San Siro where former Liverpool favorite Divock Origi scored.
