I’m looking for a fourth Champions League Win on the spin, resurgent AC Milan will host Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday evening.

The Serbian champions return to San Siro after a long-awaited win in their last game, having been beaten 4-0 by Inter Milan earlier in the season.

Game preview

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Although Milan lost their first two league stage games – against the German champions and the current Premier League leaders – they have won each of their last three games since then, scoring comfortably in the process.

Last month, the Rossoneri followed up an away win over Real Madrid with a win against Slovan Bratislava, winning 3-2 in the Slovakian capital free from the elimination places.

Head coach Paulo Fonseca He then expressed his reluctance to settle for a playoff spot, awarded after eight games to teams ranked ninth through 24th, and instead sought automatic qualification for the last 16.

His team have scored three goals in each of their last three Champions League games – marking Milan’s best performance in Europe’s top club competition in 35 years Christian Pulisic And Tijjani Reijnders Both found the net more than once.

He has been enjoying his best form since moving to Italy and recently secured maximum points against Empoli in Serie A with a brace from Reijnders. The Dutch midfield dynamo then scored against Empoli in a stunning 6-1 win in the Coppa Italia Sassuolo from a distance into the goal.

However, a few days after securing their place in the quarter-finals of the Cup, Milan lost 2-1 to local rivals Atalanta BC in the league, ending a seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Now 12 points behind From La Dea, who sit top of the Italian top flight, Fonseca’s side will most likely rely on cup competitions in their quest for titles.

Milan, unbeaten in six meetings with fellow European Cup winners Red Star, can expect to continue in the same vein on Wednesday and move one step closer to the knockout stages.

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Of course, the Serbian team will have very different ideas after pulling off a stunning turnaround in their home game against Stuttgart last month.

Crvena Zvezda ended a run of 14 consecutive Champions League games without a win – with no fewer than 13 defeats – and picked up their first points of the league phase in style at the infamous Marakana Stadium in Belgrade.

After the German visitors took an early lead, it seemed like a familiar story was unfolding, but then the home side delighted their fans with five goals, including a late brace Nemanja Radonjic.

trainer Vladan Milojevic His side were finally able to translate their domestic form into continental competition after suffering four defeats at the start of the season – particularly in the second half when they lost to Inter in October.

While Red Star handed Milan two draws in their most recent meeting – a Europa League tie in 2021 – they have only won two of 24 UEFA games against Italian opponents overall, so the chances of improving their dismal away record are slim are.

Having lost all of their last 10 away games in Europe, a return to Italy’s second largest city will certainly scare a club that, by contrast, completely dominates the Serbian SuperLiga.

After winning their seventh consecutive title last season, they have won all but one of their league games this season, scoring 55 goals and conceding just nine; 6-0 winner on Saturday, when Luka Ilic After picking up four wins, Red Star heads to San Siro with five wins in a row.

AC Milan Champions League form:

AC Milan form (all competitions):

Red Star Belgrade Champions League Form:

Form of Red Star Belgrade (all competitions):

Team news

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Milan will be without one of their key players on Wednesday night as Christian Pulisic picked up a calf injury that may sideline the American striker until Christmas.

Pulisic has four goals and one assist in his last six European games Rafael Leao, Alvaro Morata and others must fill the gap. Since the start of last season, Leao has topped the Milan rankings for goals and assists in the Champions League combined, shot attempts, dribbling and distance thrown.

Tijjani Reijnders, who often comes late from midfield, has found the net seven times in all competitions this season – already equaling his personal best in a single season – and he should also be in the hosts’ starting XI.

Next to Pulisic Ishmael Bennacer, Noah Okafor And Alessandro Florenzi are absent due to injury; Luka Jovic – still struggling with groin problems anyway – was not on Milan’s UEFA list.

In the meantime, Red Star will do without Peter Olayinka (Achilles) and regular goalkeeper Omri Glazer (adductors); Ivan Gutesa should represent the latter.

In front, Cherif Ndiaye is Crvena Zvezda’s top scorer in the league this season with 10 goals while on loan at Stuttgart Silas has scored one goal in each of his last two Champions League games.

A familiar face to Milan fans will be seen in midfield: Rade Krunic played 101 games for the Rossoneri between 2019 and 2024 and won the Scudetto with the club.

The 17-year-old should play the main role Andrija Maksimovic If selected again, he will become the youngest player in Champions League history to start five consecutive times – a record previously held Vincent Kompany for Anderlecht.

Possible AC Milan starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Gabbia, Thiaw, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Musah, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Morata

Possible starting lineup for Red Star Belgrade:
Gutesa; Mimovic, Spajic, Djiga, Seol; Krunic, Elsnik; Silas, Maksimovic, Milson; Ndiaye

We say: AC Milan – Red Star Belgrade 2-0

After some teething troubles following the appointment of Paulo Fonseca – and some fans still remain unconvinced – Milan kept a clean sheet in five of their first seven Serie A home games for the first time since 2002.

Red Star’s record on away tours of Europe is abysmal and they could experience the familiar taste of a Champions League defeat.

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