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Milan logo
Champions League | League Stage
Jan 22, 2025 at 8pm UK
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
Girona logo

AC Milan
1 - 0
Girona

Leao (37')
Calabria (41'), Hernandez (80')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Gil (59'), Martin (82')

Preview: AC Milan vs. Girona - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Champions League clash between AC Milan and Girona, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Still in the mix for a precious top-eight finish, AC Milan will aim to continue their Champions League success streak at Girona's expense on Wednesday.

Four straight wins have taken the Italian giants onto 12 points with two games to play, while Girona's meagre tally of three sees the debutants languishing in the elimination places.


Match preview

AC Milan's Rafael Leao on November 5, 2024© Imago

Though Milan looked to be in trouble after losing both of their first two league-phase fixtures, a subsequent run of wins - against Club Brugge, Real Madrid, Slovan Bratislava and Red Star Belgrade - has essentially booked at least a playoff place.

Last month's 2-1 home victory over Red Star, in which Rafael Leao opened the scoring and Tammy Abraham bagged a late winner, means that the Rossoneri can now concentrate on targeting automatic qualification for the last 16.

While they have woken from their slumbers in Europe, Milan are still struggling to achieve any consistency on the domestic scene, having drawn three and won only two of six Serie A matches since the Champions League went into hibernation.

A mid-term change of management has had some effect, though, as new boss Sergio Conceicao recently inspired an underperforming squad to claim the Supercoppa Italiana with a week of his arrival, by virtue of overturning deficits against Juventus and city rivals Inter.

His four-game unbeaten start since replacing Portuguese compatriot Paulo Fonseca came to an end on Saturday, when Milan suffered a 2-0 league defeat to Juventus in Turin. That result left them eighth in the standings, 19 points adrift of top spot and with a big deficit to Italy's top four.

Now, Conceicao prepares for his first Champions League contest in charge of the seven-time European champions, having won eight of his final 10 group fixtures as Porto coach.

Girona's Viktor Tsygankov on September 1, 2024© Imago

European debutants this season, Girona have never previously faced Italian opponents in a competitive contest, so starting with a trip to the iconic San Siro represents quite an introduction.

The Catalan club have lost five of their six games so far, and last month's defeat to Liverpool means that only two wins and a prayer can extend their campaign beyond January.

Realistically, a place in the knockout rounds is already beyond them, but they will want to restore some pride and avoid becoming just the second Spanish team to lose six times in one Champions League season - Villarreal previously did so in 2011-12.

Girona have failed to find the net since a Juanpe strike in their sole success against Slovan Bratislava, and they have lost all of their first three away matches without scoring - going down 1-0 to both Paris Saint-Germain and Sturm Graz, plus losing 4-0 to PSV Eindhoven.

All told, Michel's men have won just four games on the road this season, partly accounting for their mid-table position in La Liga.

At the weekend, a 2-1 home defeat came despite Arnau Martinez heading Los Blanquivermells in front against the run of play at Estadi Montilivi, where Sevilla struck twice during the second half - including an 88th-minute winner.

Therefore, after last term's heroics, Girona have still won only 10 times this season, meaning expectations may be low when they arrive in Italy.

AC Milan Champions League form:


AC Milan form (all competitions):


Girona Champions League form:


Girona form (all competitions):



Team News

Fikayo Tomori of AC Milan, November 2024© Imago

Milan have a defensive dilemma to resolve, as both of Sergio Conceicao's first-choice centre-backs are unavailable: Fikayo Tomori must serve a suspension, while Malick Thiaw is sidelined by injury.

Samuel Chukwueze, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Noah Okafor and long-term absentee Alessandro Florenzi are also ruled out, but forward pair Alvaro Morata and Christian Pulisic could overcome muscular problems.

With three goals, the latter joins midfielder Tijjani Reijnders as the Rossoneri's joint-top scorer in Europe this season; Morata's deputy Tammy Abraham has found the net in both of his last two Champions League appearances.

Meanwhile, Michel welcomed back Yaser Asprilla on Saturday, having been without the Colombia international since before Christmas, while Portu has also returned to the fold.

Abel Ruiz should start up front, as fellow striker Bojan Miovski is still struggling with an ankle injury; a similar issue has afflicted full-back Miguel Gutierrez.

After being laid low by illness, Arnaut Danjuma should be named in the squad. Despite only starting twice, the winger has taken more shots than any other Girona player in this season's Champions League (11) - though he is enduring an eight-game drought in the competition. He had scored seven goals in his first 11 UCL appearances.


AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Emerson, Gabbia, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Bennacer, Fofana; Musah, Reijnders, Leao; Morata

Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Martinez, D. Lopez, Krejci, Blind; Solis, Martin; Tsygankov, Van de Beek, Gil; Ruiz



SM words green background

We say: AC Milan 2-1 Girona

Both sides will keep travelling in opposite directions, as Milan have won their last four Champions League games and Girona have lost the last three.

The hosts may be hit-and-miss, but they are always tougher to beat at San Siro, where the home fans should celebrate another victory.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Written by
Jonathan O'Shea

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Game History

How you voted: AC Milan vs Girona

AC Milan
85.5%
Draw
8.7%
Girona
5.8%
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TeamPWDLPTS
QLiverpool870121
QInter Milan861119
QBarcelona861119
QArsenal861119
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QB. Leverkusen851216
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QLille851216
9Real Madrid850315
10AC Milan850315
11Atalanta843115
12Dortmund850315
13Bayern850315
14PSV842214
15Benfica841313
16Feyenoord841313
17PSG841313
18Monaco841313
19Brest841313
20Juventus833212
21Celtic833212
22Man City832311
23Sporting Lisbon832311
24Brugge832311
25Dinamo Zagreb832311
26Stuttgart831410
27Shakhtar82157
28Bologna81346
29Red Star82066
30Sturm Graz82066
31Sparta Prague81164
32RB Leipzig81073
33Girona81073
34Salzburg81073
35Slovan Bratislava80080
36Young Boys80080


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