FC SALZBURG v AC MILAN: MATCH PREVIEW

Die Meister, die Besten. The champions, the best, as the UEFA Champions League anthem goes. So, here we are again, as the champions of Italy against the champions of Austria. Today our European journey beings, which we hope will take us as far as possible. The first day of Group E sees us face Salzburg, a team that has dominated their domestic league for almost a decade (nine consecutive titles) and is now a regular presence in the Champions League. It's a tricky opener, and one to be tackled at head-on. Here is our preview of today's match, which will see the team play wearing Fondazione Milan's logo on the back of the shirt, to celebrate 20 years of the Rossonero charity.

AT MILANELLO
The euphoria of the Derby has immediately given way to preparation for this European debut at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg. The contest that awaits the team is delicate and has to be prepared with meticulousness and absolute thoroughness, especially against such a young, prepared and tough opponent. Coach Pioli will have to do without several players: Ibrahimović, Tătăruşanu, Vranckx, Thiaw, Adli and Bakayoko have not been included in the European squad list, while Florenzi, Krunić and Rebić will miss the Austrian trip due to injury. The show of strength in Saturday's Derby has refreshed the team, which now returns to the European stage after last season's experience, with the aim and hope of improving. Unlike the other two signings of the last few days, Vranckx and Thiaw, American Sergiño Dest, who was already on the bench on Saturday at the San Siro, will be available. The team returned to work on Sunday morning and arrived in Salzburg late Monday afternoon, ahead of tonight's 21:00 CEST kick-off. 

"We have already put the success in the Derby on Sunday behind us," said Pioli in his press conference, "now a tough opponent awaits us, who never lost at home in the Champions League last season. Our mission is to show that we have grown and that lessons have served us well. We are aware of how important it would be to start the group stage well."

AT SALZBURG
Salzburg, led in the dugout by the youthful Matthias Jaissle (born in 1988), come into their European debut this season off the strength of an unbeaten home record in the four matches of the last Champions League campaign, three victories in the group and a draw in the first leg of the round of 16 against Bayern Munich. Against the Rossoneri, the Austrians will have to do without several players: the injured Piątkowski, Sučić, Koita, Šimić (son of former Rossoneri Dario) and van der Brempt. The long-term absentees Diakité, Omoregie, Okoh, Tijani and Diambou were not included in the European squad list. Jaissle will probably line up his team with a 4-3-1-2 formation: in attack Okafor will flank Fernando, with Kameri behind them. In midfield Seiwald, Capaldo and Kjærgaard will be in the middle. Between the posts Köhn, in defence Dedić and Ulmer on the flanks, with Solet and Wöber as centre-backs.

"Milan is a team with high quality," said Jaissle on the eve of the match, "we will have to defend well and collectively. We will try to press them and surprise them with our way of playing, they can hurt you at any stage of the game."

WHERE TO WATCH AC MILAN ON TV
The match will be broadcast live on Sky, and will be available on the Sky Sport Action channel (number 206 of the satellite). For streaming, it will instead be available on Sky Go, NOW and Infinity + platforms.

THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
It's the first games for Group E, as well as the entire competition: the match between the Rossoneri and the Austrians will be preceded, at 18.45 CEST, by the other match of the group between Dinamo Zagreb and Chelsea, at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb. The Croatians will then play host to AC Milan on Wednesday 18 September for Matchday 2, at 18.45 CEST at the San Siro (tickets HERE). 

REFEREE
Serbia's 36-year-old Srđan Jovanović will officiate the match at the Red Bull Arena. It will be his seventh official match in the Champions League, a competition in which he has no previous experience with AC Milan. In the Europa League, however, he refereed Dudelange v AC Milan on 20 September 2018, won 0-1 by the Rossoneri thanks to a Higuaín goal. The referee team will be completed by assistants Uroš Stojković and Milan Mihajlović. Fourth official is Novak Simović. VAR will be provided by Germany's Bastian Dankert, AVAR by France's Benoît Millot.

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