STADE RENNAIS v AC MILAN: MATCH PREVIEW

The job's not done yet. Today, at 18:45 CET, AC Milan will take on Stade Rennais in the second leg of the Europa League knockout round play-off tie between the sides. After running out 3-0 winners in the first leg at San Siro, the Rossoneri will take to the pitch at Roazhon Park in a very strong position. The aim is to progress to the round of 16 without running any risks. Nothing is guaranteed in Europe, so a big performance is needed to hopefully wrap it up as soon as possible. Here's the lowdown on tonight’s game.

LATEST FROM MILANELLO
Following Monza v AC Milan, the Rossoneri returned to training on Monday. This week has seen Pierre Kalulu work with the group, albeit only partially; he won't be involved in the match in France. Several players were rested at the Brianteo on Sunday evening but should return to the starting line-up at Roazhon Park. Reijnders is set to reclaim his spot in midfield, and Ismaël Bennacer - who came off with a slight knock against Monza - will be available for the match. As for the team's attack, Leão and Pulisic are very much in the frame to start, while Luka Jović, who will miss AC Milan's next two matches in Serie A due to suspension, is hoping to get the nod over Olivier Giroud. Davide Calabria is out, while both Musah and Tomori are one booking away from suspension.

"I told the team that we took a deserved advantage," said Mister Pioli in the press conference, "but we'll have to work together from the first minute to finish the job and secure qualification. The guys are in good shape, compared to Sunday we had an extra day of rest, and they are all in a condition to play. We expect a different Stade Rennais side compared to the one we saw at the San Siro, we are prepared for this".

LATEST FROM STADE RENNAIS
At the weekend, the French side beat Clermont Foot 3-1 thanks to a Terrier brace and a goal from Clermont to record their sixth consecutive win in Ligue 1. In doing so, they bolstered their seventh-place position in the table and now sit just four points behind fourth place, the final Champions League qualifying spot. Compared to the first leg at San Siro, Julien Stéphan isn't likely to make many changes to his line-up. The only real doubt is in attack, where Gouiri and Kalimuendo are competing for a starting berth alongside Terrier. The other ten players should remain the same.  

"We are not thinking about the goals to recover, but about how we can animate the game and try to have an irrational component," said Stéphan. "It will take a bit of madness, they are stronger than us. We'll have to score first to involve the stadium, we will try to build our story. It will be a game with Champions League intensity".

PRE-MATCH NUMBERS

• After their 2-1 victory over Newcastle in the Champions League, AC Milan could win two consecutive away matches in Europe for the first time since October 2009.
• Théo Hernández is the defender who has been directly involved in the most goals (seven, two goals and five assists) in all competitions across the top five European divisions since the start of 2024. Six of this goal contributions have been on home soil.
• In the first-leg fixtures of the Europa League knockout round play-offs last week, only Benfica had more attempts at goal (27) and more touches in the opposition box (37) than AC Milan (19 and 28, respectively).

WHERE TO WATCH STADE RENNAIS v AC MILAN
In Italy, the match will be broadcast on DAZN and Sky. To watch Stade Rennais v AC Milan in a different country, you can check the "Where to watch AC Milan on TV" section under "Abroad." On the Rossoneri channels, the appointment is with Milan TV's Matchday: the live coverage will start at 17:15 CET until just before kick-off, followed by interviews and Mister Pioli's press conference. From 18:40 CET, there will also be a Live Reaction on AC Milan's Twitch channel. Don't miss the coverage on acmilan.com, AC Milan Official App, and official social media.

LATEST FROM EUROPA LEAGUE
Eight play-off second legs will be played this evening. Toulouse v Benfica (1-2), Stade Rennais v AC Milan (0-3), Freiburg v Lens (0-0) and Qarabağ v Braga (4-2) are all scheduled for 18:45 CET. The following fixtures will take place at 21:00 CET: Roma v Feyenoord (1-1), Sparta Praha v Galatasaray (2-3), Marseille v Shakhtar Donetsk (2-2) and Sporting Lisbon v Young Boys (3-1).

REFEREE
Portuguese official João Pinheiro will take charge of the match. He'll be assisted by Bruno Jesus and Luciano Maia, while João António Ferreira Gonçalves will perform the role of fourth official. Tiago Martins and Helder Malheiro will oversee VAR. Pinheiro has never refereed a game involving the Rossoneri before.

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