soccer | Milan x Salzburg - Nov 02 | 20:00 UTC

[Mat]

Game info Milan x Salzburg

 

Taking advantage of the second place in the E group in the round of 16 of the Champions League, Milan, welcomes Salzburg, this Wednesday, November 2, fulfilling the schedule established for the sixth–final – round of the knockout phase. Groups of the 2022/2023 version of the Champions League. The meeting will be held at the San Ciro stadium in Milan. The start is set for 20:00 UTC.

 

How does the 2022/2023 Champions League work?

 

UEFA, the organization that organizes the Champions League, has announced a profound change in the tournament. However, it will be valid only in the 2024/2025 season. In version 2022/2023, the regulation of the last editions was maintained. The tournament has 32 participants, divided into eight brackets in their group stage. They will face each other in a round-trip system. At the end of six rounds, the first two will advance in the dispute for the title. However, the third place will still be able to keep the international calendar in another competition. It will be relegated to the Europa League, where it will enter the round of 16 stages.

 

Milan

Milan managed to take second place in the bracket and, in this way, be more comfortable in the attempt to reach the qualification for the round of 16 by performing their best performance in the 2022/2023 Champions League season. In the penultimate round of the group stage, the red-black thrashed Dinamo Zagreb, on Croatian soil, by 4-0.

 

The result is compatible with the much higher play volume after the match. Having stayed with the ball for 45% of the time, he created almost twice as many opportunities for submission (20 to 11) and also led the rate of shots on target (10 to 6). Gabbia, in the 39th minute, opened the scoring in the early stage. In the final phase, Rafael Leão, in the fourth minute, Giroud, in a penalty kick, in the 14th minute, and Ljubicic's own goal, completed the service.

 

Thus, Milan only needs a draw this Wednesday to guarantee their place in the round of 16. On Sunday, however, after three straight wins, he left the field beaten in the confrontation with Torino for the twelfth round of the Italian Championship. In Turin, it took 2 to 1. When it stopped at 26 points (eight wins, two draws, and two defeats), it dropped to third place in the Serie A leaderboard. Six points below Napoli, leader.

 

Salzburg

Red Bull Salzburg came to occupy the second position of the group. However, he lost his privileged position by accumulating just one point in the last two rounds. It was in a 1-1 draw against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia. In the duel he had with Chelsea at home, he left the field beaten by 2 to 1, Which left him at a disadvantage for this Wednesday's confrontation.

 

To reach a place in the round of 16, you need to beat Milan. However, he needs to analyze the risk he intends to take in the match since the defeat could open space to lose third place to Dinamo Zagreb and, thus, not even have an international tournament to play in the second half the season. A draw is enough to guarantee a third place and, therefore, a spot in the Europa League in the second half of the season. Even if the Croatian team equals him in the score, they would be left behind for being disadvantaged in the confrontation, which is the first tiebreaker.

 

On Saturday, October 29, in a match for the fourteenth round of the 2022/2023 version of the Admiral Bundesliga, the elite division of the Austrian Championship, Salzburg won the field against Hartberg. It scored 1 - 0. A goal was scored by Okafor three minutes into the final stage. It advanced, in this way, to 33 points (ten victories, three draws, and one defeat). They retained their lead and a two-point advantage over Sturm Graz, who was second.