Dinamo Zagreb host AC Milan on Tuesday night in Champions League Group E in a make-or-break game for both teams. Dinamo are bottom of Group E with four points, and only behind third-place AC Milan due to head-to-head points.
A win against AC Milan on Tuesday night would give Dinamo the inside track to finishing second or third in the group with one matchday left to play. AC Milan are two points off second-place Red Bull Salzburg and three points from Chelsea.
Rossonero recovery towards #GKNDACM 🔴⚫️#SempreMilan #UCL Brought to you by @play_eFootball pic.twitter.com/ZV86EQQpQo— AC Milan (@acmilan) October 23, 2022
Rossonero recovery towards #GKNDACM 🔴⚫️#SempreMilan #UCL Brought to you by @play_eFootball pic.twitter.com/ZV86EQQpQo
Stefano Pioli’s team have blown hot and cold against strong European opponents. The Rossoneri are desperate to get all three points to improve their chances of playing European football after Christmas.
Dinamo Zagreb were second-best against AC Milan in the teams’ Champions League matchday No. 2 fixture at San Siro. Olivier Giroud’s 45th-minute penalty started the Rossoneri on a positive foot, and Alexis Saelemaekers' 47th-minute goal doubled Milan’s lead.
Although Dinamo pulled a goal back on 56 minutes through Mislav Orsic, AC Milan added a third with 13 minutes left on the clock from Tommaso Pobega to seal the victory.
Milan go into Tuesday’s match in Zagreb fresh off a 4-1 home win against Monza. The Rossoneri are on a two-game winning streak in Serie A ahead of Champions League matchday No. 5.
Since losing to Salzburg on matchday No. 3 on October 5, Dinamo Zagreb are unbeaten in three straight fixtures. Dinamo go into Tuesday’s home clash with Milan following a 1-1 draw with Hajduk Split at the weekend.
Manager Ante Cacic could be without six players for the match. Robert Ljubicic will be absent due to a red-card suspension. Meanwhile, four players are suffering from an illness.
Daniel Stefulj, Mahir Emreli, Marko Bulat, and Ivan Nevistic are all major doubts due to the illness. In addition, defender Bosko Sutalo has an ankle injury that will likely keep him on the sidelines.
Pioli has even more health and fitness issues than Cacic going into Champions League matchday No. 5. Defender Fikayo Tomori is suspended following a red-card sending-off against Chelsea on matchday No. 4.
Midfielder Brahim Diaz is out with a hamstring injury, and forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still nursing a knee injury. Defenders Davide Calabria and Alessandro Florenzi are ruled out of the match with leg injuries.
Goalkeeper Mike Maignan is injured once more and is out of action until December with a calf strain. Midfielder Saelemaekers is out of action with a knee injury and won’t return until next month.
Both teams are desperate for a win, which could take them into second place depending on the result in the Salzburg-Chelsea game.
Forebet predicts both teams to score and the Italian team get the 3 points.