BVB against AC Milan: That sounds like a great international flair. Milan still exudes that despite a long European Cup drought. What are the Rossoneri’s strengths – and where are their weaknesses? Here comes the sport.de opponent check before the Champions League duel on Wednesday evening (9:00 p.m.).
+++ BVB opponent Milan: Will an ex-Dortmunder be the new star? +++
The big star has recently started wearing number 10. Winger Rafael Leao has been considered the difference player in coach Stefano Pioli’s team since winning the 2022 Italian championship.
The lightning-fast solo specialist with an eye for his teammate also underlined this reputation in the successful league and Champions League duels with champions Napoli in the spring. Manchester City have had the 24-year-old Portuguese on their radar for a long time.
Since this season, Leao has had a congenial teammate. Former BVB midfield star Christian Pulisic came to the Rossoneri (“Red-Blacks”) from Chelsea FC in the summer for 20 million euros.
While Leao prefers to attack from the left, the US international enlivens the right flank. With three goals and one assist in seven Serie A games, Pulisic, who was discarded by Chelsea, is already considered Milan’s king transfer. “We know Christian very well. He got off to a very good start,” says BVB coach Edin Terzic, who was Pulisic’s assistant coach in Dortmund in the 2018/19 season.
+++ BVB opponents Milan: The current form ++
At the start of the Champions League group phase two weeks ago, AC only managed a 0-0 draw against Newcastle United despite being clearly superior.
In Serie A, Milan shares first place with city rivals Inter with 18 points after seven match days. “They are extremely versatile and technically good. What is very strong with them is this combination of technique, but also intensity against the ball. They are able to win close games,” said BVB coach Terzic, paying tribute to the Milanese.
However, the only loss of points in the league caused great displeasure. In the derby against Inter on matchday four, AC suffered a 5-1 defeat. The Rossoneri lost all five city duels in 2023.
After the 0-3 defeat against Inter in the Italian Super Cup in January and the defeats in the Champions League semi-finals in May (0-2, 0-1), Milan had to watch their big rival reach for the stars. That hurt.
+++ BVB opponents Milan: The squad check +++
The sale of midfield youngster Sandro Tonali – a self-confessed AC fan – to Newcastle angered Milan fans in June.
The club reinvested the transfer fee of 64 million euros in the depth of the squad. In addition to Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek (also Chelsea), Samuel Chukwueze (FC Villarreal), Tijjani Reijnders (AZ Alkmaar), Noah Okafor RB Salzburg) and ex-Frankfurt player Luka Jovic (AC Fiorentina, loan) also came.
The quality across the board was previously considered a weak point. There are still doubts in the storm. There is no real alternative to Olivier Giroud on the nine.
Despite scoring two goals in 188 Serie A minutes, Okafor still needs time. Jovic isn’t even a factor yet.
+++ Club development: This is BVB opponent Milan +++
19 championships, seven Champions League titles, five successes in the European Super Cup, three World Cup winners, FIFA Club World Champion in 2007: These are just the highlights in AC Milan’s trophy cabinet.
But with the gradual withdrawal of long-time patron Silvio Berlusconi, Milan disappeared from Europe’s football elite in 2007. Between 2014 and 2021, the AC was not represented in the CL at all.
Only under new management – Elliott Management joined in 2018, and in 2022 the US investor group RedBird bought the club for 1.3 billion euros – did success begin again.
In 2022, Milan became Italian champions for the first time in eleven years. In 2023, the Rossoneri reached a CL semi-final for the first time since 2007.
+++ The history: BVB causes a small Milan eyesore +++
In the 2001/02 UEFA Cup season, BVB gave the great AC Milan a small sporting shame. The semi-final first leg ended with a 0-4 defeat for Milan.
Hat-trick scorer Marcio Amoroso and Jörg Heinrich led the star squad around coach Carlo Ancelotti and captain Paolo Maldini in the Westfalenstadion. The Rossoneri won the second leg 3-1.
Milan and BVB met again in the 2002/03 Champions League season. In the intermediate round that still existed at the time, there was a 1-0 win for the away team.
The AC ultimately made it to the quarter-finals as group winners and later won the pot again for the first time since 1994.
Claudio Palmieri