Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan are gearing up for their second attempt at securing their first Champions League Group F victory.
This exciting clash is set to take place at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.
Let’s dive into the preview, team news, and expected lineups for this highly anticipated matchup.
Match Preview
In their first Group F encounter, Borussia Dortmund suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.
Kylian Mbappe took advantage of a handball situation, converting a penalty to put PSG in the lead.
Former Dortmund player Achraf Hakimi furthered their woes with another goal.
Despite this setback, Borussia Dortmund has responded with two consecutive Bundesliga victories against Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim.
Niclas Fullkrug, Marco Reus, and Julian Ryerson have all played vital roles in their recent success.
On the other side, AC Milan battled to a goalless draw against Newcastle United on matchday one.
The Rossoneri had numerous opportunities but couldn’t find the back of the net.
However, they have compensated for their Champions League performance with three consecutive wins in Serie A.
Rafael Leao, Noah Okafor, and Christian Pulisic have been instrumental in their domestic triumphs.
Wednesday’s encounter marks the first competitive meeting between Milan and Dortmund since the 2002-03 group stage.
Milan won 1-0 in Germany, but Dortmund avenged their defeat with a similar scoreline at San Siro.
Borussia Dortmund Champions League Form: L
Borussia Dortmund Form (All Competitions): D, D, W, L, W, W
AC Milan Champions League Form: D
AC Milan Form (All Competitions): W, L, D, W, W, W
Team News
Borussia Dortmund’s left-back, Ramy Bensebaini, will be available despite receiving a domestic ban.
However, Mateu Morey (knee) and Thomas Meunier (hamstring) are sidelined.
Marcel Sabitzer’s return from an adductor injury remains uncertain.
Emre Can is likely to return to the midfield alongside Salih Ozcan. Karim Adeyemi’s starting spot is up in the air, with Marco Reus in excellent form.
AC Milan faces midfield challenges as Ruben Loftus-Cheek is sidelined with an abdominal injury.
Ismael Bennacer (knee) and Rade Krunic (muscle) are also unavailable.
Yunus Musah is expected to join Tijjani Reijnders and either Tommaso Pobega or Yacine Adli in the midfield trident.
Mattia Caldara (ankle) and Pierre Kalulu (muscle) are also unavailable for AC Milan. Christian Pulisic is likely to start on the right flank.
Possible Starting Lineups
Borussia Dortmund:
Kobel;
Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini;
Ozcan, Can, Brandt;
Malen, Fullkrug, Adeyemi
AC Milan:
Maignan;
Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Hernandez;
Musah, Adli, Reijnders;
Pulisic, Giroud, Leao
Prediction
Our prediction for this thrilling clash is a 1-0 victory for Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund’s solid defense and home advantage should give them the edge against a depleted AC Milan team.
