FC SALZBURG V AC MILAN: KEYS TO THE MATCH

AC Milan's European opener this season will see them face a Club that hasn't been on the radar much of late but that is what makes the Champions League such an unknown attraction. This isn't the first time the two clubs will have met, but a few years have passed by! On paper, AC Milan and FC Salzburg look to have a similar style of play. Let's take a closer look and analyse what the key factors in the game could be.

HIGH PRESSING
The Austrian champions, led by the young Matthias Jaissle, like to set up in a flexible 4-3-1-2 that can change according to the tactical situation facing them in the game, for example 4-2-3-1, when on the attack. Out of possession, Pioli's AC Milan look to press high and force the opposition into errors. Similarly, Salzburg also love to press frenetically and try to keep the central spaces tight, forcing their opponents out wide and nullifying the central playmaker. An injury to the talented Luka Sučić may well help Tonali and Bennacer in the midfield battle, which is likely to make the trequartista's contribution even more significant. Charles De Ketelaere is capable of putting the opposition under pressure and disturbing the play. In fact, the Head Coach is working hard on the Belgian's tactical movements off the ball and CDK's support for the team's shape and pressing may prove vital in the outcome of the match on Tuesday.

QUICK FORWARDS
Jaissle's side share some common tactical concepts to those of Coach Pioli. The Austrians tend to play on the front foot and through the lines with an offensive mindset, creating spaces in order to slide balls through the defence. The pace of wingers Noah Okafor and Junior Adamu are fundamental for Salzurg to get round the sides of their opponents, allowing strikers to get away from their markers in the box. Tomori and Kalulu will need to keep their defensive line high and not be drawn out of position by the Biancorossi's forwards. Theo and Calabria, or the recent addition Dest, meanwhile, will have to be aware of the diagonal balls for when the home side want to open up and stretch the defence. On the opposite side of the pitch, Leão should be able to take advantage of the spaces conceded by Salzburg's attacks from the back, and press down hard on the accelerator button. If the full-backs and defensive midfielder sit back to mark the Portuguese, lots of space should open up on the right hand-side and trequartista position.

STARTING OFF WELL
So far this season, AC Milan have gone a goal down in the three out of the five league games played, against Udinese, Atalanta and Inter. In those three games, they have conceded first in the opening 30 minutes. Coach Pioli knows that this negative trend at the start of games must be reversed sooner rather than later, with no better place to start than on Tuesday evening against a young, fresh, fast-paced attacking Salzburg team, that likes to strike the first blow early on. This ability to find the first goal in the game was one of the key factors in the Austrian side's Champions League group games last year.

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