CHELSEA v AC MILAN: KEYS TO THE MATCH

On one side there is Pioli's AC Milan, tested but missing a few important player. On the other, Potter's Chelsea, new - the managerial change is still very fresh - and difficult to figure out. The Rossoneri are at the top of the table, the Blues are at the bottom: it will be a match of great importance, the turning point of Group E of the Champions League. Who will come out on top? We will have to wait for the outcome on Wednesday night at Stamford Bridge. What will be the influential factor? We try to predict it with our analysis.

LOTS OF POSSESSION AND HIGH RECOVERIES: TACTICS WIN

AC Milan and Chelsea like to be in charge of possession - so far the English have the highest percentage in the tournament - and when they lose it they gravitate towards high, fast recoveries. They will alternate between the two, with patience and precision. And it is precision that will play an important role. Making mistakes, opening the wings on restarts and generally conceding space risks being fatal in a negative way; also because at the back both the Rossoneri and the Blues are conceding too much. Eleven goals in ten matches against the Rossoneri (two clean sheets), twelve in nine against the Blues (one clean sheet). Movements, intelligent choices, clean passing and possession: tactics and technique will make the difference.

LEÃO VS STERLING: OPEN CHANNELS

A young team, a fluid game. There is no shortage of common ground, one in particular being the development of movement on the wings. Without Hernández, Calabria and Florenzi, it will be up to Ballo-Touré, who starred at Empoli, and Dest. Chelsea don't lack pushing full-backs, with Azpilicueta, James, Chilwell and Cucurella. Both phases of possession involve the full-backs, a cog in the wheel of a more complex machine, with the engine... on the wings. If Pioli has the ace up his sleeve in Leão, then Potter has Sterling as his trump card. Saelemaekers and Messias won't be there: watch out for Rebić, Mount, Ziyech and others, as it will be the performance in the channels that the main hopes will rest for both sides.

REACTION TO PRESSURE

Champions League nights bring with them especially passionate atmospheres, such as San Siro and Stamford Bridge. The English stadium will put pressure on the Diavolo, who will now have to pass the pressure test. In Salzburg, as in Liverpool (speaking of England) a year ago, AC Milan suffered from the fierce start of the hosts, conceding goals quite early on and going into half-time at a disadvantage. Reversing or at least changing the trend is a difficult task. An aggressive approach to withstand the initial shock and a courageous attitude to attack may not be enough for a goal but it would be an encouraging sign. A step closer to victory.

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