TOTTENHAM v AC MILAN: KEYS TO THE MATCH

The Rossoneri are quickly approaching the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Tottenham. The match will take place on Wednesday 8 March at 21:00 CET in a stadium that is hot and ready for a comeback: AC Milan will be strong after their victory in the first leg at San Siro, but at the new White Hart Lane they should expect to play a completely different game. We, therefore, try to 'play' this match a day in advance, analysing what could be the decisive elements over the 90 (or more) minutes.

HOLDING ON
The need to make up a goal will force Tottenham - spurred on by the passionate home crowd - to start the game aggressively and at a high pace. The Rossoneri will therefore have to take into account an initial 'absorption' phase, necessary to contain the hosts' outbursts. Keeping up, stemming their pressure, breathing and then developing their own game: after overcoming this obstacle unscathed, AC Milan will have to take the game into their own hands and respond to their tempo with a pace of their own. In Europe, we have already experienced similar situations at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea and at Anfield Road against Liverpool: at certain moments of the match, the offensive pressure of the English teams can be suffocating. The team must therefore accept suffering and lower their rate of play at times, provided they are then deadly in exploiting the spaces that Tottenham will inevitably concede in transition.

ATTENTION AND CONCENTRATION
A key to victory in the first leg was giving up very little space to Tottenham's attack: Kjær was aggressive on Kane, Thiaw quick on balls out to Kulusevski and Kalulu on Son, with valuable support from the outside in the form of Theo and Saelemeakers. Individual duels will also be significant in London, with some possible differences in personnel (Tomori instead of Kjær), but the intensity of Conte's line-up will predictably be higher, and the dangers will also come from the wide options of Perišić and Emerson. There will therefore be no room for error, which were punished in Florence by the Tuscan side. The team will have to give another performance of containment similar to the one they gave against Atalanta, with aggression on the goalkeeper and constant double-teaming, to recover the ball and get forward.

RETURNING PLAYERS
To set up this type of match, Leão's return will be crucial, as his speed is always capable of creating danger and worry about the opposition. Pioli will also benefit from Rade Krunić, suspended like the Portuguese man in Florence but a key player in the team's excellent month of February. In all likelihood the Bosnian, also due to Brahim's suboptimal condition, will reinforce the midfield with Tonali and Bennacer, providing energy and physicality against the tricky Spurs side. Compared to the first leg, in terms of personnel, Coach Pioli will be able to count on Maignan, Florenzi, Tomori and the aforementioned Isma: many more alternatives, and several elements available to change the line-up during the game. Tottenham, in turn, will be reunited with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who was suspended in the first leg: the Dane is an indispensable part of Conte's midfield because of his ability to recover balls and, also, to get in on goal. With him on the pitch, the hosts' midfield approach will be different, and that is not something to be underestimated.

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