STADE RENNAIS v AC MILAN: THE BRIEFING

Following the first leg at San Siro, the all-red encounter between AC Milan and Stade Rennais will see its second chapter on French soil. The Round of 16 of the Europa League is at stake: Pioli's side starts with a three-goal advantage, but recent years in European competitions have shown that unlikely comebacks are always around the corner, even after the abolition of the away goals rule. As we approach kick-off, here are three points to consider, analysed in our usual Briefing.

FORGETTING THE FIRST LEG (AND MONZA)
We head to France with a significant advantage, one earned at the end of the first-leg match at San Siro. A clear 3-0 win, but it doesn't fully reflect a game that saw numerous chances for both teams: the Bretons are a dangerous side and will put up a fight in front of their fans to attempt a rather difficult comeback. It will be crucial to approach the match in the best possible way, forgetting about last week's result and playing with maximum attention from the start. Also, to overcome the disappointment of Monza, which was certainly harsh in the final result that excessively penalised the Rossoneri: Europe, in this case, will also be an opportunity to restart, with conviction and determination.

SPACE MANAGEMENT
AC Milan's recent games have been characterized by high-scoring efficiency - in 2024, only twice has Milan scored just one goal - and defensive performance that offers room for improvement. Something the team has been working on lately is movements between the lines, both in terms of passing patterns and field positioning. In the last two league matches - against Napoli and Monza - the Rossoneri experienced two very different games with some common characteristics, such as a high centre of gravity and medium positions close between the lines, aiming to minimize the distances between players. In France, we will certainly need to manage the moments, risking as little as possible to avoid complicating the double confrontation, but also the spaces: a too audacious attitude could expose us to dangerous counterattacks, but expanding the distances could create numerical inferiorities difficult to manage.

CERTAINTIES AND ASPECTS TO BE DEEPENED
The examination of a do-or-die match is also an opportunity to assess the moment of certain individuals and, in general, of certain associations between players. Let's start with the midfield, with the possible start of the long-awaited trio at the beginning of the season: Reijnders, Bennacer, Loftus-Cheek. The Dutchman, the Algerian, and the Englishman have only started two matches this season (against Salernitana and Sassuolo), and the match at Roazhon Park is a chance to refine the connections between the three. If the attack should be represented by the "usual" front three 11-9-10 - Pulisic, Giroud, Leão - the defence, regardless of the initial choices, will have to renew the understanding and harmony in a back four that could present some changes after the first leg at the San Siro and in the league matches.

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