YOUTH LEAGUE, AC MILAN v BRAGA SET FOR ROUND OF 16
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The draw in Nyon has spoken: it will be AC Milan v Braga in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Youth League for Mister Ignazio Abate's Rossoneri, a match to be played in a single fixture in front of their home crowd. The European journey of the Primavera will thus continue in the friendly setting at the PUMA House of Football, where the knockout phase of the competition will kick off on Wednesday 28 February at 14:30 CET. In the event of a draw at the end of the 90 minutes of play, penalty kicks will decide who advances to the next round.
The eight winners of the group stage in the UEFA Champions League path - including the Rossoneri - were drawn against the eight winners of the playoffs: Bayern Munich, Nantes, Braga, Olympiacos, AZ Alkmaar, Žilina, Leipzig, and Mainz, with the only criterion being the prohibition of matches between teams previously in the same group. The potential pairing for the quarter-finals has also been outlined, to be played still at home against the winner of the match between Real Madrid and Leipzig.
Having brilliantly topped Group F, led by AC Milan from the first matchday and finishing atop the table with 12 points ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle, and PSG, the Rossoneri are eager to push forward. The memories of the emotions experienced during the last season are still fresh in the minds of many AC Milan fans; reliving them and aiming to replicate the electrifying experience and achievements of 2022/23 - making it to the Final Four - is both Milan Primavera's dream and goal.
The opponent is of a high calibre, despite Braga, led by Mister Rui Duarte, making their debut in the competition. Braga indeed finished second in Group C, behind Real Madrid but ahead of Napoli - with a 1-0 win in Portugal and a 2-2 draw in the Italian team's home - and Union Berlin. The undefeated Portuguese side have accumulated 12 points so far, with three wins and as many draws. With a solid defence and offensive creativity, another notable statistic is their concession of goals. In the playoffs, the Portuguese defeated Partizan 2-0 in Belgrade, earning themselves a trip to Milano.
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