Key Points
- 13 European Cups between them
- Slot keen to move on quickly after weekend defeat
- Milan with just 1 win in 4 league games
A repeat of that infamous final from 19 years ago in Istanbul is in store as Arne Slot’s Liverpool travel to take on AC Milan in the San Siro on Tuesday night.
Slot makes his Champions League debut as The Reds manager in the first game of this season’s newly revamped tournament, which sees all teams in this campaign’s competition playing 8 matches before the knockout phase commences.
European stalwarts
Both teams boast a highly impressive pedigree in the competition, with AC Milan winning the Champions League seven times compared to Liverpool’s six. Only current holders Real Madrid have won the competition more times than these two sides and former Feyenoord boss Slot will want to begin The Reds campaign with a win in their first match.
Liverpool currently sit 4th in the Premier League after the opening four matches, with their only defeat being a surprising 0-1 home loss against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
As for AC Milan, they sit 9th in Serie A after the first four games, winning just once so far in the league and that was against bottom-of-the-table Venezia last weekend.
Slot-ing right in
Despite the defeat to Forest last time out, Slot has enjoyed a solid start to life as Liverpool manager after many fans were worried about how their side would cope replacing the enigmatic Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds won their opening three games in the PL without conceding a goal and look like a team that have had no trouble adjusting to life after the departure of charismatic Klopp in the summer. A continuity to their squad from the last couple of seasons makes them a team who are really together and familiar with each other’s playing styles.
As for newly appointed coach Paulo Fonseca and AC Milan, after finishing runners-up in the 2023/2024 Serie A season under previous manager Stefano Pioli, they have made a rather disappointing start to life this term. They have just one clean sheet so far and have conceded six goals in the process and do look more like a team in transition than Liverpool.
New coach same result?
Both of these teams appointed new managers during the summer but it is definitely Slot who has hit the ground running quicker than his counterpart Fonseca, with inconsistency dogging the Italian giants so far this season.
The task of replacing such successful long-term coaches in Klopp and Pioli for Liverpool and AC Milan respectively has so far proved easier for Liverpool, even if it is still early days.
Slot’s side have been playing in a similar style to predecessor Klopp’s Liverpool and if anything look a bit more solid defensively under the Dutchman in my opinion. Overall, they look well placed for a crack at reaching the latter stages in this competition, a trophy they last lifted in 2019.
Midweek betting options
The long road to silverware in the Champions League this season has added fixtures in the competition that will serve as more bumps in the road for sides to navigate in order to reach the final destination.
Draw/Liverpool at 24/5 with bet365
When it comes to the wealth of betting markets available on this clash, the ‘half-time/full time’ market looks intriguing, with Draw/ Liverpool at 9/2 with
bet365.
Given the nature of how I see the game playing out, Liverpool should dominate possession as they have done in the majority of their four PL games so far (with an average of over 60% possession). Most likely, the Reds will have to be patient with the ball, so it could be that Slot’s men are level at half-time but end up winning the match in the second half.
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Liverpool to win to nil at 3/1 with Betfair Sportsbook
My attention was also drawn to the ‘to win to nil’ market with Liverpool best priced at 3/1 with
Betfair Sportsbook
for this. With their superior defence reflected in both their 3 clean sheets from 4 in the PL compared with AC’s solitary 1 in 4 and lead by the captain and organiser Virgil Van Dijk at the back, the odds are enticing and warrant a small bet too.
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Liverpool win at 19/20 with Betfred
For me speculative stakes on the above are fine and should be supported with a larger wager in the ‘to win’ market. Liverpool are a best price at 19/20 with
Betfred
to gain a victory in the San Siro. I fully expect Slot to get the job done as his side look to have too much quality in every department across the pitch than their Italian opponents and should see Milan off in their potentially long and fruitful Champions League journey.
Betfred signup offer:
Bet £10 and get £50.
AC Milan vs Liverpool Best Bets
- Market:
Half-time/Full-time
- Selection:
Draw/Liverpool
- Odds:
9/2
- Stake:
0.25pt
- Bookie:
bet365
- Market:
Win To Nil
- Selection:
Liverpool
- Odds:
3/1
- Stake:
0.25pt
- Bookie:
Betfair Sportsbook
- Market:
Match result
- Selection:
Liverpool
- Odds:
19/20
- Stake:
1pt
- Bookie:
Betfred
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