UEFA Champions League: Play off (1st leg)
Venue: De Kuip (Rotterdam)
Time: 2300hrs
What you need to know
- For the first time since 1984/85, Feyenoord are in the knockout stages of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, making it to this play-off stage despite losing 6-1 on matchday eight of the league phase to Lille.
- The Rossoneri have failed to win any of their last 11 away games in the knockout rounds, scoring just three goals in the last 10.
- AC Milan also haven’t beaten a Dutch side in any of their last four meetings anywhere in major European competitions (D3, L1), this has the potential to be a nervy evening for the seven-time European champions.
- Feyenoord did well last time they hosted a former winner of this competition, thrashing Bayern Munich 3-0 on matchday seven, a result which should help build some confidence.
- During the weekend goals from substitutes Rafael Leao and Santiago Gimenez – the latter of whom was making his league debut after signing from Feyenoord, and will now make a quick return to De Kuip – earned 10-man Milan a 2-0 win over Empoli.
Form- last six games
Feyenoord – WLLLWD
AC Milan – WWDLLW
Possible starting line-ups
Feyenoord: Wellenreuther; Nieuwkoop, Beelen, Hancko, Hartman; Moder, Timber, Hwang; Hadj-Moussa, Ueda, Paixao
AC Milan: Maignan; Walker, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Felix, Leao; Gimenez
Players to watch
Feyenoord: Quinten Timber
AC Milan: Santiago Gimenez
Injury list
Feyenoord: Gernot Trauner, Justin Bijlow; Calvin Stengs, Chris-Kevin Nadje and Ramiz Zerrouki will also miss out.
AC Milan: Emerson Royal, A. Florenzi, Y. Musah, Loftus Cheek, W. Bondo will all miss out.
