Preview: AC Milan v United

Tuesday 16 March 2021 10:59

Manchester United head to Milan on Thursday, for the all-important second leg of our UEFA Europa League round-of-16 tie.

The Reds need to score at the San Siro to avoid an early elimination, after Simon Kjaer’s injury-time header gave AC Milan a vital away goal at Old Trafford last Thursday.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the return fixture against Stefano Pioli’s side, including TV details, team news and when the draw for the next round will be made…

Highlights: United 1 AC Milan 1 Video

Highlights: United 1 AC Milan 1

Watch all the best action from our draw with Milan, including Amad's stunning maiden Reds goal...

HOW CAN I FOLLOW THE GAME?

The match kicks off at 20:00 GMT and it will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport. You can follow all the action on ManUtd.com and in our Official App, where you can also track in-game data using our Match Centre. MUTV will also provide build-up from 18:55 GMT, live radio commentary and post-match reaction, as well as showing full reruns of the game the following day.

TEAM NEWS

Both sides were hit by injuries in the first leg, with United missing half a dozen first-team regulars and AC Milan shorn of strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mario Mandzukic and Ante Rebic, among others. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had good news after the win over West Ham at the weekend, saying that David De Gea, Paul Pogba, Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial could all be welcomed back from their recent absences.

The Rossoneri brought back Theo Hernandez, Hakan Calhanoglu and Rebic for their Serie A encounter at the weekend – Rebic was sent off late on, but his ban relates to domestic matches only, so he should be available for this game. Milan also hope Algerian midfielder Ismael Bennacer will be fit, while Ibrahimovic trained on Monday and is on track for a reunion with his former side. We expect both Ole and Pioli to provide further updates in their respective press conferences on Wednesday.

HOW IT STANDS

The tie is delicately poised after the first leg at Old Trafford. Amad’s header – his first goal for United since joining from Atalanta in January – gave the Reds a 50th-minute lead, which we looked like holding onto until Kjaer’s bullet header made it 1-1. United have only made it through seven European ties after failing to win the first leg at home, with the most recent of those coming in March 2019, when we overcame Paris Saint-Germain on away goals after the Parisians defeated us 2-0 at Old Trafford.

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Our captain lays down the law for United's return match in the San Siro

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE WEEKEND?

While United saw off West Ham 1-0 at Old Trafford to maintain our hold on second place, the Rossoneri slipped up at home, losing by a single goal to Napoli – who are managed by Milan's legendary former midfielder Gennaro Gattuso. Matteo Politano scored the only goal of the game at San Siro, to leave the hosts nine points behind city rivals Internazionale with a game in hand. Third-placed Juventus beat Cagliari 3-1, courtesy of a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick, meaning the Old Lady are just a point behind Pioli’s side, having played a match fewer.

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How did our Europa League opponents suffer a setback and was Zlatan Ibrahimovic involved?

DRAW INFORMATION

Obviously our interest in what happens in the next round hinges on a positive result on Thursday, but the draw for the quarter-finals is scheduled to take place in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday 19 March, from 12:00 GMT. The possible semi-final ties will also be made clear at the same ceremony.

WHO ARE THE OFFICIALS?

Referee: Felix Brych (GER)
Assistants: Mark Borsch, Stefan Lupp (GER)
Fourth official: Christian Dingert (GER)
VAR: Marco Fritz (GER)
Assistant VAR: Sascha Stegemann (GER)

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RIVALS WATCH

THURSDAY 18 MARCH

17:55 GMT

Arsenal v Olympiacos (3-1)
Dinamo Zagreb v Tottenham (0-2)
Molde v Granada (0-2)
Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma (0-3)

20:00 GMT

AC Milan v UNITED (1-1)
Rangers v Slavia Prague (1-1)
Villarreal v Dynamo Kiev (2-0)
Young Boys v Ajax (0-3)

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