Next Tuesday (18), San Siro will host a battle with all the ingredients of a classic Champions League night. On one side, Milan, a club with a legendary history in the competition, needs a comeback to keep their European title hopes alive. While Feyenoord, boosted by a 1-0 first-leg victory, is hoping to make history by reaching the Round of 16 for the first time since 1974/75. The stage is set for a contest where mistakes are not an option.
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Pressure, history, and the need for a comeback
For Milan, pride and survival hang in the balance for this match. The seven-time Champions League winner Italian giants can't afford an early exit. At home, the Rossoneri have an excellent record: three consecutive wins at San Siro in the competition. A fourth would be a run they have not registered since 2007.
Nevertheless, a simple win will not be enough. Milan needs to win by a margin of two or more goals in order to qualify outright. If they win by a single goal, the match will be sent into extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shootout. Feyenoord, however, will advance with ease with a draw.
All the pressure is on the Italians, and that could turn out to be a deciding factor. The fans will fill up the stadium expecting a performance worthy of the club's tradition. The question is whether the team will be able to deliver?
Feyenoord can end a 50-year drought
For the Dutch side, this meeting has extra significance. If they can hold on and secure their spot in the Round of 16, it will be the first time they've been able to do that in the Champions League in 1974/75. The last time Feyenoord won both legs of a European knockout stage tie was in the same season, routing Coleraine 7-0 and 4-1.
They know this is an exceptional opportunity. Even away from home, they hold the advantage and can play on Milan's nerves to their own benefit. Feyenoord, though, has one major problem: an injury-ridden team.
Manager Pascal Bosschaart will have to make do without Bijlow, Stengs, Zerrouki, Trauner, Timber, IB Hwang, and Nieuwkoop. That's a long list of absentees, one that will make a huge difference in a match where Milan, urged on by the home supporters, will put enormous pressure on from the very first whistle.
Zlatan and the must-win mentality
For Milan, there is no other choice but to approach this game like a final. And nobody knows that better than ex-star turned senior club advisor, Zlatan Ibrahimović. The Swede, a winner at heart, didn't mince words on the importance of the game:
"I expect a more concrete and attacking Milan, with the mindset of playing this like a final — winning to advance in this competition. [In the first match], Feyenoord had the benefit of playing at home, with their fans, which is always a different story. We have to stay focused on ourselves, play our football, and do what we know how to do."
Ibrahimović's words perfectly describe Milan's plan. There is no room for passiveness or hesitation. The Champions League demands complete devotion, and the club must respond with an impeccable performance.
Injuries and tactical concerns
Milan are not at full strength either. Emerson, Loftus-Cheek, and Florenzi will be unavailable to head coach Sérgio Conceição through injuries. These absences call for tactical adjustments and could influence the rhythm of the match.
Milan will surely attack from the opening whistle against a depleted Feyenoord. The delicate balance will be finding the right compromise between attacking pressure and defensive cover. Conceding a goal would be a disaster, as it would have to score three times to go through.