Fonseca explains Milan tactical role in Champions League | OneFootball

Paulo Fonseca explains precisely how Milan are set out this evening in a must-win Champions League match against Club Brugge. ‘Ruben Loftus-Cheek is behind the striker.’

It kicks off at San Siro at 17.45 UK time (16.45 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game, Juventus-VfB Stuttgart and Aston Villa-Bologna on the Liveblog.

This is absolutely a must-win match for the Rossoneri, who started their European campaign with defeats to Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, leaving them on zero points from two rounds.

“These are special games, the Champions League is always special, even more so at home. It is important that we play well and win, so we can continue having more of these matches throughout the season. We want to keep going in the Champions League, but we have to win today for that to happen,” Fonseca told Sky Sport Italia.

Theo Hernandez returns to the side after his red card against Fiorentina and missed penalty, but is surprisingly given the captain’s armband nonetheless.

Fonseca explains Milan shape

AC Milan’s Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca (C) gestures with Milan’s players at the end of the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Torino at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, on August 17, 2024. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP) (Photo by PIERO CRUCIATTI/AFP via Getty Images)

“I expect first and foremost for the team to work together, defending and attacking together, making the most of the individual skills. We must be concentrated and rigorous at every level.”

There is some confusion as to whether Tijjani Reijnders or Loftus-Cheek is playing as a trequartista behind Alvaro Morata, so Fonseca was asked to explain the structure of the team.

“The system is the same, today we have Pulisic wider on the right and Loftus-Cheek on the inside, while Reijnders will be closer to Fofana initially, then pushing up to be closer to Loftus and Morata.”

Teenage sensation Francesco Camarda is on the bench this evening, as Luka Jovic and Tammy Abraham are both out injured. If he comes on, he would become the youngest ever Milan player in the Champions League.

“We’ll see. Camarda is a young player we really believe in, but we must realise he is really very young indeed,” concluded Fonseca.

“We’ll see if we can get him some time today, as it’s important for him and for all the those who believe in the Milan youth academy.”