At the midpoint of the league phase, Dinamo Zagreb had a good chance to become the first Croatian team in 30 years to qualify for the knockout round of the UEFA Champions League (UCL). The team earned seven points from their first four games (W2, D1, L1), but their performance has declined in the last three games (D1, L2) in which they were unable to score a single goal. As a result, they now face a tough task to secure a top-24 finish. Their most recent UCL match ended in a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal, leaving them two points away from the playoff positions. Their hopes of advancing to the next round depend on ending their five-game winless streak at home in this competition (D3, L2). A continuation of this streak not only means an early end to their European campaign, but it would also be their worst record in this competition in over ten years.
This is a positive sign for AC Milan, who have won all six previous H2H encounters in UEFA competitions with a total score of 17-3. The Rossoneri will be aiming to continue this streak, as only a win in their eighth match will guarantee a top-eight finish – a significant accomplishment considering they started their European campaign with two consecutive defeats. However, they have since won five consecutive matches, including a 1-0 victory over Girona in this competition last week and a thrilling 3-2 comeback in Serie A against Parma on Sunday. These results have contributed to a strong start for new manager Sérgio Conceição (W5, D1, L1), with Milan impressively coming from behind to secure four of those five victories.
Keep an eye on Dinamo’s Marko Pjaca, who may return to the starting lineup after being relegated to the bench in their 3-0 defeat to Arsenal. Pjaca has only lost four of the last 45 games he has scored in for his club (W34, D7), although two of those losses came this season. AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic, on the other hand, has scored seven of his 11 UCL goals as either the first or last goal of the game, including all three this season. Interesting fact: In AC Milan’s last 12 goals, ten have been scored in the second half.
