UEFA Champions League 2021/22: How can Pioli’s Milan edge Liverpool in a do-or-die game – tactical preview

The 2021-22 Champions League returns for its final gameweek of the group stage and the last one of 2021. So many knockout spots are still yet to be confirmed as the teams look to battle it out in the final week. The focus will be on the Group B clash between Milan and Liverpool at San Siro. With Liverpool being confirmed as group winners, the second spot is still up for grabs with all 3 teams, Porto, Milan and Atletico Madrid still in the race to qualify.

Liverpool have had a very good season so far both in the EPL and Champions League. Though they faced some hiccups in the league, they have been ruthlessly good in the group of death winning all of their games scoring 15 in the process. They would be looking to do a clean sweep against their eternal European rivals.

Milan, on the other hand, are in a do-or-die situation where only a win would take them to the next round and they also should hope that Porto would not win in their game against Atletico Madrid. 

This tactical preview features the analysis of the team’s tactics and how either team go into the match from a tactical standpoint. Let’s begin the preview. 

Milan’s idea out of possession is key to their chances

It’s very clear that despite playing in their home, Milan would be set up to soak pressure from Liverpool and would likely look to cede possession to one of the most dominant teams in Europe presently. This means that their idea out of possession is very important especially given the fact that Liverpool were able to find numerous ways to break them down a couple of months ago. 

Milan would be using the same 4-4-2 system out of possession like in the image below that they used in Anfield in the first clash between them. But even with a 4-4-2, it would be important from Milan’s side that their players get their positioning and angle very right. Liverpool often looks to overload the opposition in multiple phases including the build-up phase. So it would be very key from Milan’s point of view to have their midfield in pressing the Liverpool midfield and winning the ball from there.

Liverpool also have a very effective way of using the wide regions to their effect if the central regions are very compact. The likes of TAA, Henderson and Salah in the right flanks and Robertson, Mane/Jota and Keita in the left have really played good rotations to take the opponents by surprise on multiple occasions this season. It would be very important for Milan to keep track of the Liverpool players by looking to track them with their runners. Especially the runs into the half-spaces are very key and the likes of TAA and Henderson would have to be tracked by Kessie really well with the forwards needing to support the full-backs defensively.