AC Milan vs Tottenham Hotspur: 3 key battles to look out for | UEFA Champions League 2022-23
AC Milan will host Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tonight (February 14) at the San Siro Stadium in Milan.
The Rossoneri have been very poor in recent weeks and have won just one out of their last five games across all competitions. They go into this encounter in shaky form.
Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, have been inconsistent as well this season and have won just three out of their last five games across all competitions. However, a strong win for either of the two teams will improve their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the competition.
Below are three key battles that could determine the outcome of the Champions League encounter. Without further ado, let's look at them.
#3 Rafael Leao vs Emerson Royal
Rafael Leao has been sensational on the left flank for the Rossoneri despite their poor run of form in recent months. The Portuguese winger has netted nine goals and has registered nine assists in 29 appearances for AC Milan this season, with four goal contributions in the Champions League.
- Rafael Leao
Most goals for AC Milan in Serie A this season 👏
8⃣⚽️ - Rafael Leao
6⃣⚽️ - Olivier Giroud
4⃣⚽️ - Brahim Diaz
3⃣⚽️ - Ante Rebic
2⃣⚽️ - Theo Hernandez
They need more goals from their forwards! https://t.co/YR5A7XTLAt
The 23-year-old is tricky and fast with the ball at his feet and the unique thing about him is that he can drive with the ball from the flank and produce a decent finish as well. Monitoring his movements is a difficult task as he can take on and dribble past his opponent in quick succession.
Emerson Royal will have to be sharp and defensively robust if he intends to keep Leao under wraps in this encounter. However, Royal is energetic and tactically sound in defense. This would further improve the intensity of the battle between both players in today's Champions League encounter.
#2 Harry Kane vs Simon Kjaer
Arguably one of the best and most in-form strikers in Europe, Harry Kane is clinical and his attacking intuition in the final third of the pitch is immense. The Englishman has netted 19 goals and has registered three assists in 31 appearances across competitions this season. He has already registered three goal contributions in the Champions League this season. Similarly, his vision in attack is remarkable.
Monitoring his movements in attack is a tough task and Simon Kjaer will have his work cut out. Kjaer, however, is defensively alert and experienced but will have to be sharp and robust if he intends to silence Kane in this clash.
#1 Olivier Giroud vs Christian Romero
Olivier Giroud is most likely to lead the line in attack and he's highly experienced in the final third as well. The Frenchman has been clinical in attack this season and has netted 11 goals in 28 appearances for AC Milan, four of which have come in the Champions League. He has immense aerial prowess, which makes him very dangerous and difficult to curtail.
Keeping his attacking movements at bay will be difficult and Christian Romero will have his work cut out. However, Romero is an aggressive and tough-tackling defender and his man-marking is one of his strongest suits. Keeping Giroud under wraps would be his primary responsibility in this Champions League encounter.