AC Milan vs Newcastle Odds, Picks, Predictions | Champions League Preview – The Action Network

AC Milan vs. Newcastle odds

Newcastle United and AC Milan will kick off their 2023-24 Champions League campaign by clashing on the pitch on Tuesday afternoon.

The Rossoneri reached the UCL semi-finals last tournament before being knocked out by cross-city rivals Inter Milan, extending their drought without the prestigious trophy to 15 years. They last lifted it in the 2006-07 season.

Meanwhile, even though Milan haven’t reached the top of the mountain in some time, this is new territory for their opponent. This is the Magpies’ first Champions League match since 2003 and only the fourth time they have qualified for the tournament.

Will 20-time qualifiers Milan take care of business on the road against Newcastle for just their fourth time on the big stage and for the first time in 20 years? Or will Eddie Howe and his men show they belong with the best of the best?

Here is my breakdown of AC Milan vs Newcastle odds and my pick for their Champions League match on Tuesday.

AC Milan head into Tuesday’s match with a bit of a sour taste in their mouth as they were completely humiliated by Inter Milan in their last outing, suffering a 5-1 defeat.

However, apart from this recent defeat, Milan are heading into the Champions League as one of the most in-form teams. Saturday was their first defeat of the new season, and given they were away against Inter, they host Newcastle having lost just one of their last 13 home matches at the San Siro.

Milan will also have Fikayo Tomori back in central defense for Tuesday’s clash, as he was absent through suspension following his red card in the 2-1 win at Rome during the 5-1 thrashing. During the Rossoneri’s first three league matches with Tomori leading the backline, manager Stefano Pioli’s side allowed just 0.73 xGA per 90 minutes. Last season in their UCL semi-final they averaged 1.22 xGA.

And while Tomori’s return to the lineup should significantly improve Milan’s defense, the offense is this team’s true strength. They’re averaging 2.25 goals per game this season, and Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud form an attacking duo that defenders haven’t figured out how to stop yet.

Giroud was in the top five for goals and Leao was in the top five for assists during last year’s Champions League campaign. They enter Tuesday in even better shape. In their four league matches this season, they have already totaled 10 goals.

Newcastle head into Tuesday on a positive note. They broke their three-game skid with a 1-0 win over Brentford last weekend. And while it’s never good to lose three games in a row, a word of caution can be given as the defeats came against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton. All three are in the top five in the Premier League table.

However, facing AC Milan on the road is certainly not a downfall, so manager Eddie Howe will need to sort out his defense if he wants to keep the Rossoneri out of net. The Magpies have conceded seven goals in their five league matches, and their only clean sheet came against Brentford on Sunday.

Even though their defense is struggling, the strength of this Newcastle team is seen to be their attack. They finished fourth in xG in the Premier League last season, but away from home, in their 5-1 win over Aston Villa in their league opener, they scored just three goals in four games.

Despite their recent streak, with players like Alexander Isak, Calum Wilson and Miguel Almiron on the front line, this team is more than talented enough to return to their high scoring level against anyone.

Midfielder Sandro Tonali will also return to the starting XI. Tonali was one of AC Milan’s most important players during their UCL run last year and could give their new coaching staff and players advice on how to overcome the Italian powerhouse.

This clash marks the start of Group F, considered the ‘Group of Death’, with PSG and Dortmund as the other teams, so getting off to a good start is essential.

That being said, both of these teams will be eager. And they are capable of scoring goals if the opposing defense makes mistakes.

However, with the support of their home fans and a manager capable of employing tactics where the team is just as comfortable being front foot in possession as they are sitting back and defending , AC Milan should be able to frustrate a Newcastle team with a limited number of players. UCL experience.

Consider the 5-1 embarrassment against Inter a bad day, because this team’s semi-final appearance was no fluke. Even if the Magpies find their feet, the Rossoneri have the talent to keep pace.

Rather than taking Milan on the moneyline with positive money, I’m slightly conservative and with the draw I’m not betting.

Choice: AC Milan – Draw No Bet (-110 BetRivers)

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