December 25, 2024

Tottenham v Milan – Champions League last 16, second leg

Milan #Milan

Key events

Show key events only

Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature

AC Milan ans congregate in the away section of White Hart Lane. Photograph: Richard Sellers/Getty Images

Kick-off: Crikey! The latest word from White Hart Lane is that kick-off will be at 8.10pm. Whatever time play gets under way, we’ll be here to report on it.

Those teams: Antonio Conte makes just one change to the team that lost 1-0 against Wolves at Molineux on Saturday. As expected, Emerson Royal comes in for Pedro Porro at right wing-back, while Dejan Kulusevski keeps his place despite speculation he might be replaced by Richarlison.

There are three changes to the AC Milan side that lost against Fiorentina at the weekend. Portuguese winger Rafael Leao, Bosnian midfielder Rade Krunic return from domestic suspension, while Brahim Diaz` is also in. Ismael Bennacer, Ante Rebic and Charles De Ketelaere make way, dropping to the bench.

Kick-off is no longer delayed …

Having announced that kick-off would not take place until 8.30pm, it has now been decided that it will in fact take place at it’s original time of 8pm. Both teams are at the stadium. The Milan team coach was late arriving to the stadium but did turn up shortly after 7pm. A Uefa diktat states teams need to be at the ground a minimum of 50 minutes before kick-off and Milan made the cut-off, so the game will go ahead on time.

Updated at 14.14 EST

Tottenham Hotspur v AC Milan line-ups

Tottenham Hotspur: Forster, Romero, Lenglet, Davies, Royal, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Perisic, Kulusevski, Kane, Son

Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Sanchez, Richarlison, Danjuma, Pedro Porro, Tanganga, Moura, Sarr, Devine.

AC Milan: Maignan, Thiaw, Tomori, Kalulu, Hernandez, Messias, Krunic, Tonali, Diaz, Giroud, Leao.

Subs: Mirante, Calabria, Bennacer, Ballo-Toure, Rebic, Kjaer, Florenzi, Origi, Pobega, Gabbia, Saelemaekers, De Ketelaere.

Updated at 14.12 EST

Kick-off delayed by 30 minutes …

Tonight’s match between Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan will kick-off at the later time of 8.30pm (GMT). We’ll let you know why just as soon as we find out!

Tonight’s match officials

  • Referee: Clement Turpin

  • Assistant referees: Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pages

  • Fourth official: Jeremie Pignard

  • Video Assistant Referee: Alejandro Hernandez

  • French referee Clement Turpin is in charge of maintaining order at the Tottenham HOtspur Stadium this evening. Photograph: Jean Catuffe/Getty ImagesEarly team news

    Hugo Lloris, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and Ryan Sessegnon all remain on Tottenham Hotspur’s long-term list of absentees, while Eric Dier is suspended after being shown his third yellow card of the current campaign at the San Siro. In better news for Spurs, central midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is back from a spell of his own on the Naughty Step. Emerson Royal seems likely to be picked ahead of Pedro Porro at right wing-back, while Richarlison could come in for Dejan Kulusevski up front.

    AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli can call on first-choice goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who missed the first leg through injury, while Bosnian midfielder Rade Krunic and Portuguese winger Rafael Leao are also available following suspensions that ruled them out of their side’s 2-1 league defeat away at Fiorentina on Saturday.

    The Championss League match ball poses for the cameras at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Photograph: Tottenham Hotspur FC/Getty ImagesChampions League: Tottenham Hotspur v AC Milan (agg: 0-1)

    The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is the venue for tonight’s Round of 16 second leg between Spurs and Milan, with the Italian champions leading 1-0 courtesy of Brahim Diaz’s seventh minute strike in the first leg at the San Siro on Valentine’s Night.

    There is unlikely to be – tragic pun ahoy! – any love lost between the two sides tonight, with Antonio Conte back in his technical are after a spell out recuperating from surgery and trying to mastermind a comeback in what is his team’s only semi-realistic chance of securing silverware this season. Tottenham have not won a European knockout game since they reached the Champions League final four years ago.

    Fifth in the Serie A table and out of the Coppa Italia, Milan find themselves in a similar position with only one trophy to play for, but few will fancy the chances of whoever advances from this tie to go much further in the competition. Kick-off in North London is at 8pm (GMT) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.

    Updated at 14.01 EST

    Leave a Reply