Seeking a sixth straight Champions League win, thereby confirming their place in the last 16, AC Milan will visit Dinamo Zagreb for Wednesday's frantic league-phase finale.
The teams convene at Stadion Maksimir, with Milan having already secured at least a place in the playoffs; Dinamo are still in contention to progress, but they need maximum points.
Match preview
© Imago
Defying some dismal domestic form, Milan booked their place in the knockout rounds with last week's 1-0 home win over Girona, as Rafael Leao's emphatic close-range finish earned the Italian giants a fifth successive victory.
After starting with back-to-back defeats, such a stirring revival has seen the Rossoneri move onto 15 points, putting them in charge of their own destiny heading towards a final-day clash in the Croatian capital.
Victory in midweek would guarantee a top-eight finish, and even if they slip up and others take advantage, the Serie A side already have a playoff place sewn up.
After beating current champions Real Madrid and struggling Slovan Bratislava - scoring three times on each occasion - Milan will also be aiming to win three consecutive Champions League away games for the first time in 24 years.
Domestic results have been less convincing, though, and they occupy a modest seventh place following a half-season of chronic inconsistency.
After starting his reign with a spectacular Supercoppa Italiana triumph in Saudi Arabia - where comeback wins over Juventus and arch-rivals Inter Milan secured silverware - new coach Sergio Conceicao recently suffered his first defeat, losing 2-0 to Juve in Turin.
Nonetheless, his side bounced back by beating Girona, then twice came from behind to beat Parma 3-2 at San Siro, with Tijjani Reijnders and Samuel Chukwueze both scoring in stoppage time to turn the game on its head.
Now, Milan will attempt to extend their perfect record against Dinamo Zagreb, having posted six wins from as many meetings to date, racking up a 17-3 aggregate scoreline in the process.
© Imago
Upon arrival, the seven-time European champions will meet a familiar face, as Dinamo coach Fabio Cannavaro played for Inter between 2002 and 2004, during a successful playing career. The World Cup winner - who had a brief Serie A stint at Udinese late last season - took up his new role in December, replacing Nenad Bjelica.
Shortly before the winter break, the Zagreb side endured a rare run of seven games without a win across all competitions, so Cannavaro may have preferred a slightly more favourable first competitive game in charge.
His team were soundly beaten 3-0 by Premier League title contenders Arsenal last week, having gone behind after less than two minutes at the Gunners' London headquarters.
As a result of going three league-phase games without either a goal or a win, Dinamo have just eight points on the board and are relying on other teams to slip up. Also winless for five home matches in the Champions League, only victory over Milan will give them a chance of sneaking through.
On Saturday, Cannavaro's side returned to domestic action with a 3-1 home win against Istra 1961, as top scorer Sandro Kulenovic ended a recent goal drought to keep his team in touch with the 1. HNL leaders.
Dinamo claimed a record-extending 25th Croatian league title last year, their seventh in succession, but they are trailing behind Croatia's top two this term and could soon crash out of Europe.
Team News
© Imago
Before tackling his former club Inter in Sunday's Derby della Madonnina, Milan boss Sergio Conceicao may consider changes on Wednesday - particularly having lambasted some of his players in public after they scraped past lowly Parma.
Samuel Chukwueze made his first appearance of 2025 at the weekend, popping up with a last-gasp winner, but Emerson Royal, Malick Thiaw, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Noah Okafor and long-term absentee Alessandro Florenzi are still unavailable.
While Kyle Walker has joined on loan for the rest of the season, he is not eligible until the knockout rounds; Davide Calabria is suspended, so either Filippo Terracciano or Davide Bartesaghi may have to fill in at right-back.
Three players have starred in the Rossoneri's recent European revival: Rafael Leao has completed a competition-high 26 dribbles and scored three goals; Christian Pulisic has been directly involved in five goals in his last six Champions League starts; Dutch dynamo Tijjani Reijnders consistently chips in from midfield.
Meanwhile, Sandro Kulenovic has registered three league-phase strikes so far - one short of Dinamo Zagreb's club record - and he is set to lead the hosts' attack.
Bruno Petkovic (adductor) and Petar Sucic (foot) are both ruled out by injury, while Lukas Kacavenda must serve a suspension and recent signing Wilfried Kanga is ineligible.
Dinamo Zagreb possible starting lineup:
Nevistic; Ristovski, Torrente, Bernauer, Mmaee, Pierre-Gabriel; Stojkovic, Ademi, Baturina, Pjaca; Kulenovic
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Terracciano, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Bennacer, Fofana; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Morata
We say: Dinamo Zagreb 1-2 AC Milan
Milan have scored at least three times on each of their previous visits to Stadion Maksimir, but this should be a more closely fought encounter.
As Dinamo have nothing left to lose, they could prove dangerous opponents for the hit-and-miss Rossoneri, so there may be only one goal in it.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
