AC Milan vs Lille OSC
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Today’s free tip is in the UEFA Europa League game in Italy between AC Milan and Lille OSC.
Logically speaking, this match is between the two teams that should progress from the UEFA Europa League group, although Celtic still have a say in it, especially after their positive result in France. I don’t believe that AC Milan or Lille OSC should fear one another, given the weaknesses that both teams have displayed both in Europe and in their respective leagues. I think both are in a very good place with the right managers in charge, but there’s room for improvements in both camps.
The common struggles for both teams are in defence. AC Milan struggle to name the same back four with both Romagnoli and Musacchio constantly battling injuries, Conti being the forgotten man, and Dalot still learning his trade in Italy. Kjaer may have been around the block a few times, and have a very steady pair of gloves behind him, but the defensive setup of this AC Milan team is far from settled. Also, as many deep-lying midfielders as they unquestionably have, I don’t really see a ball-winner in there so there are gaps for opponents to exploit.
Lille OSC relied heavily on the combination of Gabriel and Fonte in the middle of their back four last season, enabling Bradaric and Celik can get forward to support attacks, both of which are very good at it. However, with Arsenal picking up Gabriel, and now Fonte out tonight, Lille OSC’s defence looks in real trouble to me, especially against red-hot Ibrahimovic. At the moment, they’re rely on Soumaoro to be their defensive rock, and considering they all but told him to leave last season, it’s hard to imagine that working out too well for the French club.
It may not be Lille OSC’s preference to play this game openly, knowing just how good and how confident their hosts are, not to mention the fact that their former striker Leao has now found his feet in Italy. However, I can’t see that they have an alternative here. A fairly small squad is being made to play every three years, and it’s beginning to show as slight cracks appear in the generally impenetrable Galtier tactics. I wouldn’t say that Lille OSC look tired, per se, but they are making more mistakes than usual, which has led to some surprising results of late. Doing so against AC Milan tonight would not end well for Lille OSC.
AC Milan have a big squad, and are prepared to take the UEFA Europa League seriously, it seems, far moreso than fellow countrymen AS Roma. They’re prepared to name a strong side, and their rotation under Pioli doesn’t tend to detract much from their displays, if at all. AC Milan still need to iron out their defensive situation, as I said above, but their attack is deadlier than ever, and not just because Ibrahimović insists on rolling back the years in every display. Leao, Diaz, Kessie, Calhanoglu, and now Tonali are really starting to warm to their respective tasks at AC Milan, and the end result is very positive.
I’ve not been as impressed with AC Milan in the past eight years or so as I am right now. Pioli has done a great job there, and not being sacked after a miniscule amount of time at the club certainly helped out on that front. The building blocks are now in place for AC Milan to return to being a great team. This is a very young squad, all things considered, but everybody is on the same page, and the number of passengers has severely diminished now. Things feel more positive, more confident, and they’re far more effective because of it, AC Milan.
Not perfect, though. AC Milan still make errors, and they’re going to have to play quite adventurously, and with plenty of ‘healthy’ aggression in order to deal with a very combative and capable Lille OSC side. The problem is that the visitors are deadly on the break. Ikone and Bamba ensure that the visitors stay fast and creative, whilst Yilmaz plays the role of the poacher as brilliantly as ever, already striking up a very good understanding with his fellow Turk Yazici, who sits just behind and makes things happen. With Andre, Xeka, and Sanches there to keep the ball moving fast, and Soumare sat in front of the defence, the Lille OSC attack is very slick, and very dangerous at all times. The only way to frustrate them is to park the bus, but there’s no way AC Milan are going to do that at home.
Subsequently, I’m inclined to believe that tonight’s affair at the Giuseppe Meazza will be an open one, and these two teams are deadly enough in attack to turn an open game into a high-scoring one. Therefore, I’m on over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Thursday’s Thoughts
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts. For confidence ratings, you’ll need to go to the members section here.
UEFA Europa League:
AS Roma vs CFR Cluj
Rapid Vienna vs Dundalk
Slavia Prague vs OGC Nice
Hapoel Be’er Sheva vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
SL Benfica vs Rangers
Lech Poznan vs Standard de Liege
PAOK Salonika vs PSV Eindhoven
Omonia Nicosia vs Granada CF
Rijeka vs SSC Napoli
Real Sociedad vs AZ Alkmaar
Sivasspor vs Qarabagh FK
Ludogorets Razgrad vs Tottenham Hotspur
Young Boys Bern vs CSKA Sofia
Arsenal vs Molde FK
Leicester City vs Sporting Braga
Zorya Lugansk vs AEK Athens
Celtic vs Sparta Prague
AC Milan vs Lille OSC
Villarreal CF vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Antwerp vs LASK
Dinamo Zagreb vs Wolfsberger AC
Feyenoord Rotterdam vs CSKA Moscow
Red Star Belgrade vs AA Gent
TSG Hoffenheim vs Slovan Liberec
Copa Sudamericana:
Emelec Guayaquil vs Union de Santa Fe
Estudiantes de Merida vs Coquimbo Unido
Atletico Tucuman vs Independiente
Universidad Catolica vs Sol de America
Atletico Junior Barranquilla vs Plaza Colonia
Bahia vs Melgar FBC
Enjoy your free betting tips!