AC Milan travel to the north of England to close out their Champions League group stage campaign versus the side that they opened it against: Newcastle United.
For Milan the mission is complicated yet simple at the same time: they must win against Newcastle and hope that Borussia Dortmund beat PSG at home, while a victory at St. James’ Park would guarantee Europa League football as a minimum.
You can read our pre-match preview here, while below are the best stats ahead of the game…
➤ The only previous European encounter between Newcastle and Milan was a goalless draw on MD1 of this season’s UEFA Champions League in which the Italian side had 25 shots without success.
Milan are the first Italian side to visit St James’ Park to face Newcastle in Europe since Internazionale in November 2002, winning 4-1 in a UEFA Champions League group stage match.
➤ Milan have won just one of their 21 away major European matches in England (D7 L13), a 1-0 win at Man Utd in February 2005. They are winless against nine other teams – Ipswich Town, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Manchester City, Leeds United, Arsenal, Portsmouth and Liverpool.
➤ Newcastle lost 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund in their last home Champions League game – the Magpies have never lost consecutive home games in major European competition. The only season they have lost more than one game at St James’ Park was in 2002-03 (three).
➤ Milan have only finished bottom of their group on two previous occasions in the Champions League, doing so in the first round group stage in 1999-00 and in 2021-22 under current manager Stefano Pioli.
➤ Milan have only scored three goals in the Champions League, with no side scoring fewer through the opening five matchdays. They are the team with the biggest negative difference between their goals scored and expected goals this term (-4.9 – three goals from 7.9 xG).
➤ Newcastle drew 0-0 with Milan in the reverse fixture in the UEFA Champions League this season, despite the Italian side attempting 25 shots in that match – this is the most shots a team have had without scoring in a single game in the competition in 2023-24.
➤ In the opening five matchdays of the Champions League this season, Milan were the team with the highest percentage of their passes breaking at least one opposition line (15.4%). Théo Hernández is the player who has made the most line-breaking passes for the Italian side in the competition this term (41).
➤ In the opening five matchdays of the UEFA Champions League this season, Milan were the team with the highest percentage of their passes breaking at least one opposition line (15.4%). Théo Hernández is the player who has made the most line-breaking passes for the Italian side in the competition this term (41).
➤ Milan’s Rafael Leão (54) is one of only three players to have completed 50+ take-ons in the UEFA Champions League since the start of last season, along with Vinícius Júnior and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The The Portuguese winger also has the best take-on success rate of any of those three players (55.7%).
➤ Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope – who will be unavailable in this game – was the top-ranked goalkeeper in the Champions League this season for goals prevented, based on the quality of shots on target faced. Pope conceded just five goals from an xG on target faced total of 9.9, with the English stopper preventing just under five goals (+4.9).
If you look at newcastle home games. Last 5. They lost once. they beaten arsenal, čelsi, united. Bvb won. Goals are F 10 A 2.
Milan away games. I dont wanna talk about it..
Milan home games aren’t anything to mention about either…
Don’t remind me
United qualified for the Champions League after finishing third in the Premier League last season . We were drawn in, what looked to be on paper, a favourable group alongside Bayern Munich, Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen.