Red Bull Salzburg vs AC Milan Match Analysis and Prediction

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AC Milan will kick of their 2022-23 Champions League campaign with a contest against Red Bull Salzburg in Austria on Tuesday.

Each team secured their spot in this competition through winning the Italian and Austrian titles last season, and bith sides have started equally positively this time around.

Off the back of draws against Atalanta BC and Sassuolo, some will argue that AC Milan have been far from their best during the opening weeks of their Serie A title defence.

However, I Rossoneri have outperformed many of their rivals while extending their unbeaten league record to 21 matches, their most recent setback coming all the way back in January.

Stefano Pioli’s side head into Tuesday’s fixture having come through a five-goal thriller with neighbours Inter Milan fighting back from an early deficit to claim a 3-2 victory.

Although they have been outstanding on the domestic front over the past 13 months, Pioli is aware that he must deliver on the European stage after their disappointing group-stage exit in 2021-22.

Salzburg made the breakthrough in the Champions League last season, reaching the last 16 to record a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich in the first round of their knockout tie before being seen off at the Allianz Arena.

While Matthias Jaissle and his side deserved huge praise for advancing through a group which featured Lille, Sevilla and Wolfsburg, expectation levels are now higher, particularly with RB Leipzig-bound Benjamin Sesko remaining in the squad for this campaign.

So far this season some of his teammates have taken centre stage, but he will relish the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage.

Red Bull Salzburg head into Tuesday’s contest on a five-game winning streak in the Bundesliga, keeping clean sheets in their most recent three matches, and will look to translate that into the Champions League.

Red Bull Salzburg vs AC Milan head to head

The two teams have not previously met on any occasion and this will be their first meeting in the Champions League group stage.

Red Bull Salzburg latest home form

RB Salzburg have recently been on a relatively good run of form at home, having lost just one of their six most recent matches. They defeated WSG Tirol 2-0 in their last home game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 10 goals and conceded five.

Salzburg 1-0 Liverpool 27/07/22

Salzburg 3-4 Al Ittihad 07/08/22

Salzburg 2-1 Wolfsberger AC 14/08/22

Salzburg 2-0 Austria Klagenfurt 20/08/22

Salzburg 2-0 WSG Tirol 03/09/22

Red Bull Salzburg latest away form

RB Salzburg have recently been on a relatively good run of form on the road, having lost just one of their five most recent matches. They defeated Gurten 3-0 in their last away game in the German Cup. In their last five matches, they have scored 15 goals and conceded just two.

Fugen 0-3 Salzburg 15/07/22

Sturm Graz 2-1 Salzburg 30/07/22

Hartberg 0-2 Salzburg 06/08/22

Austria Lustenau 0-6 Salzburg 27/08/22

Gurten 0-3 Salzburg 30/08/22

AC Milan latest home form

AC Milan have recently been on a good run of form at home, having won each of their six most recent matches. They managed to defeat Inter Milan 3-2 in their last home game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 12 goals and conceded four.

AC Milan 1-0 Fiorentina 01/05/22

AC Milan 2-0 Atalanta 15/05/22

AC Milan 4-2 Udinese 13/08/22

AC Milan 2-0 Bologna 27/08/22

AC Milan 3-2 Inter Milan 03/09/22

AC Milan latest away form

AC Milan have recently been on a good run of form on the road, having been unbeaten in their five most recent matches. They drew 0-0 with Sassuolo in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 14 goals and conceded just two.

Wolfsberger AC 0-5 AC Milan 27/07/22

Marseille 0-2 AC Milan 31/07/22

Vicenza 1-6 AC Milan 06/08/22

Atalanta 1-1 AC Milan 21/08/22

Sassuolo 0-0 AC Milan 30/08/22

Red Bull Salzburg news

Given the form of Fernando and Noah Okafor, Sesko could have to make do with a spot on the Red Bull Salzburg substitutes’ bench.

Jaissle may select the same side that defeated WSG Tirol, with Strahinja Pavlovic having to remain patient for an opportunity in the sefence after his summer move from Monaco.

AC Milan news

Pioli is unlikely to make many changes to his XI, with Alexis Saelemaekers and Brahim Diaz both alternatives in a creative position if Giroud drops down to the substitutes’ bench.

Ante Rebic may come back into the squad after suffering a minor injury against Sassuolo, but Alessandro Florenzi remains on the sidelines.