Milan v Chelsea predictions: San Siro set to host Champions League humdinger

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Milan v Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Tuesday

Best bets

Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals
1pt 5-4 BoyleSports

Rafael Leao to score first
1pt each-way 8-1 bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power

Team news

Milan
Key left-back Theo Hernandez has returned but Charles De Ketelaere has joined a lengthy injury list featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mike Maignan, Junior Messias, Alessandro Florenzi, Alexis Saelemaekers, Simon Kjaer and Davide Calabria.

Chelsea
N'Golo Kante remains a doubt and Wesley Fofana is still sidelined.

Match preview

Injury-ravaged Milan were humbled 3-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Wednesday but they are still in the running to make the Champions League knockout phase and it should be a more competitive affair when the European heavyweights reconvene at San Siro.

Milan were in the midst of an injury crisis when they travelled to London last week and managed only one shot on target in a comprehensive defeat.

But although their injury situation remains much the same - Theo Hernandez is the only first-team talent to have returned since last Wednesday's defeat - Milan should put up more of a fight on their own patch.

On Saturday the team sparked into life and showed how dangerous a side they can be even with players missing, having carved out a comfortable 2-0 home win against Juventus.

Fikayo Tomori and Brahim Diaz got on the scoresheet as Milan conjured up 21 shots and were the dominant force in the contest despite seeing less of the ball.

Of course, the result speaks volumes about the decline of the Old Lady but Milan should also take confidence from the way they bounced back so quickly after the Chelsea defeat and they can contribute to a high-scoring affair in Italy.

Milan play a generally expansive style of football and four of their last six games in all competitions have featured goals from both teams and over 2.5 goals. That looks the best bet in this tasty tussle.

Chelsea's rearguard has not been without its problems this season - they have kept only three clean sheets in 11 matches in all competitions - and the ongoing absence of Wesley Fofana is a blow at the back.

Neither Salzburg nor Dinamo Zagreb look as if they will go down easily in Group E and it is unlikely that Milan or Chelsea will settle for a stalemate so punters should expect goals.

And one player who could benefit from an open encounter is Milan ace Rafael Leao, who has been linked with a future move to the club's London opponents.

At Stamford Bridge last week the Brazilian showed glimpses of his explosive qualities but struggled to win his battle against in-form Reece James.

In front of a home crowd, however, he will be out to prove a point and he is enjoying a fine season for Milan, scoring and assisting 11 times in as many games.

He was a livewire against Juventus on Saturday, failing to score or assist but rattling the woodwork twice, and he could represent great each-way value at 8-1 to score first against the Blues.

Key stat

Milan's nine Serie A fixtures have averaged exactly three goals per game this season.

Inside info

Milan

Penalty taker Olivier Giroud
Assist ace Rafael Leao
Set-piece aerial threat Olivier Giroud
Card magnet Sandro Tonali

Chelsea

Penalty taker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Assist ace Raheem Sterling
Set-piece aerial threat Thiago Silva
Card magnet Mateo Kovacic

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