MILAN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 22: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Milan at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 22, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Christian Pulisic celebrates during Inter vs. Milan (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Ruben Loftus-Cheek returns to the Milan starting XI for Alvaro Morata, supporting Tammy Abraham, Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic for the Champions League trip to German title holders Bayer Leverkusen.

It kicks off at the BayArena at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from that game and Inter-Crvena Zvezda on the Liveblog.

The Rossoneri are rock bottom of the Champions League table after a 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool, but have rebooted their confidence with three consecutive Serie A victories, including the Derby della Madonnina against rivals Inter.

Morata has been a key figure in that revival, but he is not fully fit, so Loftus-Cheek steps into the trequartista role behind Abraham, flanked by Leao and Pulisic.

Davide Calabria is back in the squad, but Emerson Royal retains the right-back spot and Strahinja Pavlovic is again benched for Fikayo Tomori and Matteo Gabbia.

Malick Thiaw, Ismael Bennacer, Alessandro Florenzi and Marco Sportiello are injured.

Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga and the German Cup unbeaten last season, as the only game they lost was the Europa League Final to Atalanta.

Coach Xabi Alonso has a full squad at his disposal and played a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich at the weekend, winning the opening Champions League tie 4-0 away to Feyenoord.

Victor Boniface leads the attack, supported by Florian Wirtz, Amine Adli and Granit Xhaka.

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Milan line-ups

Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky; Hincapie, Tah, Tapsoba; Grimaldo, Garcia, Xhaka, Frimpong; Wirtz, Adli; Boniface

Milan: Maignan; Emerson Royal, Gabbia, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Abraham

Ref: Schärer (SUI)

01-10-2024 20:00
MatchDay 2

Player statistic

1st half
Aleix García Yellow card 8'    
2nd half
Victor Boniface Goal 51'    
Jeremie Frimpong Yellow card 74'    
    84' Yellow card Álvaro Morata
    90+3' Yellow card Samuel Chukwueze
    90+5' Yellow card Fikayo Tomori

Match statistic

50
Possession %
50
16
Total shots
17
9
Shots on target
5
6
Shots off target
7
1
Blocked shots
5
5
Corners
4
3
Offsides
15
Fouls
4
Leverkusen
Milan

Starting lineups

1
Goalkeeper
20
89'
12
Defender
4
Defender
3
Defender
24
Midfielder
75'
21
Midfielder
82'
10
Midfielder
89'
34
Midfielder
30
Midfielder
22
Attacker
75'
16
Goalkeeper
22
Defender
23
Defender
46
Defender
19
Defender
8
Midfielder
14
Midfielder
29
Midfielder
11
79'
10
Attacker
90
Attacker
62'

Substitutes

23
Defender
14
Attacker
36
Goalkeeper
7
Midfielder
17
Goalkeeper
13
Defender
11
Attacker
75'
8
Midfielder
75'
25
Midfielder
82'
44
Midfielder
89'
19
Attacker
89'
2
Defender
69
Goalkeeper
42
Midfielder
31
17
Attacker
28
Defender
80
Midfielder
96
Goalkeeper
7
Attacker
62'
21
Attacker
79'

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