Milan are without Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Liverpool, but could have Olivier Giroud back in time for the big game. Check out the former Chelsea and Arsenal striker’s stats against the Reds.
The Rossoneri are preparing for a return to the Champions League and are drawn Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and FC Porto in the group stage.
Milan start with their first ever trip to Anfield and coach Stefano Pioli said he will have to choose between Ante Rebic and Giroud for the attack on Merseyside.
Pioli: ‘Zlatan would have started, I will choose between Rebic or Giroud’
Giroud, who moved to England in July 2012, played his first game against the Reds in the third round of fixtures in the 2012-13 Premier League season, when Arsenal picked up a 2-0 win at Anfield.
He scored his first of eight goals in the return leg at the Emirates, while his last goal against the Reds arrived in Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup defeat in 2019-20.
The Frenchman has been on the winning side six times in 16 efforts against Liverpool but has bagged eight goals, including seven in the Premier League.
But even if Giroud has scored eight goals in 16 games against Liverpool, he only scored in one of the games Arsenal won against the Reds and was the match winner in a 1-0 win with Chelsea, as he appeared three times in the Premier League.
Giroud has won six times against Liverpool, drawing five and losing five games, and the Reds are his fourth favourite opponent in front of goal, as he only has a better record against Aston Villa, Newcastle and Southampton.
But this is the first time the France international plays against Liverpool in the Champions League and he is currently recovering from two weeks out after testing positive for coronavirus.
Olivier Giroud’s stats vs. Liverpool:
Games: 16 Goals: 8 Assist: 1
Premier League – Games: 13 Goals: 7 Assists: 1
FA Cup – Games: 2 Goals: 2 Assists: 0
UEFA Super Cup – Games: 1 Goals: 1: Assists: 0