Stefano Pioli assures the trip to Borussia Dortmund is ‘not yet decisive,’ for Milan in the Champions League, but ‘every tiny detail is important.’
It kicks off at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).
The Rossoneri opened their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Newcastle United at San Siro, while Dortmund lost 2-0 away to Paris Saint-Germain.
“We try to prepare everything, because it is the Champions League and every tiny detail is important,” Pioli told Milan TV.
“It is also true that we will be immersed in an electrifying atmosphere, but this can help us keep our focus on the game. What matters at the end of the day is that we play well.”
In order to help his players prepare for the legendary atmosphere of the stadium and the ‘yellow wall’ of support in the stands, Pioli has been piping in sounds from other Borussia Dortmund games during their training sessions.
“Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten at home in the Bundesliga for a year, in the Champions League they haven’t lost here for two years.
“We know full well the difficulties that we are going into. They are a technically gifted side, but at the same time energetic and intense. We need a high level performance. It will not be decisive yet, but it is important.”
Newcastle United will instead be hosting Gianluigi Donnarumma’s PSG, but Sandro Tonali is a major doubt after skipping training today.
“It is going to be a balanced group and every single game becomes important. This is why we will try to bring out best possible performance, especially as we were unable to win the opening game. A positive result would be important.”
Milan are joint top of the Serie A table with city rivals Inter, as their only defeat was 5-1 in the Derby della Madonnina.
They will be in Germany on Wednesday, then play away to Genoa on Saturday before the break for international duty.
“This is what you get with a competitive and difficult campaign like ours. It is very important that all the players maintain this level of focus and performance. There are a few absentees, but this happens when you play this many games, which frankly are too many games. But we will be ready.”
Ruben Loftus-Cheek pulled up during the win over Lazio with a muscular issue and is certainly out of these two matches, joining Rade Krunic, Ismael Bennacer, Pierre Kalulu and Mattia Caldara on the treatment table.