Preview: Arsenal vs AC Milan – prediction, team news, lineups

Preview: Arsenal vs AC Milan – prediction, team news, lineups

Match preview

At risk of becoming the Premier League‘s perpetual also-rans, Arsenal are racking up the silver medals in England’s top flight, losing out on a long-awaited slice of stardom to another red-clad team in the 2024-25 campaign.

Had fans known of Manchester City‘s implosion before the season kicked off, many would have naturally assumed that Arsenal would be the ones to capitalise, but Arne Slot’s Liverpool unexpectedly took the league by storm to take home title number 20.

A combination of devastating fitness blows and inactivity in the transfer market contributed to Arsenal’s latest downfall, and while progression to the Champions League semi-finals was praiseworthy, there is no trophy for that.

However, now that the housekeeping part of the transfer window is done – capturing Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga alongside Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke – sporting director Andrea Berta should soon shake hands on a deal for that elusive big-money number nine.

Talks to bring Viktor Gyokeres to the Emirates are thought to be nearing completion, but Arteta will have to make do with his current crop for their tour of Asia, where clashes with Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur also await.

The Gunners coped just fine in their first unofficial assignment of the summer, though, getting the better of Watford 2-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly over the weekend as Ben White and Kai Havertz found the mark.

As Arsenal retain faith in Arteta’s methods, AC Milan have turned to a man whom many believed could have succeeded Arsene Wenger back in 2018; the successful yet unpredictable Allegri.

The fiery Italian’s second spell at Juventus ended in disgrace in 2024, as he was sent off and had a subsequent meltdown after masterminding victory in the Coppa Italia final, but now another bite at the San Siro cherry awaits.

Allegri formerly managed the Rossoneri from 2010 to 2014, leading the seven-time European champions to Serie A glory in his first year at the helm, and the 57-year-old succeeds Sergio Conceicao following a largely pitiful 2024-25.

While Milan took home the Supercoppa Italiana title, an eighth-placed finish in Serie A, a Coppa Italia final loss to Bologna and a Champions League playoff elimination at the hands of Feyenoord means that the legendary Rossoneri will not be playing any form of European football in 2025-26.

As a result, Milan’s only battles against English teams for the next 365 days will be their imminent friendlies with Arsenal, Liverpool, Leeds United and Chelsea between now and August 10, with a showdown against Perth Glory on August 31 sandwiched in between.

Milan’s most recent memories of Arsenal are not entirely fond either, as the Gunners ran out 5-1 aggregate winners in their 2017-18 Europa League last 16 and also dumped the Rossoneri out of the 2007-08 Champions League, although the Italians exacted their revenge four years later.

Team News

All of Kepa, Norgaard and Zubimendi boarded the Arsenal flight bound for Singapore, but Madueke will have to wait a little while longer for his debut owing to his Club World Cup exploits with Chelsea.

As Gyokeres is also waiting for his move to go through, Havertz could be trusted to spearhead the charge following his return from a serious hamstring problem; Gabriel Jesus is still on the mend from his ACL issue.

Further down the pecking order, do not be surprised to see 15-year-old Max Dowman earn some valuable senior minutes on Wednesday, but Martin Odegaard should still sport the captain’s armband from the opening whistle.

Dowman was born six years after Milan’s marquee signing made his professional debut, as Real Madrid legend Luka Modric will sport the red and black stripes this season, but the 39-year-old has unsurprisingly been left out of the Rossoneri’s tour squad after the Club World Cup.

Fellow new arrival Samuele Ricci is in the ranks, though, as Milan adjust to life without the likes of Tijjani Reijnders and Theo Hernandez, the latter of whom has been seduced by Al-Hilal.

Rumoured Gunners target Rafael Leao ought to strut his stuff on the left-hand side, while Noah Okafor could spearhead the charge with Santiago Gimenez absent.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; White, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli

AC Milan possible starting lineup:

Maignan; Jimenez, Gabbia, Thiaw, Bartesaghi; Musah, Ricci, Loftus-Cheek; Pulisic, Okafor, Leao

Wednesday’s blockbuster battle sees a settled Arsenal side with reinforcements in tow face a Milan squad adapting to Allegri’s methods and without two former key cogs in Reijnders and Hernandez.

Multiple changes on both ends will no doubt be afoot at half time, but we have faith in Arteta’s men to kick off their Asia tour with a statement success.