Milan v Liverpool: Champions League – live | Champions League

Arne Slot makes a few changes from Liverpool’s defeat at Forest. In: Kostas Tsimikas and Cody Gakpo. Out: Andy Robertson and Luis Diaz.

Milan made three changes, bringing David Calabria, Fikayo Tomori and Alvaro Morata for Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia and Tammy Abraham.

This is the short version.

• 36 teams each play eight games between now and the end of January.

• The top eight advance to the last 16.

• The bottom 12 go home (not in the Europa League, not even with the bus ticket).

• Teams finishing 9-24 play for a place in the round of 16.

Confused? Of course you are. Now all I need are the last three digits on the back of the card.

And now for $omething €ompl£t£ly different: the start of the Swiss model era of the Champions League. Think of it as men’s football’s answer to the Summer of Brat, only with less hedonism, a lot more anxiety, billions of pounds covered in suits and a mysterious series of soft tissue injuries.

So far so good, with one of the world’s best players marking the big day confirming that he and his team-mates have filled their calendar with games.

Whatever you think of the new format – I see both sides! – it will all end with real madrid a lucky team enjoying the highest level in club football. The magic of becoming European champions will never fade. AC Milan and Liverpool, who meet tonight, have done so seven and six times respectively, with only Real Madrid winning the competition more often.

Both clubs are kings of the European Cup. Alas, speaking of royalty, Milan has been more like (redacted) lately. They have not reached the final since beating Liverpool 2-1 in Athens in 2007. In fact, they have only reached semi-final once in the last 17 years, and even that memory must remain in a sealed box: after fighting past Spurs and Napoli in 2022-23, they were beaten by Internazionale in the last four.

Liverpool have reached the final in three of their last six Champions League campaigns and have started the season well under Arne Slot, even if they crashed head-first into a tree against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Milan are 10th in Serie A after a mixed start under Paulo Fonseca, but they are joint scorers and hammered Venezia 4-0 at the weekend.

I’d love to say this is a must-win game for both sides, but I don’t want to lie to you. Not yet. We can finally reflect that the result of tonight’s game was decisive; right now it feels less about danger and more about novelty.

Start 20.00.