Tough test for AC Milan today
Milan host Ajax today in a Champions League showdown to decide who will join Group H leaders, Barcelona, in the knockout stages.
Advertisement
The home side currently sits two points behind Barca and could win the pool should the Spanish champion lose at home against the already-eliminated Celtic.
Ajax, is three points off the top, cannot climb above Barcelona due to its inferior head-to-head record.
However, it will be hoping to avoid conceding its 200th European Cup goal as it goes in search of the necessary three points.
The Amsterdam Arena club came close to a home win against Milan on matchday two, taking a 90th-minute lead through Stefano Denswil before Mario Balotelli equalised from the spot in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Frank de Boer's men have not won any of their last six away fixtures in the Champions League, dating back to a 2-0 success at Dinamo Zagreb in October 2011, but are unbeaten in their last three matches in Italy.
Milan ended a run of seven games without a win in all competitions when it cruised to a 3-0 win at Celtic last time out, scoring its 600th goal in UEFA competition in the process.
After a dismal start to the domestic season, Massimiliano Allegri's side is now unbeaten in four Serie A matches and appear to have turned the corner.
Its Dutch opponents defeated Barcelona 2-1 on matchday five in one of their biggest European results in recent years, and have won its last four matches in the Eredivisie, leaving it second behind Vitesse.
The four-time European Cup winner won 4-0 against NAC Breda in its most recent domestic fixture, and was victorious on its last visit to San Siro when it ran out 2-0 winners in the 2010-11 Champions League group stages.
Ajax, meanwhile, will be without the suspended Joel Veltman, and Denswil is one booking away from a ban.
In other matches Chelsea will host Steaua Bucuresti at the Stamford Bridge, while Schalke 04 battle FC Basel at the Veltins-Arena. Marseille clash with Borussia Dortmund at Stade Vélodrome.
Napoli will host Arsenal at Stadio San Paolo and at the Vicente Calderon Atletico Madrid will battle with FC Porto. A. Vienna will book a date with Zenit St Petersburg at Ernst Happel Stadium just as Barcelona welcome Celtic to the Estadio Camp Nou.