Two Italian teams meet up on Thursday for the first leg of one of the most anticipated matches of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals. AC Milan take on Roma in a match between two teams in impressive form. Milan sit second in Serie A and cruised to the last eight of the Europa League with a 7-3 aggregate win over Slavia Praha, while Roma are in the midst of an 11-game unbeaten run under new head coach Daniele De Roosi, who seems to have revitalized the team since his January arrival.
Here's what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Thursday, April 11 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: San Siro -- Milan, Italy
- TV: CBS Sports Network | Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: AC Milan -135; Draw +250; Roma +380
Storylines
Milan are in the midst of an eight-match unbeaten run and are carving out a spot as Italy's second-best team, thanks in large part to an attacking unit that ranks second for goals in Serie A. The team have 12 goals in their last five games across all competitions, with Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao leading the way in recent weeks. Leao has three goals in the team's last five games, while Pulisic has five goals in Milan's last six.
That goalscoring run should be useful for Milan, who won 3-1 against Roma the last time they played in January. That was the final match before Daniele De Rossi succeeded Jose Mourinho at Roma, so Thursday's matchup is poised to be different than the teams' most recent meeting in Serie A action.
Prediction
Roma is a defensively sturdy team so expect them to give Milan a run for their money, but as long as the hosts boast their incredibly effective attackers, they are the favorites to win. Expect either Leao or Pulisic to turn up, and potentially a major contribution from Olivier Giroud if needed. Pick: AC Milan 1, Roma 0
