AC Milan 1-0 Tottenham LIVE! Diaz goal - Champions League ...
The Champions League knockout stages get underway this evening with a clash between two teams in need of a lift. The reigning Italian champions lost five on the spin before scrapping past Torino last week to relieve some of the pressure on head coach Stefano Pioli, while Spurs crumbled to a 4-1 defeat at relegation-threatened Leicester and lost yet another key player to injury.
Injuries is the buzzword ahead of the San Siro clash. Both first-choice goalkeepers, Mike Maignan and Hugo Lloris, are absent, while midfielders Ismael Bennacer, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma are also sidelined and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is suspended.
Spurs at least have Cristian Romero available again, and Milan can again call upon fellow defender Fikayo Tomori. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will hope for some minutes in an even contest. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Dan Kilpatrick at San Siro.
Spurs trail after another frustrating defensive lapse and, in truth, have offered little in Milan’s box, aside from set pieces. But elements of their play have been encouraging, with youngsters Skipp and Sarr holding their own and Kane clearly up for it. They need more from Kulusevski and Son.
49min: There’s the whistle.
48min: Final chance of the half for Spurs and it’s another Son free kick... but Romero is offside.
45min: Best chance of the game for Spurs as Son runs through on goal, sees his shot saved, and then Kane can’t bury the rebound... before the offside flag is raised.
44min: Approaching half-time and Milan are more comfortable than 10 minutes ago.
41min: Perisic’s corner delivery is high and deep and drops into the keeper’s hands.
39min: Fantastic work from Emerson to whip in a cross towards Son, having been fouled about three times in the build-up.
Son wins a corner.
Any fears of Spurs being overrun (even more than usual) in midfield have proved unfounded. They are having the lion’s share of the ball and looking dangerous from set pieces. Sarr is clearly a real prospect. Perhaps he will be the silver lining to Spurs’ midfield injury crisis.
31min: Kane is down as he gets an elbow to the face inside the area. He’ll be fine but that looked painful.
29min: Spurs starting to a get a foothold as we approach the half-hour mark. Milan, though, happy to soak up the pressure and counter, for now.
