Liverpool vs. Milan: Prediction, live stream, kick-off time and TV Matchday 1 of UEFA Champions League 2021/2022

AC Milan will be welcomed back to the midst of the big boys with a match against Liverpool on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League for the 2021-22 season. The Stefano Pioli-led team will be returning to the club competition after a 7-year absence, last featuring in the 2013/14 season with the likes of Kaka, Nigel de Jong, Mario Balotelli, and Keisuke Honda all still at the club.

The Liverpool versus AC Milan game will be played at the Anfield stadium on Wednesday 15th September. It will be the first match of the European season for both Liverpool and AC Milan and both will be looking to start well. Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, FC Porto and AC Milan are all drawn in Group B in the UEFA Champions League group stages draws held on Thursday 26th August in Istanbul, Turkey. 

How did AC Milan qualify for the UEFA Champions League?

The San Siro club returned to the prestigious European club competition by finishing 2nd in the Serie A during the 2020/21 season. Led by the resurgent Zlatan Ibrahimovic, AC Milan mounted an early-season push for the title, reaching the half-season line being on top of the table. 

However, the team capitulated and ended up finishing a distant 12 points adrift of eventual winners, Inter Milan. Despite their season unravelling, Stefano Pioli was able to guide the team through a chaotic end of the season where they could have finished in 5th place with just 1 draw instead of a victory. The Rossoneri ended up finishing ahead of Atalanta, Juventus and Napoli in the race for the Champions League qualification. 

Will Van Dijk play for Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Matchday 1?

Virgil van Dijk made a return to the Liverpool first-team after spending almost a season on the recovery bench. Van Dijk was on the sidelines for 9 months after suffering a serious knee injury during a match against Norwich in 2020. He played pre-season games with the Jurgen Klopp team and has so far been involved in Liverpool's 3 premier league games.

The Dutch international should also make his return to the UEFA Champions League during the Matchday 1 tie against AC Milan. Virgil van Dijk will be hoping to replicate the form and leadership that saw him voted UEFA Men's Player of the Season In Liverpool's triumphant 2019/20 European season.

When will Liverpool face Atletico Madrid and FC Porto?

The other teams in Group B of the UEFA Champions League are Atletico Madrid and FC Porto. Liverpool will face off with FC Porto on Matchday 2 at the Estadio do Dragao on 28th September. Afterwards, they will travel to the Wanda Metropolitano on 19th October for their Matchday 3 first-leg game against Atletico Madrid. 

Jurgen Klopp's team would then return to the Anfield Stadium for two successive second-leg games against Atletico Madrid and FC Porto on 3rd November and 24 November respectively.

Liverpool will conclude their group stage commitments when they visit the San Siro stadium for their Matchday 6 tie against AC Milan on 7th December 2021.