THE NOTEBOOK: AC MILAN BETTER LIVERPOOL WHEN IT COMES TO ENGLISH REPRESENTATIVES, DANIEL STURRIDGE GOES UNDERCOVER ON HIS FLIGHT OVER... WHILE FOOTBALL ROYALTY WATCHES HIS SON PLAY FOR MILAN'S U19S
- English representation light in Liverpool's Champions League squad for Milan
- A giant of the game was spotted watching his son play for Milan Under-19s
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This is the first time since 2006 that an English side has fielded a Champions League XI with fewer Englishmen than their continental opposition.
AC Milan started Fikayo Tomori and Ruben Loftus-Cheek here, with Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool’s sole representative.
The time before that, excluding English teams’ clashes with Scottish sides, was when Arsenal did not start a single local star against a Real Madrid side starring Jonathan Woodgate and David Beckham.
Zlatan turns out to watch Milan U19s game
Milan Fashion Week means plenty of famous faces were mulling around the city yesterday – and that extended to the low-key football facility at Centro Sportiva Vismara where AC Milan and Liverpool played out a 0-0 draw in the Under 19s UEFA Youth League.
Mail Sport popped down on a scouting mission and ended up rubbing shoulders with the great Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His son Maximilian Zlatan Ibrahimovic – of course that is his middle name – was playing up front for the Italian side and had some nice touches.
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes was also in the house and was heard catching up with some of the locals in fluent Italian. The Reds transfer powerbroker was raised not far from Milan and was in Atalanta’s academy before playing for Bournemouth and Portsmouth.
Sturridge keeps a low profile
Daniel Sturridge was part of the Amazon Prime punditry team and shared a flight with several journalists and Liverpool fans. Fair play to the former Reds striker, then, for choosing his seat on the back row of the plane from Manchester and walking on board undetected with his hood up and cap on.
Slot and Reijnders reunite
A couple of pre-match niceties on the pitch between old friends. Birthday boy Arne Slot was reunited with Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders – a star for the Netherlands at the European Championship – who he handed a first-team debut to when the pair were at AZ Alkmaar.
Milan boss Paulo Fonseca shares a similar story with fellow Portuguese Diogo Jota. The Liverpool No 9, who is keeping Darwin Nunez out of the starting XI so far this season, was handed his first professional outing by Fonseca at Pacos Ferreira in 2014.
Liverpool pay tribute to fan
Liverpool on Tuesday night paid tribute to fan Philip Dooley who died in a road traffic accident when travelling to the San Siro. The supporter, 51, was involved in the accident in Bergamo, which is one of the airports that serve Milan around an hour to the north of the city.
A club statement last night read: ‘We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of our supporter Philip Dooley. Philip was a lifelong Liverpool fan who had travelled to Italy to be at tonight’s Champions League game against AC Milan.
‘Our staff in Milan are working with the local police and consulate, and continue to provide support to other fans impacted by this devastating incident.
‘The thoughts and prayers of everyone connected to the club are with Philip’s family, friends and fellow supporters at this extremely difficult time. Rest in peace, Philip.’
The team wore black armbands for the clash against AC Milan.
‘Our staff in Milan are working with the local police and consulate, and continue to provide support to other fans impacted by this devastating incident.
‘The thoughts and prayers of everyone connected to the club are with Philip’s family, friends and fellow supporters at this extremely difficult time. Rest in peace, Philip.’
The team wore black armbands for the clash against AC Milan.