Paulo Fonseca believes Milan have shown "signs of growth" in the Champions League, as he looks to get their first win against Club Brugge on Tuesday.

Milan faced Liverpool and reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in their opening two games in the competition, losing the first 3-1 at home and the latter 1-0.

They were outplayed in their opener, managing just two shots on target from eight efforts, compared to Liverpool's 11 from 23, with the Reds also racking up 3.09 expected goals (xG) to Milan's 0.61.

Fonseca's side put on a better show at the BayArena against Leverkusen, and the Portuguese head coach hopes they can translate that into a victory in what is almost a must-win match.

"We started against two of the strongest teams in Europe right now. They were two different games," he told reporters.

"Difficulties against Liverpool, quality against Leverkusen, especially in the second half. We didn't win, but we showed signs of growth.

"We have to continue to grow in this competition, and we want to win if we want to have a chance to continue. It's not decisive, but it is important, we have to win."

Fonseca also confirmed Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez will return to the starting line-up after missing Saturday's Serie A match against Udinese.

Hernandez was suspended for that game after his red card in the 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina, while the winger was dropped to the bench after that loss, which left Fonseca furious.

Samuel Chukwueze, who scored the winner against Udinese, is set to be among the substitutes against Brugge as Fonseca took the unusual step of naming his line-up.

"They will play tomorrow from the first minute," he added.

"I expect from them what I expect from everyone, that they give their best to help Milan win. It's a normal situation, even for them. And tomorrow they play."

"I will tell you straight away [Tuesday's] team. Mike Maignan, Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori, Hernandez, Youssouf Fofana, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tijani Reijnders, Leao, Christian Pulisic, Alvaro Morata."

Milan have a shortage of strikers. Tammy Abraham went off injured minutes after coming onto the pitch on Saturday, while Luka Jovic was not included in the Champions League squad.

Francesco Camarda has been called up from the youth squad and if he were to come on and score at 16 years and 226 days, he would become the youngest-ever scorer in the competition.

"This is not a normal situation to have Abraham and Jovic out," Fonseca said. "Normally we always have solutions, plus we have Camarda in whom we believe a lot. I don't think we need other players in this position."

AC Milan boss Paulo Fonseca has had two weeks to stew on his team's latest defeat, and he will never refrain from criticising a player due to their name or status.

Milan were beaten 2-1 by Fiorentina before the international break, a defeat that came on the back of losing 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

It was the manner of their defeat in Florence, where Theo Hernandez and Tammy Abraham were both denied by David de Gea from the penalty spot, which left Fonseca furious.

Fonseca slated his players for disobeying orders after the game, pointing out that Christian Pulisic was the designated penalty taker, while he was also furious to see Hernandez sent off for dissent late on. 

Speaking ahead of Saturday's meeting with Udinese, Fonseca told reporters: "I was so angry after Florence that it was good not to have seen anyone.

"We had few players in those training sessions, then all the internationals arrived yesterday. We talked about the match against Fiorentina and today we spoke about Udinese.

"I know that there has been a lot of talk about Florence, for me it was very important to talk about it."

Fonseca is already under pressure, with his side sixth in the Serie A table, five points off leaders Napoli. Milan have also lost both of their Champions League games, and their coach intends to tackle any issues head on.

"I don't close my eyes to problems. We have them, let's face them," Fonseca said.

"If we have any problems, I don't give a damn about the player's name. I talk to him. Frontally, directly, with the team or with the players.

"For me, no player is more important than the team. Those who make mistakes must take responsibility. If someone doesn't follow this team spirit, it's difficult for me."

Fonseca was then asked if he had already lost control of the dressing room, responding: "I don't have to demonstrate anything, I'm not an actor.

"In football today there is a great need to be seen, I'm not like that, since day one. Ask the players, if I have been this way from the start or not."

AC Milan boss Paulo Fonseca was in an angry mood following his side's 2-1 loss away to Fiorentina on Sunday, suggesting the decisions to give three penalties turned the game into a 'circus'.

Remarkably, all three spot-kicks were saved during the match. The home side initially saw Moise Kean's penalty kept out by Mike Maignan, while David de Gea then saved from Theo Hernandez - who was later sent off - and Tammy Abraham either side of half-time.

But after the game, Fonseca's attention was on the performance of the officials rather than the goalkeeping.

"I don’t like to talk about refereeing but this isn’t football. Football is about contact and a mere touch shouldn’t be enough to award a penalty," he told DAZN.

"Just a simple touch can lead to a penalty, we saw that this weekend as well. It makes everyone nervous, and that creates problems. This is football, not a circus."

Interestingly, neither Hernandez nor Abraham is Milan's designated penalty taker despite them taking the responsibility on Sunday.

"Our penalty taker is [Christian] Pulisic. I don't know why the players changed their minds, I spoke to him and said that it must not happen again," said Fonseca.

Pulisic did score Milan's only goal of the night, having equalised after an hour, before Albert Gudmondsson scored the winner for the hosts.

The United States international was visibly angry when brought off for Samuel Chukwueze with seven minutes to go after putting in a bright performance, but the Milan manager explained that he did not want to aggravate an injury.

"It was out of caution for Pulisic, he had a problem with his flexor during the week. Chukwueze came in well and created opportunities," said Fonseca.

In terms of his side's overall performance, Fonseca did not want to focus on their penalty problems and instead suggested they did not do enough to get anything from the match.

"In the first half, we lacked defensive aggression and strength in duels. The way we conceded goals clearly illustrates this; they almost always won the second balls," he said. "We weren't disciplined in our structure."

The defeat ended a run of three straight league victories for Milan, meaning they go into the international break sixth in the table and on the back of a defeat.

Despite that, and the gap to league leaders Napoli extending to six points, he was not panicking.

"In Italy when you win, you’ve played a great match. If we don’t score, we’re the worst team in the world, just as I’m the worst coach. I know how things are," he said.

Fonseca's assessment of the performance was mirrored by defender Matteo Gabbia, who was unhappy with how the game went.

"We are certainly not satisfied with the initial approach. We feel this defeat, as it was our fault and we did not do our best tonight," he said.

"It starts with us, I saw the right disappointment and anger in the dressing room and it can be the only positive from this very negative night. We are angry that we put in this performance."

David de Gea saved two penalties for Fiorentina, setting the stage for Albert Gudmundsson to score the winner in a 2-1 victory over Milan. 

In a pulsating encounter that saw three missed penalties and two red cards, Fiorentina prevailed to halt Paulo Fonseca's Serie A winning run.

The hosts had the first spot-kick of the game, with Moise Kean's tame effort being kept out by Mike Maignan before the forward had a goal disallowed for offside.

Former Milan midfielder Yacine Adli did break the deadlock soon after, ricocheting a low shot in off the far post from the edge of the box, and De Gea kept them ahead at the break, superbly denying Theo Hernandez from the spot. 

Kean had a second goal chalked off for offside in the second half and Milan wasted another golden opportunity from 12 yards, as De Gea got down well to keep out Tammy Abraham this time. 

On the hour mark, an in-form Christian Pulisic finally pulled the visitors level with a perfect volley, but the drama was far from over as Gudmundsson drilled his low shot past Maignan to put Fiorentina back in front in the 73rd minute.

Emotions ran high in the final moments as Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino was sent off, while Hernandez also received his marching orders for arguing with the referee after the final whistle had gone.

Data Debrief: De Gea's penalty redemption

For all the plaudits De Gea received while at Manchester United, one blip on his record was his struggles against penalties.

However, with his impressive showing against Milan, he became the first goalkeeper to make two penalty saves in a single Serie A match since Federico Marchetti in May 2016.

Since his debut in the top five European leagues (2009-10), the Spaniard has saved 10 of his 52 penalties in the league, including each of the last three, having also saved one against Fulham in May 2023.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso says his team "have to know how to suffer and fight" after their Champions League win over Milan.

Victor Boniface scored early in the second half at BayArena on Tuesday, and though Milan hit the woodwork as they searched for an equaliser, the Bundesliga champions held firm.

Leverkusen have now taken six points from their opening two Champions League matches.

After dominating the first half, in which they mustered six shots on target – only once ever having more on record (since 2003-04) when facing Real Sociedad in October 2013 (seven) – Leverkusen were less convincing following Boniface's goal.

But Alonso put that down to fatigue following Leverkusen's 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich on Saturday, in which his side were largely dominated but held on for a point.

"I think it's great news that German football is competitive. It's good news for us too to have achieved this result against Milan," Alonso told Sky Sports.

"Our first sixty minutes were good but in the end we suffered from fatigue after the game against Bayern Munich.

"We showed spirit and character, these three points are very good. In the Champions League you have to know how to suffer and fight, not just play well.

"We struggled a lot to score but maybe after the goal we changed our approach too quickly. Maybe we lacked something on a physical level.

"We had the right respect and took them very seriously. The last 20 minutes were not quite as good, but the players gave everything to get the three points."

Leverkusen are now unbeaten across their last ten home games in major European competition (W7 D3), their longest such run in club history.

Paulo Fonseca warned his Milan side they to be "defensively perfect" to get a result at Bayer Leverkusen in Tuesday's Champions League clash.

Milan suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool in their European opener despite Christian Pulisic firing the Rossoneri into a third-minute lead.

The Serie A giants will be looking to get off the mark at the Bay Arena but head coach Fonseca said they must be flawless at the back.

"I don't think about changing (much), we need to have continuity. We know it's a different game, (but) I think it will be a similar game to the one against Liverpool," Fonseca told a press conference on Monday.

"Defensively I think the team has grown, it's a good test to see our defensive capabilities at the moment. I told the players that to beat a strong team like Leverkusen we need to make a defensively perfect team."

Xabi Alonso's Bundesliga champions began their campaign in Europe with a 4-0 win at Feyenoord but they have conceded 10 goals in their first five league games after letting in just 24 in 34 matches in the 2023-24 domestic season.

Seven-time European champions Milan, the only Italian side to triumph more than once in the Champions League era, are the top scorers in Serie A with 14 goals in six games this term.

"It is true that we have done well in the league in the last few games, but I have to say that Serie A is very different from these games we have in the Champions League," Fonseca said.

"Today I was made to read Xabi Alonso's words. When we talk about Italian teams, we always say the same thing - that (they) are good at defending and playing on the counter-attack. I would like other things to be said when we talk about Milan.

"We don't want to be like that. Tomorrow we will obviously defend because we will play against a very strong team, but when we have the ball we still want to play.

"I'm curious to see the team's behaviour in a different game to those we had in Serie A."

Milan may be without Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, who opened the scoring in their 3-0 home win against Lecce on Friday despite starting with a slight knock.

"He (Morata) made a big effort to play the last match," Fonseca said. "He is doubtful and we will manage him. Let's see how he is tomorrow. We don't want to take any risks." 

Bayer Leverkusen are "honoured" to take on a team with the pedigree of Milan, so says Xabi Alonso.

Milan made a poor start to the season, failing to earn a win in their opening three Serie A games while they also lost their Champions League meeting with Liverpool.

However, they have turned things around on the domestic front with three successive victories, including a 2-1 win over reigning Serie A champions and city rivals Inter.

Milan have won the European Cup/Champions League on seven occasions, and Alonso - who was part of the Liverpool side that famously overcame the Rossoneri on penalties in the 2005 final - says it is an honour to go up against one of the continent's great clubs.

"Fundamental for my career. After 20 years we still talk about that night," Alonso said.

"Then two years later we lost to Milan but that victory in 2005 was incredible. It was [nearly] 20 years ago, we have to think about tomorrow. Milan is still the history of the Champions League.

"I've always liked Milan. Arrigo Sacchi, Fabio Capello, and great players, and to play against them is a great honour for us."

Despite Milan's inconsistent start to 2024-25, Bundesliga champions Leverkusen know to expect a stern test.

"It's one of those games when you have to play smart. With the ball, without the ball, you have to be patient, you have to be ready, you have to be focused," Alonso said.

"An Italian team is always dangerous. They know how to have patience. They are ready to defend low or to play with possession.

"Milan don't have to be dominant to be dangerous. Sometimes they have good possession, sometimes they have good counter-attacks."

Leverkusen won 4-0 away at Feyenoord in their opening Champions League match, and Alonso is relishing playing in Europe's elite club competition in front of the home fans on Tuesday.

"We're excited that the Champions League is back in our stadium," he added.

"That we're back in this competition and that we're playing our first home game against a huge club in the history of football." 

Leverkusen are aiming to win their opening two games of a Champions League campaign for the first time since 2001-02, a season in which they would go on to reach the final.

Paulo Fonseca praised Milan for their convincing 3-0 win over Lecce but is still hoping for improvements as they prepare for a return to the Champions League.

The Serie A win was secured with three quick-fire goals before the break, with Alvaro Morata, Theo Hernandez and Christian Pulisic all scoring during a five-minute spell. 

After a slow start to life in Milan, things look to be clicking into place under Fonseca, as the team had 15 shots, six of which were on target, and finished strong despite Davide Bartesaghi's late red card.

They secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Inter last weekend, and have now won each of their last three Serie A matches for the first time since April.

"Today it was too important to win, after the derby there is always a state of euphoria," Fonseca told DAZN.

"The players played a serious match, it wasn't all perfect, but we had good moments and chances, and we didn't concede goals, which is always important.

"This team has to learn to play this type of game, our positional play has to be different.

"During the break, we talked about many details that need to be improved. We have to wait for the right moment, understand where the space is. It's important to improve this, the team has to learn to play like this... In the second half, we did better."

Fonseca chose to start with Tammy Abraham and Morata up front, with the latter scoring his second goal for the team.

"It was both a tactical [choice] and for their aggressiveness," Fonseca said.

"Morata's characteristics allow me to have him play this role of attacking midfielder, between the lines. With a forward like [Erling] Haaland you couldn't do it.

"Then I really like the energy they both bring, it's contagious for the team. Now I also see [Rafael] Leao working harder, also because he follows their example."

Milan travel to German champions Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday after opening the tournament with a 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool earlier this month.

"We immediately found the two teams that play better at the moment in Europe," Fonseca added.

"First Liverpool, now Leverkusen, who are the same as last year [or] maybe even better. We know it will be difficult."

Simone Inzaghi questioned the attitude of his Inter players after Milan snatched a 2-1 derby victory on Sunday.

Matteo Gabbia popped up with an 89th-minute header to snap Milan's six-game losing streak against their city rivals.

Christian Pulisic opened the scoring at San Siro, before Federico Dimarco equalised for Inter.

Inzaghi felt Inter were the better team, despite Milan having more shots (16 to 13) and accumulating a higher xG (1.7 to 0.7).

However, the Inter coach was left far from impressed with the attitude his players displayed.

"Of course Milan are a very good team. They did better than us this evening and deserved the victory," Inzaghi told DAZN.

"We had the wrong approach and weren't enough of a team, which is rare for us. We didn't start either half with the right attitude.

"It's unexpected, we had worked well over the last couple of days in training, but the approach was wrong in both halves.

"Now we've already dropped a few too many points in Serie A and this is particularly sore."

Milan boss Paulo Fonseca, meanwhile, claimed a much-needed victory early in his tenure, with the Portuguese coach having already come under scrutiny following an indifferent start to the campaign.

"It was an important match. First of all, because it’s a derby that Milan hadn't won in a long time. It was important given the moment we were going through," Fonseca told DAZN.

"I think the players showed a lot of courage and we deserved the win. I don't remember seeing a team that caused this many problems for Inter in a long time.

"It will be a week with a little more confidence, but the important thing for me is to continue seeing the players believe in our ideas, the way they have done so far.

"We know that we must improve, but this was a victory for the players today."

Matteo Gabbia's dramatic late winner secured Milan a valuable three points against rivals Inter at the San Siro on Sunday. 

Gabbia planted a bullet header from Tijjani Reijnders' free-kick beyond the grasp of Yann Sommer in the 89th minute to end a run of six straight Milan derby defeats for the Rossoneri.

Milan's bright start was rewarded in the 10th minute when Christian Pulisic drove at the Inter defence before prodding the ball home, becoming the first player from the United States to score in the history of the Milan derby.

But their lead was short-lived as Federico Dimarco's left-footed strike nestled into the bottom corner 17 minutes later, with Inter heading into the interval in the ascendency. 

Milan were awarded a penalty 20 minutes into the second half for a handball by Lautaro Martinez, but the decision was swiftly overturned by VAR as replays showed the ball hit the Argentine's shoulder.

With both teams pushing for a winner, Milan's best chance appeared to have gone when Tammy Abraham fired wide with the goal at his mercy. 

However, there was to be a late twist at the San Siro, with Gabbia rising highest to secure a much-needed win for under pressure head coach, Paulo Fonseca. 

Data Debrief: Pulisic and Gabbia end Inter hoodoo

Pulisic's opener for Milan saw them score the first goal of a derby against Inter for the first time since Zlatan Ibrahimovic did so back in October 2020. 

The American continued his impressive form for the Rossoneri, netting his eighth Serie A goal since March, more than any other player in that period. 

Gabbia's late winner also saw Milan win a Serie A derby when drawing in the 89th minute for the first time since 1999, when George Weah scored.

For Inter, Dimarco's leveller saw the Italian become the first Milan-born player to score a Serie A goal in the Derby della Madonnina since Paolo Maldini in November 2004. 

Paulo Fonseca has urged patience as he looks to build his Milan squad, with Sunday's derby clash against Inter next up.

The Portuguese coach is under mounting pressure following a disappointing start to the season.

A 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday has compounded the scrutiny, putting Fonseca's position in jeopardy.

In Serie A, Milan have garnered five points from four matches, scoring nine goals but conceding six, with defending champions Inter having eight points ahead of the Derby della Madonnina.

"There's frustration at the moment but there is also the conviction of wanting to get out of this situation. I have confidence in the team," Fonseca told reporters on Saturday.

"In the past few days, they've worked fantastically. Strong players arrived during the transfer window and we have leaders here but we're still not a strong side.

"We need time but I'm not looking for excuses."

Fonseca praised Liverpool's performance in Milan's last game, and suggested the Reds are a team his Milan side are aspiring to replicate.

"Liverpool is a good example of a team. They conceded after three minutes but they didn’t change,” he said.

"What I want is to see my players have the same confidence. Nothing must change if we make a mistake or we concede a goal.

"This is the self-confidence I want to see in my players. They can do the same and Liverpool are a great example of that."

Milan enter the derby with a poor record, having lost their last six matches against Inter.

"For us, it's an important and difficult match. We'll be up against a very good side but we need to think positively; a win would be worth a lot," Fonseca said.

"We've prepared for the match based on our opponents, who are strong, but we want to play according to our principles. We'll need to mark better and score more than them," he said.

Simone Inzaghi urged Inter not to rely on past glories as they prepare to face Milan in the Derby della Madonnina on Sunday.

Inter have won each of the last six derbies, and have made a strong start to the current season, earning eight points from four matches. They also earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Manchester City in the Champions League in midweek. 

However, Inzaghi was left frustrated in their last Serie A match as his side failed to take their chances, managing just two shots on target from 16 attempts, and only just snatched a 1-1 draw with Monza. 

And the head coach cautioned his players against letting history influence their performance on Sunday though, especially after Milan's stuttering start to the season. 

"We mustn't think about past derbies. They are only cherished memories, and you don't get points for memories," Inzaghi said. "We are up against a very strong team with good players.

"Derbies often defy predictions. We need to be better on the day, focusing on every detail.

"We know what the derby means to our fans, and we need a special performance from Inter.

"After expending a lot of energy against Manchester City, a fixture like this can help us find reserves of strength we didn't know we had."

Inzaghi said he had deliberated over player selection, trying to balance the demands of domestic and international fixtures while managing player fatigue.

"Champions League matches drain you both mentally and physically. So far this season, we've seen smaller clubs pose significant challenges to the bigger teams," he added.

"All the players are first choices and I respect them all. I have a few doubts and will decide tomorrow.

"We are working on improving our final ball and finishing. Recognising Milan as a strong opponent, we need to navigate many uncertain situations carefully."

Liverpool celebrated their return to the Champions League with a 3-1 victory over AC Milan at San Siro on Tuesday, overcoming a shaky start for a comfortable triumph.

The Reds got off to an awful start when Christian Pulisic finished Milan's deadly counter-attack in the third minute, aided by Liverpool's disorganised defending on their return to the competition after a year's absence.

Arne Slot's side turned things around, however, as Ibrahima Konate equalised in the 23rd minute when he leapt high above a crowd of defenders to head in Trent Alexander-Arnold's free kick.

Virgil van Dijk put Liverpool ahead after nodding home Kostas Tsimikas' corner prior to the break before Dominik Szoboszlai sealed victory in the 67th minute, slotting into the far corner from Cody Gakpo's cross after Milan gave up possession.

Slot's first Champions League game at the helm of Liverpool ended in deserved victory, and it was a terrific response from his team after their shock 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

Data Debrief: Defensive delight for Reds

With Konate and Van Dijk both on target, Liverpool had two defenders score in the same Champions League game for the first time.

It marked a fitting way for Van Dijk to celebrate a landmark appearance, becoming just the third Dutch player to score on his 50th outing in the competition, after Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Makaay (both in 2005).

Alexander-Arnold's assist for Liverpool's equaliser was also his 80th for the Reds. Since his debut in October 2016, only Kevin De Bruyne (146) and team-mate Mohamed Salah (90) have provided more in all competitions among Premier League players.

Those defensive performances at the other end of the pitch helped Liverpool to a fifth win in their last six away games against Italian sides in all competitions (L1), having won just three of their first 14 such visits (D3 L8).

Arne Slot hailed Liverpool's recovery powers as the Reds marked their manager's birthday with a battling Champions League victory over AC Milan.

Liverpool's return to the competition after a one-year absence got off to a terrible start as Christian Pulisic fired home just three minutes into Tuesday's clash at San Siro.

Ibrahima Konate swiftly restored parity with a header from Trent Alexander-Arnold's free-kick before Virgil van Dijk marked his 50th appearance in the Champions League with a first-half finish.

Dominik Szoboszlai made sure of the opening-game win after the break as Milan capitulated to a 3-1 defeat in front of their disappointed home supporters.

Victory ensured Slot celebrated his 46th birthday in style, overseeing three points in his first European game in charge of his new club.

"A great way to spend my birthday," the Dutchman said on Amazon Prime.

"We have more than 11 players and the ones that came in did well. You wouldn't have said this after five minutes, but after we did well."

Liverpool were rocked by an early-season Premier League blow on Saturday, falling down 1-0 to Nottingham Forest at Anfield in a shock result.

Former Feyenoord boss Slot was delighted with the reaction as Liverpool made it five wins in their last six away games in Italy in the Champions League.

"Losing Saturday was a blow and to be 1-0 down early here, you are wondering how we react," Slot added.

"But if you can play so good it is – I won't say a disgrace – unbelievable you lose to Forest at home if you can play like this [at Milan]."

Van Dijk became just the third Dutch player to score on his 50th appearance in the competition, after Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Makaay (both in 2005).

The Liverpool captain lauded his side's ability to bounce back in what was billed as a battle between two European heavyweights, having shared memorable Champions League finals in 2005 and 2007.

"Obviously I am very pleased with the win and I am pleased with the way we bounced back after a difficult start," Van Dijk told Sky Italy.

"When there is a set-piece we try to be important. The delivery was outstanding in my opinion. I am very pleased that we won and we limited them to only two big chances.

"We have been very successful over the years and I am always grateful for that. Things have moved on, the new manager is here and he has principles that are different.

"We are working on things and there are still things to improve."

Liverpool celebrated their return to the Champions League with a 3-1 victory over AC Milan at San Siro on Tuesday, overcoming a shaky start for a comfortable triumph.

The Reds got off to an awful start when Christian Pulisic finished Milan's deadly counter-attack in the third minute, aided by Liverpool's disorganised defending on their return to the competition after a year's absence.

Arne Slot's side turned things around, however, as Ibrahima Konate equalised in the 23rd minute when he leapt high above a crowd of defenders to head in Trent Alexander-Arnold's free kick.

Virgil van Dijk put Liverpool ahead after nodding home Kostas Tsimikas' corner prior to the break before Dominik Szoboszlai sealed victory in the 67th minute, slotting into the far corner from Cody Gakpo's cross after Milan gave up possession.

Slot's first Champions League game at the helm of Liverpool ended in deserved victory, and it was a terrific response from his team after their shock 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

Data Debrief: Defensive delight for Reds

With Konate and Van Dijk both on target, Liverpool had two defenders score in the same Champions League game for the first time.

It marked a fitting way for Van Dijk to celebrate a landmark appearance, becoming just the third Dutch player to score on his 50th outing in the competition, after Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Makaay (both in 2005).

Alexander-Arnold's assist for Liverpool's equaliser was also his 80th for the Reds. Since his debut in October 2016, only Kevin De Bruyne (146) and team-mate Mohamed Salah (90) have provided more in all competitions among Premier League players.

Those defensive performances at the other end of the pitch helped Liverpool to a fifth win in their last six away games against Italian sides in all competitions (L1), having won just three of their first 14 such visits (D3 L8).