FeatureMilan diary: Champions League returns, Ludo spotted and San Siro impressions
Liverpool are back in the Champions League and begin their return with a trip to face AC Milan in the league phase of the new format – here’s our diary of the trip to Italy...
Monday
9am, Liverpool: For us, it’s a morning rendezvous for those in the Liverpool media team departing for Milan. The autumn mist has just about lifted across the city on the brisk walk across town for the meet-up, and there’s a brief mention for those pesky 6am foghorns (mainly from me) coming from the ships on the Mersey as we begin making tracks for John Lennon Airport.
9.40am, Liverpool: As we arrive at the airport ahead of our flight to Milan there’s a familiar face in Sammy Lee in the travelling party. The former Red is in good spirits before we embark on the journey. We’ve been allocated the earlier flight out to Italy alongside the Academy and a range of club staff so we can get ahead of the squad to set up for the pre-match media duties taking place at San Siro later in the day.
10.40am, Liverpool: It’s time to board now that we’ve checked bags and the Reds’ U19 squad, who will be led by Barry Lewtas, have joined us on the plane ahead of their UEFA Youth League fixture against AC Milan on Tuesday afternoon. Among them is Trey Nyoni fresh from his England U18 exploits at the Lafarge Foot Avenir Tournament in France, though the key discussion among media members has already turned to the agenda of in-flight entertainment...
11.30am, Liverpool: The wheels are in motion and we’re heading for the runway. The captain tells us that we’ll be cruising at 37,000 feet for our two-hour flight to Milan. A colleague has already been spotted pulling out Bob Mortimer’s latest book (solid choice, that man), while I settle down with earphones firmly in. Fontaines DC and their latest album Romance is on the agenda for this traveller.
2.30pm, Milan: The Alps were spotted out of the plane window on our descent into northern Italy. Grey skies have greeted us on the tarmac and while it’s warmer than back home, it is a fairly glum day in Milan as we collect luggage and head for the bus with our kit. We pass the Unipol Forum on the motorway into the city, home of the Olimpia Milano basketball team among other things, while a quick Google search tells me the Jonas Brothers are playing there next…
4.40pm, Milan: Word reaches us that the squad have just taken off from Merseyside following their open training session as we check into the hotel in central Milan… there’s a quick scramble to gather the news of the travelling Liverpool squad, while our colleagues on the later flight file pictures and videos of the players’ departure to push out on Liverpoolfc.com and across our social media channels. We've been informed from the ground that Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez are engaging in a rather competitive game of Ludo on the flight. There's also some peculiar involvement of sunglasses, too...
7.30pm, Milan: After a few hours of downtime, we head to San Siro for the pre-match media duties. Arne Slot is to be joined by goalkeeper Alisson Becker. As we arrive, the stadium stands high in the skyline and the Champions League decoration is on full view for the game a little over 24 hours later; the build-up has begun. There’s cameras being moved into position, passes being collected and the venue is being kitted out by several international broadcasters. It already has the feel of a big midweek fixture. Alisson is first into the media room to face reporters’ questions as cameras click and a hush falls, before the head coach joins a little while later on the eve of his birthday and European bow with the Reds. “I think it is the first time that my birthday is not so important tomorrow!” laughs Slot.
9.45pm, Milan: The media duties are complete and the press briefings are covered with write-ups from both Alisson and Slot published. All that’s left is for us to depart back into the evening to the hotel in search of some late-night food. The stadium is eerily quiet on the walk out after its hive of earlier activity. As the bus pulls away it very much has the feel of the calm before the storm a day later. Another European night awaits for Liverpool against old foes AC Milan - let’s hope when we’re back here tomorrow it’s a good one.
- Arne Slot's pre-AC Milan press conference: 'It's a big game – one to look forward to'
- Alisson Becker: We have to be ready for AC Milan and at our very best
Tuesday
10am, Milan: Breakfast and a pre-match walk is high on the agenda for the players ahead of the evening game, which is a 9pm kick-off local time. Initially it was a brighter morning than yesterday’s weather when we arrived, but there is some light rain in the air. There’s also been some talk amongst the media contingent of a trip to the Milan Cathedral to take in the sights and sounds of the city. There’s some pre-match preparation to undertake before any fun is to be had, though. Tonight’s fixture is very much dominating the back pages of both local and national papers in the morning editions. We’ll be departing for San Siro around 5.30pm, which will come around quickly with the matchday buzz in full flow.
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