UEFA Champions League squad: AC Milan include Samuel Chukwueze, leave out AFCON winner

The Nigeria international made his mark in the Europa League with Villarreal and will look to impact Europe’s premier club competition with the Rossoneri

AC Milan have unveiled their squad for the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage, and there are a few notable inclusions and omissions, Soccernet.ng reports. 

New signing Samuel Chukwueze, the Super Eagles winger who joined from Villarreal this summer, has made the cut.

Chukwueze has already made three appearances in Serie A and has been a part of Milan’s impressive league campaign start.

On the flip side, Algerian midfielder Ismael Bennacer has been left out. Coach Stefano Pioli’s decision is due to Bennacer’s injury, and there is hope for his return should Milan advance to the knockout stages.

The exclusion list also features Luka Romero and Marco Pellegrino. In contrast, Milan has included former Fiorentina forward Luka Jovic and Yacine Adli in their squad.

UEFA regulations dictate that each club must have at least four homegrown players, a requirement that Milan has adhered to in their selection.

Recall that Milan reached the semi-finals of the Champions League last season, ultimately losing out to local rivals Inter in the Derby della Madonnina.

This time, they face a daunting challenge in a group that includes Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, and Newcastle United.

The full Milan squad for the UEFA Champions League:

Maignan, Sportiello, Mirante, Chukwueze, Giroud, Hernandez, Kalulu, Kjaer, Krunic, Leao, Loftus-Cheek, Musah, Okafor, Pulisic, Reijnders, Thiaw, Tomori, Caldara, Florenzi, Calabria, Pobega, Adli, and Jovic.

THE ROSSONERI’S FIXTURE LIST

MATCHDAY 1 (Tuesday 19 September, 18:45 CEST): AC Milan v Newcastle

MATCHDAY 2 (Wednesday 4 October, 21:00 CEST): Borussia Dortmund v AC Milan

MATCHDAY 3 (Wednesday 25 October, 21:00 CEST): PSG v AC Milan

MATCHDAY 4 (Tuesday 7 November, 21:00 CET): AC Milan v PSG

MATCHDAY 5 (Tuesday 28 November, 21:00 CET): AC Milan v Borussia Dortmund

MATCHDAY 6 (Wednesday 13 December, 21:00 CET): Newcastle v AC Milan