Champions League line-ups: Feyenoord vs. Milan | OneFootball

Milan launch the Fantastic 4 in the Champions League play-off with Feyenoord, starting Santiago Gimenez, Joao Felix, Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic.

It kicks off at the De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Club Brugge-Atalanta on the Liveblog.

The Rossoneri revamped everything to start 2025, replacing Paulo Fonseca with Sergio Conceicao to win the Supercoppa Italiana, then transforming the squad in the transfer window.

That included the purchase of Gimenez from Feyenoord for over €30m plus add-ons and he gets his first start for the club against his former teammates in what will certainly be an emotional evening for the Mexico international.

It is also the first time the so-called Fantastic 4 are starting together, with Joao Felix, Leao and Pulisic in support.

However, Yunus Musah is suspended after his red card in the defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Emerson Royal are injured, plus Warren Bondo, Alex Jimenez, Riccardo Sottil and Luka Jovic off the Champions League list.

That also means Kyle Walker makes his Champions League debut in the Milan jersey.

David Hancko of Feyenoord celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Manchester City and Feyenoord at City of Manchester Stadium on November 26, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Feyenoord had a rather dramatic build-up to this play-off, sensationally sacking coach Brian Priske on Monday to bring in Pascal Bosschaart, promoted from their youth team.

Justin Bijlow is struggling with a knee issue, so Timon Wellenreuther takes over in goal.

Calvin Stengs, Ramiz Zerrouki, Gernot Trauner and Bart Nieuwkoop are also out of action, with Inbeom Hwang not at 100 per cent.

Feyenoord beat Girona, Benfica, Sparta Prague and most memorably Bayern Munich 3-0 in the league phase, also drawing a 3-3 thriller with Manchester City.

However, there were heavy losses to Bayer Leverkusen, RB Salzburg and a 6-1 capitulation in Lille.

Feyenoord vs. Milan official line-ups

Feyenoord: Wellenreuther; Read, Beelen, Hancko, Smal; Moder, Milambo, Q Timber; Hadj Moussa, Ueda, Paixao

Feyenoord bench: Andreev, Ka, Bueno, Ivanusec, Carranza, Mitchell, T Zand, Osman, Van Den Elshout, Giersthove, Redmond

Milan: Maignan; Walker, Thiaw, Pavlovic, Theo Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Joao Felix, Leao; Gimenez

Milan bench: Sportiello, Torriani, Chukwueze, Tomori, Bartesaghi, Terracciano, Gabbia, Camarda, Abraham

Ref: Sanchez (ESP)