The prestigious UEFA cup ( europa league) 20/21

Sport
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Rovers v Milan confirmed on RTE next Thursday with a 7pm ko. KOH

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AC Milan supremo Paolo Maldini admits the Italian giants are “concerned” about Thursday’s Europa League clash with Shamrock Rovers in Dublin due to their lack of match fitness against a fully-fit Hoops squad.

While Rovers have their focus on the run-in to the 2020 league title - they are eight points clear with seven games to go - Milan are still in pre-season mode and Thursday’s one-off game in Tallaght Stadium will be their first competitive game of the campaign, with their first league match next Monday.

Milan are expected to progress into the third qualifying round, and the Italians are hopeful that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be available despite a recent injury.

But former Milan player Maldini, now the club’s technical director, has issued a note of caution.

“It’s a game that scares us a lot,” he was quoted as saying on Sky Italia. “They (Rovers) are a team that is doing well, first in their league, and we have some (injury) problems.”

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Graham Burke insists all the pressure is on AC Milan in Tallaght tomorrow.

The Serie A giants face Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League and technical director and club legend Paulo Maldini admits that Milan are ‘worried’ about the game.

Hoops ace Burke said yesterday: “If we win, it’s going to be the biggest upset in Irish football history. If you ask anyone who has the most pressure on them, it’s AC Milan.

“When I saw the three teams we could get in the draw, it was such a shock to see AC Milan’s name. They expect to be in the Champions League.”

And Ireland international Burke added: “Milan are one of the biggest teams in the world, I don’t think there’s too much pressure on us.”

Burke made his Irish debut against Kylian MbappĂŠ and Paul Pogba and will face Zlatan Ibrahimovic tomorrow.

Paolo Maldini says AC Milan are scared ahead of Shamrock Rovers clash

AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic on track to be fit for Shamrock Rovers clash

But the Shamrock Rovers forward insists he’s not one for stargazing as the Hoops look to put some space between themselves and their iconic Italian counterparts.

“Football is a game of enjoyment,” he said yesterday. “If you put too much pressure on yourself and think about things it gets complicated.

“A game like that is all about enjoyment. You need to have discipline and work hard but you go into it with a bit of freedom and try to play your own game.

“It’s a game you look back on when you retire and it’ll always stick out for you, whether you played well or not.

“You don’t want to remember it as one that got away, It’s an unbelievable occasion, you just want to try and enjoy it.”

Burke is one of the dangermen that Serie A giants Milan will have to keep tabs on as they try to plot a path through the qualifying minefield.

And Hoops boss Stephen Bradley believes Burke is a big game player who will rise to the challenge.

“Graham’s the type of player who plays the same way no matter who it is, he doesn’t see the jerseys or the name on the jerseys,” said Bradley.

“He’s a real throwback to just playing with no fear. He’s in his stride now and when he’s in his rhythm, he’s a handful.”

Burke understands the size of the task facing Rovers but wouldn’t bet against them, not least with Milan in pre-season.

“You’re up against players who are worth millions and millions and millions of pounds. These are going to be the best players that we have ever played against.

“The one that stands out was my international debut for Ireland and Mbappe - the sharpness of him. He’s the creme de la creme of football players.

“Milan have one of the greatest strikers to ever play football. This is going to be the highest level of football that we’ve played against.

“It’s going to be a hard night, a difficult night but we’ll put on our best performance. I’s completely different to the teams we play against domestically.”

And Burke continued: “I have nerves going into games, but it’s not thinking ‘it’s AC Milan’, you have to enjoy it.

“I play on the edge anyway. I’m always a moment away from being red carded or yellow carded, so it’s a lot of aggression in a way, but it’s not nerves or tension.

“It’s about enjoying that sort of game because you might never get it again in your life.”

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The bald lad in the white shirt is like Richie Sadlier

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Did ye get much for this? cc @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy

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10k

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Your man has little enough to be worrying him .

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Handy money for nothing

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Cringe

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All that is wrong about betting banter. David Squires sums it up well

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Lovely interview with @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy on RTE earlier. Glad he will get to see the Hoops this evening.

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Best of luck tonight @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy

Sad that you can’t be there in attendance

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Best of luck @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy

Good luck with the cherry picker

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The andorrans at 15/2 are way overpriced at home to dundalk tonight at 1/4 lads
Drita beat them 2-1 in the champions league qualifiers and we all know that Drita has to forfeit their game v linfield over Covid so linfield progressed
Andorran clubs are obviouly poor and their league is ranked only above San Marino
now our league is skewed by the 2.625 earned by dundalk in 2016, if you were to put that at the average of the last 3 years of 1.1 we’d be just above the Welsh league which is maybe realistic ( Rovers aside based on beating the norwegians and cypriots at home last year…

that andorran side is full of fellas who have played international football
Dundalk are in an utter mess

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Pity ye can’t have a crowd, it’s a lovely evening.

Give em hell

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Banter

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Best of luck @Little_Lord_Fauntleroy. we don’t always see eye to eye but as a genuine fan it’s a great evening for you to savour

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Spurs are about 10 minutes away from going out to a Bulgarian team with their first choice team