With AC Milan set to face Stade Rennais in the Europa League tonight, we look at some of the Italian side's most memorable matches against French opposition.
UEFA Champions League Final, 1993: Olympique de Marseille 1-0 AC Milan
In the first season of the Champions League in its current iteration, Marseille were crowned champions thanks to a solitary goal by defender Basile Boli. Led by Raymond Goethals, that Marseille side also featured several legends of French football, including current national team manager Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly, and Abédi Pelé. Thirty years on, the match remains one of the great moments in the history of Ligue 1 teams in Europe.
UEFA Europa League Group Stage, 2020: AC Milan 0-3 LOSC Lille
On their way to winning the Ligue 1 title in this season, Les Dogues also turned in a strong European campaign, reaching the knockout stages after navigating a tricky group that included the Rossoneri and Celtic. Their most impressive result was this Matchday 3 win in Milan, though — a hat trick from Yusuf Yazici paved the way to what remains the Italian side’s heaviest-ever European defeat at the San Siro. Lille have faced Milan four times in European competition, winning twice and drawing twice.
.@KMbappe's opening goal against AC Milan 🔥#PSGACM pic.twitter.com/E8vgDetaqR
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) October 27, 2023
UEFA Champions League Group Stage, 2023: Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 AC Milan
Milan would have their revenge in the reverse fixture, but the current Ligue 1 leaders turned in a very strong performance at the Parc des Princes in October. With teenager Warren Zaïre-Emery impressing at the base of midfield, and goals from Kylian Mbappé and summer signings Kang-In Lee and Randal Kolo Muani, Les Parisiens notched an important result in what proved to be a challenging group.
UEFA CUP Quarterfinal Second Leg, 1996: Girondins de Bordeaux 3-0 AC Milan
After going down 2-0 at the San Siro in a loss that saw Roberto Baggio net a brilliant free kick, it was down to Les Girondins to make a big comeback. A team that included Zinedine Zidane, Christophe Dugarry and Bixente Lizarazu was more than up to the task, winning 3-0 at the Stade Chaban-Delmas to go through on aggregate, 3-2, with Zidane setting up Dugarry twice in the second half. Bordeaux would then beat Slavia Prague in the semifinals before losing to Bayern Munich in the final, a remarkable run through the tournament.
UEFA Champions League Group Stage, 2002: RC Lens 2-1 AC Milan
Milan would go on to win the Champions League this season, becoming one of three Italian teams to reach the semifinals, but Lens impressed in what would prove a vital win. Milan topped the group, and Deportiva La Coruña came second, but Le Sang et Or finished ahead of Bayern Munich to reach the UEFA Cup, no mean feat in what was a challenging group.
