Kjaer warns Reds that Milan are determined 'to prove they are not on holiday'

AC Milan centre back Simon Kjaer has warned Liverpool that the Rossoneri are out to prove themselves in their Champions League clash on Wednesday.

Anfield plays host to the sides' opening group stage game as Liverpool begin their quest for their seventh Champions League title.

The Reds face a tricky start to their European journey this season, with manager Jurgen Klopp even admitting they have been drawn one of the toughest groups with Atletico Madrid, who Liverpool crashed out against in the last 16 last season, Porto and Milan.

Stefano Pioli's side were the one team everyone was trying to avoid in pot four, where the lowest-ranked teams in the competition were being drawn out.

The Rossoneri missed out to rivals Inter in the Serie A title race having led the way for most of the season, but have addressed the spine of the team over the summer with the likes of Olivier Giroud, Fikayo Tomori and goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

And, ahead of their trip to Merseyside, Kjaer claimed that Milan were prepared to provide a challenge for Klopp's side after growing 'physically and mentally'.

'We have prepared well,' Kjaer said. 'We are at a good point in our path, we have grown a lot and now we must demonstrate.

'Matches like this are the ones we play football for. Not many believe that we can go there and play for it, but that's our mentality.

'With the utmost respect, but we will play, as against any team.'

The Denmark captain arrived at Milan in January 2020 on a loan deal from Sevilla before signing permanently last September and believes he has improved alongside the team.

'I also think I'm playing my best football, but I only play well if the team does well,' he said.

'We need the same mentality, Liverpool are very strong, but in my opinion we have grown both physically and mentally compared to the last game in Europe.

'Tomorrow, it will be difficult, but I know the coach and he wants us to go there and play for Milan. We are there to prove that we are not on holiday.'

Remarkably, given the pedigree of the two clubs, this is the first time Liverpool have ever hosted Milan, their only previous meetings coming in the finals of 2005 – the story of which has been told many times over – and 2007.

The last time they played each other was in a pre-season friendly in 2016, in what Klopp’s first summer in charge. Liverpool made short work of Milan that night in California, winning 2-0 at the home of the San Francisco 49ers, but there won’t be any such formality now.