Celtic vs AC Milan: Final Preseason Clash Preview
Celtic have left the glamour tie for last. On Saturday, under a Glasgow sky that will feel far more serious than any friendly deserves, AC Milan arrive at Celtic Park as the final act of the Scottish champions’ preseason.
This isn’t just another summer run-out. It’s the last rehearsal before the Scottish Premiership curtain goes up against Dundee on August 3, and it comes against a club that measures itself in European Cups – seven of them.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. in Glasgow, the same across the United Kingdom. That means 10 a.m. ET and 7 a.m. PT for American viewers, and 4 p.m. CEST for those watching in Italy. The stadium will carry the noise; the broadcast will be more modern. There’s no traditional linear TV option, with CelticPlayer streaming the game worldwide, including the United States. beIN Sports Connect has it in Australia, DAZN in Belgium, and Sky Sport Calcio in Italy.
Pulisic Out as Amorim Starts Milan Tenure
The headline name missing is Christian Pulisic. The American will not feature in Rúben Amorim’s first match in charge of Milan after suffering a bone bruise and microfracture to his tibia and fibula during the United States’ World Cup round-of-16 exit. The injury keeps him out for weeks, not months, according to CBS Sports, but it still strips this fixture of one of its most marketable figures.
Amorim, lured from Manchester United in the wake of Milan’s alarming slide down the Serie A table last season, has already sketched out his vision for Pulisic once he returns.
“Pulisic is a highly talented player, but unfortunately, he got injured again,” Amorim said, as quoted by CBS Sports. “I have an idea of where I want to see him play — on the left as an inverted winger.”
For now, that plan stays on the tactics board.
He is far from the only absentee. A long list of World Cup participants are expected to sit this one out: Mike Maignan, Pervis Estupiñán, Koni De Winter, Adrien Rabiot, Ardon Jashari, Luka Modrić, Rafael Leão, Alexis Saelemaekers and Santiago Giménez are all set to remain on the sidelines.
New marquee signing Gonçalo Ramos, an $84 million arrival, is still on vacation and will not be involved. Milan fans might instead get their first proper look at fellow summer recruits Mario Gila and teenage forward Francesco Camarda, both in line to make their debuts in Rossoneri colours.
For Amorim, the night is less about perfection and more about first impressions. The shape, the intensity, the early hints of how a shaken Milan intends to reassert itself in Italy and beyond.
Celtic Chasing First Preseason Win – and a Spark
On the other side, Celtic come into this meeting still searching for a victory in preseason. Martin O’Neill’s team have stumbled through their warm-up schedule so far, drawing with Middlesbrough and Shelbourne and suffering a heavy defeat to Sporting CP.
The results have not been the only talking point. The stands have told their own story. Only around 5,000 supporters turned up for the Middlesbrough draw, a sparse crowd at Celtic Park that reflected simmering frustration with the club’s transfer business as much as anything happening on the pitch.
O’Neill, though, pointed to a more practical factor.
“It’s pretty expensive to come to games now,” he said, as quoted by GlasgowWorld. “We’ve got a game against AC Milan next week, so if some people are coming to both games, that’s a lot of money.”
The manager’s message was clear: don’t confuse empty seats with empty hearts.
On the grass, at least one new face has offered encouragement. Camilo Durán, Celtic’s lone permanent signing of the summer so far, scored the equaliser against Middlesbrough and is expected to lead the line again. The Colombian’s movement and sharpness have given O’Neill something to build around in a squad that still feels one or two signings short of complete.
There is better news at the back. Cameron Carter-Vickers, returning from a ruptured ACL, managed an hour in that Middlesbrough match and should see more action against Milan as he inches towards full fitness. His presence, even in preseason, changes the feel of Celtic’s defence.
World Cup returnees Alistair Johnston, Kieran Tierney, Auston Trusty and Yang Hyun-jun are all available and add a layer of experience and energy that has been missing at times this summer. One notable omission is Daizen Maeda, who will not play as he edges closer to a move to Ipswich Town.
So Celtic step into their final dress rehearsal still winless, still incomplete, but with enough quality on the pitch to turn a restless mood into something more optimistic if they can put on a show.
A Familiar European Foe, A Different Kind of Stakes
These two clubs know each other well from European nights, though the balance of history leans heavily Milan’s way. They have met 12 times, with the Rossoneri winning eight of those encounters. Celtic have just one victory, with three matches drawn.
This time, the stakes are different. No group tables, no away goals, no jeopardy beyond fitness and rhythm. Yet the fixture still carries a certain weight. Celtic Park under lights, Milan in town, a manager under pressure to show progress before the real stuff starts. It all adds up.
For Milan, the visit to Glasgow is part of a broader preseason itinerary. After this, they head to Australia for a derby against Inter Milan, then face Chelsea and Manchester United before opening their Serie A campaign away to Torino on August 23.
For Celtic, there is no such luxury of time. Dundee loom on August 3. The questions around recruitment, around sharpness, around how quickly Carter-Vickers and others can hit top speed, won’t be answered in full on Saturday. But they will be framed.
One final friendly, against one of Europe’s aristocrats, to set the tone. Will it be another warning sign, or the night Celtic finally click into gear?
