AC MILAN Abbiati Abate, Bonera, Acerbi, Antonini De Jong Ambrosini, Boateng, Nocerino Pazzini, El Shaarawy

ANDERLECHT Proto Odoi, Wasilewski, Deschacht, Safari Gillet, Biglia, Kanu, Yakovenko Mbokani, De Sutter

The Italy international, who joined the Rossoneri from Fiorentina during the summer, was forced to sit out last weekend’s defeat at home to Atalanta with a knock picked up in the win at Bologna. It had been expected that Montolivo would be available for the visit of Anderlecht, having played a full part in training on Sunday, but under-fire coach Massimiliano Allegri has decided against taking a risk on the midfielder.

On the plus side, Massimo Ambrosini is fit to face the Belgians after recovering from the injury which forced him off against Atalanta.

Meanwhile, with Brazilian striking duo Alexandre Pato and Robinho still out of action, Allegri must decide whether to hand Bojan Krkic his first start for the club or again go with Stephan El Shaarawy and Giampaolo Pazzini in attack. Elsewhere, Antonio Nocerino could also be recalled in midfield.

As for Anderlecht, who are returning to the Champions League group stages for the first time since the 2006-07 season, have no fresh injury concerns as they look to inflict a third successive San Siro defeat on Milan, following the Italian outfit’s shock Serie A losses to Sampdoria and Atalanta.

However, Matias Suarez, last year’s Belgian player of the season, was left out of John van den Brom's Champions League squad after undergoing knee surgery, while Milan Jovanovic misses out through suspension.

• AC Milan have gone on to win the European Cup on the two previous occasions that they have run into Anderlecht: 1993-94 and 2006-07.

• During the latter campaign, Kaka, who very nearly rejoined Milan during this summer’s transfer window, was the difference between the two sides, scoring the only goal of the game in Brussels before then hitting a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory at the Giuseppe Meazza.

• The Rossoneri are featuring in the group stages for the 10th time in 11 seasons and you have to go all the way back to 1999-2000 for the last time they failed to make it through to the next round.

• Anderlecht are bidding to win their first game on Italian soil at the 15th attempt.

• John van den Brom made his final European appearance as a player in former club Vitesse’s Uefa Cup first-leg clash with Inter at San Siro during the 2000-01 season.
  

• Anderlecht progressed to the group stages courtesy of a 3-2 aggregate success over AEL Limassol FC.