Real Madrid and AC Milan are the two of the most successful teams in the UEFA Champions League history. These two powerhouses have marked different eras in European football, which is why their clashes always arouse the fans. This time, they meet at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, the venue of the 1994 World Cup finals. Real is a favorite, but Milan has certain qualities and a winning mentality, as well as the obligation to preserve its reputation.
Preview
Real Madrid (+125) didn’t have any preseason tests. Carlo Ancelotti believed that his team would have plenty of time to restore its chemistry on tour through the United States because the backbone of the unit plays together for quite a while.
Benzema is gone, and that is a significant change. Though, Ancelotti and the front office already brought players who fit their vision for the future. Jude Bellingham and super talented Arda Guler from Fener, the jewel with limitless talent.
With or without Benzema, Real’s game will be the same as before, meaning that the team will have a straightforward approach, grinding the rivals in the midfield and exploiting Vinicius and other forwards while searching for space behind the rivals’ back line or in between the same.
AC Milan (+200) kicked off the preseason with a victory over Lumezzane, whom they trashed 7-0. This was a tougher practice session for the Rossoneri, who ended fourth in Serie A last year, reaching the Champions League, which was their original plan. Nobody believed they could defend the 2022 title, so the expectations and the plans were tied to the top four places.
Milan had a solid finish of the previous campaign, winning three in a row. Overall, their consistency has been a problem throughout the year, with the team from San Siro oscillating a lot.
The No.1 problem for Stefano Pioli was the defense. After the restart of the championship, we’ve seen the Rossoneri allowing goals constantly and in high numbers. As time went by, that slightly improved, and the attack covered it up, which eventually helped them reach the UCL zone.
Latest News
Milan should start Christian Pulisic right away, and the US fans should see their national team captain taking his place in the starting lineup.
As for Real, Bellingham is expected to start too.
Head to Head
The most recent meeting between the two units was in 2021, a club-friendly, which ended without winners and goals. In the past eleven years, these teams played club-friendly events five times, and Real has two wins, Milan one, while two games saw no winners.
Predictions
When looking at the overall picture, Real has more talent than Milan, and not just that, but more quality and better chemistry. Brahim Diaz was one of the best players in Milan, and he is now back at Real, while Sandro Tonali, who was a motor of the Rossoneri team, left for Newcastle. So, Italians have a lot to cover up, while Real already has a system that works just fine. That’s why we pick Los Blancos to win here.
Pick: Real Madrid wins +125
Nikola Velickovic is a sports journalist who loves to write and read on all sports. Nikola contributes both news updates and functions as a sports breaking news writer at WagerBop.
Twitter:
Email: nikola@wagerbop.com
Leave a Reply