Real Madrid vs. Manchester United Preview, Odds, Predictions, Picks

Real Madrid and Manchester United are arguably the most popular teams in the world, and their fanbase is incredibly massive. The two powerhouses clash at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, this Wednesday night. We’ve seen these units playing some friendly games before this one, so we can say they already have a competitive rhythm. Real played only one event, while United had more, but that won’t change the situation. 

More previews for club friendly games:

• Chelsea vs. Newcastle
• Arsenal vs. Barcelona 

Preview

Real Madrid (+135) was better than AC Milan in their first and only game in the United States. The Los Blancos pulled back from 0-2 to beat the Rossoneri 3-2. Federico Valverde played a superb match, with the Uruguayan sparking the comeback with two goals and domination in the midfield.

The Spanish unit played without Karim Benzema, who is now in Saudi Arabia after years of being Real’s top striker. Many were curious to see whether Los Blancos would adapt to playing without the French star, but to be honest, we’ve seen that in the past, with Benzema often missing games due to injuries, and back then, Real had no particular problems in its performances. 

The focal point of the attack will now be Vinicius Junior. On the other side, the midfield will be one of the best in the world, with fantastic players who are able to create chances for one another. 

Manchester United (+175) has a busy schedule in the States, with the Red Devils playing two games up to this point, one against Wrexham 24 hours earlier. Erik Ten Hag wants his team fully fit and ready for the start of the year, so he feels this is suitable for him and the unit. 

United’s defense has been dominant in these couple of games, not allowing goals against Leeds, Lyon, and Arsenal. We’ve seen them very focused and reliable against the Gunners, winning that clash 2-0, which wasn’t the case in the previous season, especially at the finish of the campaign.

On the other hand, the attack clearly needs to upgrade. It is decent for the moment, but as time goes by, United might experience problems. They lack a typical striker, which is absolutely necessary in a situation when they have to chase the result. 

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When it comes to injuries, there aren’t any reported for either unit. 

Head to Head Games

The last time these two units met was a friendly in 2018, when Manchester won 2-1. The year before, we saw them in the UEFA Super Cup in Skopje, where Real triumphed 2-1. 

Prediction

Real has better chemistry and a much stronger midfield than the Red Devils. Meanwhile, it seems that United’s defense performs well these days, but to be honest, there weren’t appropriately tested (with all due respect to Arsenal). Real is at a completely different level than all of the United’s previous rivals, with enormous potential on both ends of the field, especially in the attack. Given that Ancelotti needs to brush up his offense, we believe that the Los Blancos will focus on attacking, which will leave the door open for United’s forwards. The safest pick here is both teams to score, which is our suggestion. Those who are willing to take risks go with Real’s win. 

Pick: Both teams to score -190