Battle of the giants as AC Milan takes on Real Madrid
UEFA Champions League is regarded as the premier football competition in Europe because the best clubs from European leagues vie for the prestigious Champions’ League crown.
It couldn’t get better than two of biggest clubs of Europe taking on each other as AC Milan travel to take on Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabau stadium. Both teams have finished the weekend on a high as AC Milan go second after a string of impressive
performances in the Serie A.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid has gone to the summit after an outstanding win over Malaga with Valencia beaten by Barcelona.
The match between the two giants is by far the biggest match of this season’s Champions League with sixteen European crowns between them. Real’s skipper Iker Casillas, who guided Spain to World cup triumph, believes the game against Milan is sort of a game,
which every player dreams to play in, and fans crave to witness.
For Real the game couldn’t have come at a better time because two of their star strikers Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain both, who were misfiring for the early part of the season, got onto the score sheet against Malaga in Laliga. The duo went onto
score two goals apiece to return to top form when it mattered most which has eased the pressure on manager Jose Mourinho.
Ronaldo said he was hoping that he will find his touch and it’s a relief that he will go against AC Milan after regaining his slick form, which has seen him labeled as the best player on earth presently, alongside Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Brazilian Kaka.
The win will take Real a step away from qualification, which will make their work easy as then they will need to win only one match, out of the remaining three. But things could get worse for AC Milan because if they lost, they will have to vie with Dutch
club Ajax and French side Auxerre for a second place finish.
On the other hand Real cannot afford to lose at home as it will be no less than a sin to concede a home defeat. Real, who have won the European Cup nine times, would be looking to take their tally to double figures and in Jose Mourinho they have a manager,
who has tasted the Champions League triumph twice.
Jose Mourinho is also eyeing a personal landmark of becoming the first manager in history to win UEFA Champions League crown with three different clubs. His previous triumph came with FC Porto and Inter Milan. There isn’t any one presently, who can match
Mourinho’s mentality as he is pretty clever besides being arrogant.
AC Milan’s manger, Massimo Allergi, is sweating over the fitness of Thiago Silva, who has become a backbone of Milan’s defence, complementing Alessandro Nesta pretty well after the demise of Paolo Maldini.
Presently there aren’t any bright chances of Silva playing the match against Real as he has been bothered by a niggle, which he picked up in the game against Chievo in Seria A. If Silva isn’t able to get well, then Milan’s coach will have to play Daniele
Bonera.
The biggest concern for Real Madrid would be the presence of Ronaldinho in Milan’s ranks as he has been a curse for Real since his Barcelona days. He even received a standing ovation from Madrid supporters for his outstanding performances against Real at
their home ground. If Ronnie finds his touch of old days then Real are certain to get defeated in front of the home crowd.
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