European football powerhouses Real Madrid and AC Milan are set to clash in Pasadena, California, on Sunday for a pre-season friendly match as part of the Soccer Champions Tour.
Real Madrid, aiming to bounce back from a disappointing 2022/23 season, will be playing their first match this summer and have plans to tour three other destinations in the United States before the La Liga season kicks off in August.
On the other hand, AC Milan enters the match after an impressive 7-0 victory against Italian minnows Lumezzane and is focused on achieving a better finish in Serie A for the 2023/24 season. Additionally, they had a strong run to the Champions League semi-finals in their previous campaign.
Here are some key details about the upcoming match:
- Venue: The match will take place in Pasadena, California.
- Head-to-Head Record: In their last five encounters, Real Madrid has secured two wins, AC Milan has claimed one victory, and two matches have ended in draws. Their last competitive meeting was in the Champions League on November 3, 2010, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
- How to Watch: The match can be viewed on TV and through live streaming services.
- Real Madrid Team News: Real Madrid’s summer signings Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, Fran Garcia, and Joselu are included in the squad traveling to the United States. Brahim Diaz, who spent last season on loan with AC Milan, is also part of the squad and might feature in the match.
- Real Madrid Predicted Lineup (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Nacho, Garcia; Bellingham, Tchouameni, Kroos; Rodrygo, Joselu, Vinicius.
- AC Milan Team News: AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli has left out Divock Origi, Ante Rebic, Mattia Caldara, Fode Ballo-Toure, and Marko Lazetic from the squad, as they are expected to finalize transfers away from the club. Some players, like Rafael Leao, Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez, Charles De Ketelaere, and Pierre Kalulu, might not be heavily featured in the match due to extended breaks after international commitments, opening up opportunities for fringe players to start.
- AC Milan Predicted Lineup (4-3-3): Sportiello; Calabria, Gabbia, Tomori, Florenzi; Loftus-Cheek, Krunic, Pobega; Messias, Colombo, Pulisic.
- Score Prediction: Real Madrid, now with Karim Benzema leading the attack, is in a new phase, and fans will be intrigued to see how Carlo Ancelotti sets up the team, especially as they haven’t signed a high-profile attacker in the summer transfer window. Their young and exciting players will be eager to perform well and dominate the match against AC Milan, who might be missing some key players. If players like Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Bellingham find their form, Real Madrid could secure a comfortable victory. However, pre-season matches can be unpredictable, and unexpected results are not uncommon