Barcelona vs AC Milan
The second best teams in Spain and Italy are set to clash in midweek in their final pre-season club friendly before the real action begins.
After this meeting in Baltimore, it will be almost time for the competitive stuff to kick-off as Barcelona, La Liga runners-up last term, and Milan, the second placed side in Serie A in 2023/24, open their respective new campaigns.
However, right now, followers of either team could be forgiven for not being too optimistic.
In fact, at this stage of the summer, it’s debatable whether either club has strengthened sufficiently in their pursuit of arch rivals Real Madrid and Inter Milan – the teams they finished well adrift of last term.
Talking Points
In Catalonia, the emergence of Lamine Yamal following his Euro 2024 exploits, is reason to get locals excited but the pressure should not be on a boy who has just turned 17.
It is the more experienced heads that need to lead the charge. The club’s finances remain under scrutiny and it’s been reported that a lack of resources may impact them again in key areas.
Barcelona fell apart in their two most crucial games of last term against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, seeing them knocked out of the Champions League and the La Liga title race.
That was down, in no small part, to the Blaugrana being unable to control the midfield.
Former manager Xavi Hernandez had identified defensive midfield as a key need for the summer transfer window, and successor Hansi Flick has also made it clear he needs such a player to link the side together.
There have been reports that Flick likes one of Barcelona’s academy talents in that position and will consider using regular centre back Andreas Christensen in midfield too which may mean a replacement for Sergio Busquets is not deemed necessary.
We shall find out over the next few weeks.
It’s not just Barcelona who have a new man at the helm.
Paulo Fonseca arrived in Milan in June as the new head coach on a three-year contract, replacing Stefano Pioli whose side finished 19 points off the pace last term and had fairly lacklustre runs in both the Champions League and domestic cups.
Fonseca guided Lille to a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1.
He has so far brought in Spain’s successful captain, Alvaro Morata, from Atletico Madrid and centre back Strahinja Pavlović, while the club is reportedly considering a move for Cagliari goalkeeper Simone Scuffet after current back-up goalkeeper Marco Sportiello suffered a freak hand injury.
Sportiello, who joined the Rossoneri from Atalanta last summer, suffered a serious cut to his hand in a freak accident at the team’s hotel, and is expected to miss several months of action.
Current number one, France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, has just returned to training and will not join up with his teammates until they return from their stateside trip.
There has also been a further blow with the news that veteran midfielder Alessandro Florenzi has gone under the knife to reconstruct the torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee.
He sustained the injury last weekend during a pre-season friendly against Manchester City and is now expected to miss virtually the whole campaign.
Milan have also sent talented striker Lorenzo Colombo to Empoli on a loan deal with a buy option attached.
The 22 year-old Italian striker had the opportunity to prove himself during the US tour, scoring twice against City in a display of friendly highlights, which perhaps made it a surprise that he was allowed to depart.
Given that scenario and Florenzi’s injury, the squad will likely be strengthened between now and the start of the league season.
As with Barcelona, if not, these two clubs could well be among the bridesmaids rather than the bride again this term.
History
There have been several classic matches between the sides in European history.
Their meeting in the 1994 European Cup Final proved a one-sided affair in favour of Milan when Johan Cruyff and his Barca’s dream died in emphatic fashion.
When they met again 12 years later, Barca gained a modicum of revenge with a narrow semi-final victory en-route to three Champions League successes in six years.
Their most recent competitive meeting came in the group stages of the 2014/15 Champions Lague.
That was when a first leg 1-1 draw at the San Siro – when Robinho and Lionel Messi traded first half goals – was followed by a 3-1 home win at the Nou Camp, helped by a goal in each half from the diminutive Argentinian.
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