AC Milan vs. Barcelona Preview, Odds, Predictions, Picks

After meeting with Real Madrid, AC Milan will clash with another Spanish powerhouse, Barcelona, on its preseason tour. Rossoneri haven’t won the past two tests, yet they played solid football. On the other side, Barca has a win and a loss but comes off a victory in El Clasico, where they trashed the big rival, Real. It is a significant boost for Xavi and the boys, who will look to extend the positive streak. As for AC Milan, the mission is clear, post the first triumph and get on with the preparations for the season.

Preview

AC Milan (+280) met with Real Madrid and Juventus, failing to win either of those games, despite playing well. Stefano Pioli’s unit showed solid performances in either of the clashes but fell short of beating the rivals.

Rossoneri were up 2-0 against Real, having a masterful opening half. Though, they’ve experienced a drop in the second 45 minutes, allowing three goals and wasting what was supposed to be an easy victory.

After that came a clash versus Juventus in which we saw a similar situation. The regular 90 minutes concluded 2-2, with Milan leading on two occasions yet failing to keep the edge. Eventually, Juventus won, being better following a penalty shootout. 

Barcelona (-110) played a game in Japan, to start the preseason, winning against Vissel Kobe, 0-2. Yet, their American tour began with an extremely high defeat to Arsenal, who shocked Xavi and his crew, packing five goals in their net. The final result was 5-3 for the Gunners.

It was the first time after a while that we saw Blaugrana weak on the defensive end. Their main characteristic throughout the previous campaign was a rock-solid backline.

However, a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in El Clasico in Texas, was something that erased the failure against Arsenal. That wasn’t a friendly match at all, but a true competitive battle between two enemies. And Barca won it fair and square, routinely, we might add. 

Latest News

There isn’t any news on AC Milan’s injuries.

On the other side, the newcomer from Manchester City, Ilkay Gundogan, and the center-back Andres Christensen will be out. Both of them picked up knocks against Real. 

Head to Head Games

The most recent meeting was in 2018 in the International Champions Cup, when AC Milan won 1-0. Previously, they met in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in 2013, 1-1 in Milan and 3-1 in Barca.

In the 1994 UEFA Champions League finals, Milan ripped apart Barca, 4-0. Those who remember that game, for sure, have a memory of Dejan Savicevic’s magnificent and incredible goal in Athens that night. 

Prediction

Milan still searches for its chemistry, although, Rossoneri play appealing football. Though, they aren’t competitive like Barca, who knows who to play to get the desired result. After all, Blaugrana is the La Liga champion, and that tells a lot. Our pick for this matchup is Barcelona, who comes in flying high following a big win over Real. The odds of their triumph are at -110, and that’s just fine for our needs. 

Pick: Barcelona -110