Audi Cup • AC Milan vs. Tottenham: Battle for Dignity

So after looking like an amateur side vs. Bayern and losing 3-0, the only hope we have now is to take third place, something we have achieved only once out of the previous three times we’ve competed in the Audi Cup. We can play better than that, and we have. But four years ago, we also faced Tottenham, but in the Champions League. According to the English media, we disgraced ourselves then, so we have a bit of redeeming of ourselves if we are to be respected. And after Tottenham played yesterday, they kind of do, too. So consider this one a battle for dignity.

This starting 11 from yesterday needs redemption, please

To be fair, Mihajlovic made the following five changes to our starting lineup who played so well against Real Madrid last week: Zapata for Alex, Bonaventura for Poli, Honda for Suso, Bacca for Niang, and Adriano for Cerci. In addition to upsetting the balance of awesomeness (because some of those were improvements, in my opinion,) Bayern played a higher tempo, more pressing game than Real Madrid did. Guardiola probably told them that they could only humiliate themselves once a week, and they had already exceeded their quota. But it also shows how much work we have left that our players are not interchangeable within Mihajlovic’ system yet. Either way, we need to redeem ourselves today.

Tottenham finished a very respectable fifth in the Premier League last year and are playing in the Europa League this season, too. And actually, I thought they played quite well against Real Madrid yesterday, too, despite losing 2-0, but they were never going to win that one. Especially not when their former teammate Gareth Bale shamelessly scored against them. They may think that Milan are just a bunch of thugs after meeting Flamini and Gattuso four years ago, but not only are those guys long gone, Milan have changed a lot since then. Now we have players like Cerci and Matri, who could never be bothered to care enough to take someone out with a Flamini Special™ (a two footed tackle) or defend xenophobic remarks by an ex-Milan player the way that Gattuso did with Joe Jordan.

If our players defended with this much passion, maybe we'd be playing the later game tonight

Still, both teams will be looking to redeem themselves in the early game tonight. Milan are just looking to not take fourth place again, and Tottenham are still wondering how they got invited to this place, but think they can probably take a Milan side who finished tenth in Serie A last season (and they’re probably right.) Zapata and Niang were both subbed off for apparent injuries, so are thus doubtful for this one. But look for some of the players who didn’t play 75 minutes vs. Bayern to get more time today. And above all, look for Milan’s dignity. If we can’t find it in a starting eleven, we will have to battle for it for 90 minutes vs. Tottenham. Please?

This post inspired by the music of The Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen”

Audi Cup Third Place Match

AC Milan vs. Tottenham

Wednesday, August 5 • 18:15 CEST (12:15pm EDT)

This match will be shown on ESPN2 in the U.S.