Milan are playing their first official, televised friendly
of the season as they open their International Champions Cup by facing our old
friends, Bayern Munich. It almost seems like a summer tradition, as we have
often faced one another in the Audi Cup each summer. But this year, we meet in
the United States. Freunde.
 |
| Mr. Bigtime |
Bayern are very different to Milan these days, as they won
their 29th Bundesliga title this year. They have also participated in the
Champions League for the past ten years consecutively, and have won the
competition five times, including three years straight in the 1970s. They are
even playing their final game of the ICC Tournament as Milan are playing their
first. Maybe it’s less of a friendly and more like The Odd Couple.
Their most recent match was Saturday, when they defeated Real
Madrid 3-1, despite ending on ten men. For this, their second ICC match, Kovac started
a 4-1-4-1 with Neuer; Kimmich, Jerome Boateng, Javi Martinez, Alaba; Thiago;
Arp, Tolisso, Sanches, Coman; and Müller. Subs included Ulreich, Süle,
Goretzka, Zaiser, Pavard, Singh, Davies, Gnabry, and Lewandowski. Ulreich is
the one who was sent off, so we won’t see him on Tuesday. Additionally, Theo
Hernandez’ brother, Lucas, who just transferred to Bayern, was not called up
for this tournament as he is still recovering from a knee injury.
— Theo Hernandez (@TheoHernandez) July 7, 2019
Milan have been on life support for a while, but once again
are showing signs of resuscitation under our new ownership and management. This
match also marks the first match under new coach, Marco Giampaolo. I think
Giampaolo may be a little starstruck, as he didn’t travel like this or face
such a successful club with Sampdoria. Or Empoli. Or Cremonese. Or Brescia. Or Cesena. Or Catania, Siena, Cagliari,
Ascoli, Treviso, Giulianova, or Pescara. To say that he has a lot to
prove would be an understatement.
 |
| After losing to Arsenal, Bayern beat Real |
He has called up Antonio Donnarumma, Gigio Donnarumma,
Plizzari, Reina; Calabria, Conti, Gabbia, Hernández, Musacchio, Rodriguez,
Romagnoli, Strinic; Biglia, Bonaventura, Brescianini, Calhanoglu, Capanni,
Krunić, Daniel Maldini, Mionic, Suso; André Silva, Borini, Capone,
Castillejo, Cutrone, and Piątek. However, André Silva has already said his
farewells and left the team’s base camp in Boston to fly to Monaco, where he is
expected to complete a €30m transfer. Giampaolo is expected to roll out his
signature 4-3-1-2, as it is reported to be the only formation he has tested in
training so far.
 |
| Happy not to have to face his brother? |
These friendlies are as much about exposure to new fans as
they are about football. While it gives Giampaolo an opportunity to give nearly
all of the players some playing time against players that Milan aren’t likely
to be facing this summer, it is hardly an indication of how we’ll play when
Serie A kicks off. It’s truly a friendly, and it will be entertaining to play
it against our freunde.
This post inspired by the music of Randy
Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”
Our next match is
a friendly
Bayern Munich vs. AC Milan
Tuesday, July 23 •
8pm CDT (9pm EDT)
Children’s Mercy
Park, Kansas City
This match can be
streamed LIVE on ESPN+ in the U.S.