Milan's fourth Champions League outing in the new League Phase sees the team traveling to the Bernabėu to face Real Madrid. This clash is highly anticipated, as it sees the two teams who have won the most Champions League titles face off. While Milan have seven titles to their name, Real Madrid are the current title holders and have won 15 Champions League trophies. More importantly, Carlo Ancelotti, the manager who has won the most Champions League trophies, won all five of his titles with these two clubs – two with AC Milan, and three now with Real Madrid. It is the most Champion League royalty that you could cram into a single match, with Carlo being the King of them all. And Milan will have to play in Carlo's house.
No one can touch Ancelotti.
This is not the first time Milan have faced Real Madrid this year, actually. In the summer, Fonseca's fledgling young players faced Ancelotti's non-international players in Chicago on their U.S. tour. for a friendly. That match ended with Milan winning 1-0, but that is no predictor of this match. Not only were Milan a couple of weeks further into their summer training, but most of Real Madrid's starters were not even there. Save for our beloved former Milan player, Brahim, of course. It was a little sad to see him look at our team and barely see anyone he knew anymore, just two years after winning the Scudetto with us. Not even his BFF and former Real Madrid player Theo Hernández was there, because he was still on holiday after national team duty.
Ancelotti played for and managed Milan, a team forever in his heart.
Real Madrid currently sit in 12th place in the League Phase table, having won two matches and lost 1-0 to Lille. In Spain, they are second behind bitter rivals Barcelona, having lost to them 4-0 in their recent El Clasico. Due to the tragic flooding and loss in Valencia, their match that had been scheduled to be played in Valencia this weekend was postponed. This left the Madrid players rested, but also anxious to play again after their humiliating defeat to Barca. For that match, Ancelotti lined up a 4-4-2 with: Andriy Lunin; Vázquez, Militão, Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy; Bellingham, Valverde, Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior. From Ancelotti's Champions League squad, Courtois is reportedly back in training, but not fit yet to start, while Carvajal and Alaba are both out recuperating from surgeries. However, Ancelotti did get some good news with Rodrygo returning to training on Monday.
Fonseca is back down to only three injured players from his Champions League squad: Florenzi, Bennacer, and Gabbia. Tammy Abraham has returned from his shoulder injury and is available again. Fonseca has also said that he will play Leão, which would be his first start since our last Champions League match vs. Club Brugge. In fact, Leão has only played 188 of the last 450 minutes of football in the past five matches, which Fonseca has some bizarre reasoning for. Tomori is rumored to start as well, while Calabria may or may not get the start after he, too has spent too much time on the bench in recent months outside of the times he was injured. Of course, if Calabria does not play then Theo, who won a Champions League trophy with Real Madrid, will likely be the captain.
Former Real Madrid player could be Milan's captain, while Leão should start for Milan.
While there will be plenty of history attached to this match, it is difficult to see this being a particularly good match. You have the best ever Champions League manager going up against a manager whose Champions League legacy is beating Pep Guardiola in one match and wearing a Zorro costume in his post match press conference. That manager is also likely at risk of losing his job, not only for having Milan in seventh place in Serie A, but also 25th in the Champions League, with only six wins in 12 matches, but also after repeating his history of benching star players and causing "tension" or "drama" within his squad. Carletto would never. Not like Fonseca has. And that level of respect is why he is where he is today. Hopefully, Fonseca picks up a thing or two from the Master, or at the very least does not embarrass us too badly in Carlo's house.
This post inspired by the music of The Smiths' "Back to the Old House"
UEFA Champions League • League Phase