MADRID: The two most decorated teams in European football Real Madrid and AC Milan, face off at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday with both teams looking to seize the upper hand in Champions League Group G.
At present record nine-time winners Real are two points ahead of seven-time champions AC Milan having won all three of their matches without conceding a goal and victory would virtually put them in the knockout stage.
The other Group G teams Auxerre and Ajax have just one point between them leaving Real and Milan battling it out for top spot. Real have plundered 10 goals in their past two league matches to go top of the Spanish first division where they have the best defence and attack. However, Milan defeated Real 3-2 at the Bernabeu in last season’s group stage thanks to a late Alexandre Pato winner.
Brazilian Pato, 21, is back from injury and scored twice in the 3-1 win over Chievo on Saturday to warm up for the Real clash. Real will have revenge on the brain and their Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, a two-goal hero in the 4-1 thumping of Malaga on Saturday, believes Real are clicking into gear.
“The Malaga victory gives us a lot of confidence for the Milan game on Tuesday when we have a lot to play for,” said Ronaldo. “We know a win over the Italians would practically qualify us for the knockout phase. We are coming into the game in good form.” Milan are also in good form lying join top of the table with Inter after the 3-1 win over Chievo on Saturday.
Real boss Jose Mourinho won the trophy with Inter Milan last season and had an impressive record against city rivals AC Milan with three wins and one defeat in the four Serie A meetings. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri had some run-ins with Mourinho during his time as Cagliari manager and Allegri was voted best coach of the 2009 season ahead of Mourinho despite the Portuguese coach winning an historic league, cup and Champions League treble at Inter.
Italian international Andrea Pirlo believes the current Milan side are reminiscent of the Carlo Ancelotti side that won the Champions League in 2003 and 2007. There are some intriguing match-ups in the Real-Milan duel with Barcelona old boys Ronaldinho and Ibrahimovic back in Madrid to face the old enemy while Brazilian international winger Robinho makes his first return to the Bernabeu.
Robinho, 26, spent three seasons at Real making over a century of league appearances before a fall-out prompted a 42-million-euro move to Manchester City in September 2008. AC Milan old boy Kaka, who has yet to find his best form at Real, misses the chance to face the club where he made his name owing to a knee injury.
