|
|
Played
February 20, 2013 7:45 PM GMT
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza — Milano
Referee: C. Thomson
Attendance: 79532
February 20, 2013 7:45 PM GMT
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza — Milano
Referee: C. Thomson
Attendance: 79532
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Milan | 6.00 | 1.02 | 1.01 | 6.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 6.50 | 7.00 | 1.01 | 1.40 | 5.98 |
| Draw | 4.20 | 12.00 | 46.00 | 4.00 | 5.00 | 41.00 | 3.80 | 4.20 | 20.00 | 3.50 | 4.22 |
| Barcelona | 1.53 | 61.00 | 51.00 | 1.57 | 36.00 | 301.00 | 1.53 | 1.50 | 60.00 | 15.00 | 1.55 |
AC Milan-Barcelona Preview: Allegri's side set for Blaugrana test
The in-form Rossoneri face one of the most intimidating challenges in European football as they prepare to do battle with the Catalans at San Siro on Wednesday
By Karthick Arvinth
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
|
AC MILAN
 Abbiati Abate, Zapata, Mexes, De Sciglio Montolivo, Ambrosini, Nocerino Boateng, Pazzini, El Shaarawy |
BARCELONA
 Valdes Alves, Pique, Puyol, Alba Xavi, Busquets, Fabregas Pedro, Messi, Iniesta |
AC Milan will assess forward Stephan El Shaarawy (knee) ahead of the Champions League last-16 clash against Barcelona.
Mario Balotelli is cup-tied and Nigel de Jong is sidelined with an ankle injury, but Giampaolo Pazzini (hamstring) is available.
Elsewhere, Daniele Bonera (thigh) and Robinho (knee) are doubts, while Philippe Mexes returns after serving a one-game European ban.
Barcelona are boosted by the return of playmaker Xavi, who has recovered from a hamstring problem.
However, Adriano (thigh), Eric Abidal and David Villa (both illness) have not made the trip to Italy.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
AC Milan are on a seven-game unbeaten run in Serie A and have won their last six matches at San Siro in all competitions.
- The Rossoneri faced Barcelona four times in the Champions League last season, drawing two and losing two. Their overall home record against Spanish opposition is W11, D6, L6.
- Bojan Krkic (pictured, right) made 163 appearances for Barca between 2007 and 2011, scoring 41 goals.
- Barcelona have won eight of their last 11 away matches in the Champions League and are targeting a sixth straight quarter-final appearance.
- The Catalan giants are on a seven-match unbeaten streak against Milan. Their overall record on Italian soil is W6, D7, L5.
- Lionel Messi has scored 56 goals in the Champions League, level with Ruud van Nistelrooy and behind only Raul (71).
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets |
|
| Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached! |
|
| Sign up today with BetVictor and get a £25 FREE BET! |
|
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
AC Milan 2-1 FC Barcelona
- 17.17 %
-
AC Milan 1-3 FC Barcelona
- 16.14 %
-
AC Milan 1-2 FC Barcelona
- 10.02 %
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Mar 12, 2013 | FC Barcelona 4 - AC Milan 0 |
|
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Feb 20, 2013 | AC Milan 2 - FC Barcelona 0 |
|
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Apr 3, 2012 | FC Barcelona 3 - AC Milan 1 |
|
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Mar 28, 2012 | AC Milan 0 - FC Barcelona 0 |
|
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Nov 23, 2011 | AC Milan 2 - FC Barcelona 3 |
|
AC Milan
   |
||
| May 19, 2013 | Siena 1 - AC Milan 2 | ITA1 |
| May 12, 2013 | AC Milan 0 - Roma 0 | ITA1 |
| May 8, 2013 | Pescara 0 - AC Milan 4 | ITA1 |
| May 5, 2013 | AC Milan 1 - Torino 0 | ITA1 |
| Apr 28, 2013 | AC Milan 4 - Catania 2 | ITA1 |
FC Barcelona
 |
||
| May 19, 2013 | FC Barcelona 2 - Valladolid 1 | LIGA |
| May 12, 2013 | Atletico Madrid 1 - FC Barcelona 2 | LIGA |
| May 5, 2013 | FC Barcelona 4 - Betis 2 | LIGA |
| May 1, 2013 | FC Barcelona 0 - FC Bayern München 3 | UCL |
| Apr 27, 2013 | Athletic Bilbao 2 - FC Barcelona 2 | LIGA |
| Returns: | Milan £65.00 |
|
Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached! | |
| Returns: | Draw £460.00 |
|
Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 | |
| Returns: | Barcelona £3010.00 |
|
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
| 32 | Christian Abbiati | Goalkeeper |
| 5 | Philippe Mexes | Defender |
| 17 | Cristian Zapata | Defender |
| 20 | Ignazio Abate | Defender |
| 10 | Kevin-Prince Boateng | Midfielder |
| 18 | Riccardo Montolivo | Midfielder |
| 21 | Kevin Constant | Midfielder |
| 23 | Massimo Ambrosini | Midfielder |
| 4 | Sulley Ali Muntari | Midfielder |
| 11 | Giampaolo Pazzini | Striker |
| 92 | Stephan El Shaarawy | Midfielder |
| 1 | Marco Amelia | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Mattia De Sciglio | Defender |
| 76 | Mario Alberto Yepes | Defender |
| 34 | Bryan Cristante | Midfielder |
| 12 | Bakaye Traoré | Midfielder |
| 22 | Bojan Krkic | Striker |
| 9 | L. Niang | Goalkeeper |
| 1 | Víctor Valdés | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Daniel Alves | Defender |
| 3 | Piqué | Defender |
| 5 | Carles Puyol | Defender |
| 18 | Jordi Alba | Defender |
| 4 | Cesc Fàbregas | Midfielder |
| 6 | Xavi | Midfielder |
| 8 | Andrés Iniesta Luján | Midfielder |
| 16 | Busquets | Midfielder |
| 10 | Lionel Messi | Striker |
| 17 | Pedro | Striker |
| 13 | José Pinto Colorado | Goalkeeper |
| 35 | Montoya | Defender |
| 11 | Thiago Alcántara | Midfielder |
| 14 | Javier Mascherano | Midfielder |
| 25 | Alex Song | Midfielder |
| 9 | Alexis Sánchez | Striker |
| 37 | Tello | Striker |
| Massimo Ambrosini | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 23 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The veteran midfielder is set to be handed the role of shackling Lionel Messi again after doing such a stellar job in last season’s quarter-final first leg between the two sides, which ended goalless. If AC Milan are to have any chance to progressing, they must do all they can to make sure they do not concede at home.
| Lionel Messi | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 10 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
The Argentine superstar has scored in a record 14 consecutive Liga matches and took his Barcelona tally past the 300-mark during the weekend victory at Granada. Man-marking Messi is easier said than done, so Milan will need to work as a collective unit defensively if they are to keep him at bay.
Milan look a much weaker side than the one that bowed out in last season’s quarter-final, while Barcelona have arguably gotten stronger since then. Nonetheless, the Rossoneri are still quite capable of packing bodies in the Barca midfield and stifling their flowing football in heavy traffic, while the likes of El Shaarawy and Pazzini can catch the Catalans’ suspect rearguard on the break.
Results
Times In GMT
Live
Final
scheduled
Suspended
Cancelled
Postponed
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cristiano Ronaldo Striker Real Madrid |
12 | 0 |
|
Robert Lewandowski Striker Dortmund |
10 | 1 |
|
Thomas Müller Striker Bayern |
8 | 1 |
|
Lionel Messi Striker Barcelona |
8 | 0 |
|
Burak Yılmaz Striker Galatasaray |
8 | 0 |
