Real Madrid vs AC Milan – UEFA Champions League – Preview, Team News and Updates

Following a brief break, Champions League football is back. And oh boy, do we have some exciting fixtures lined up this gameweek. However, the standout fixture has to be Real Madrid’s clash against 7x UCL winners, AC Milan—a showdown between two of the most decorated clubs in UCL history. With Madrid’s storied dominance and Milan’s seven titles, this clash is set to be unforgettable. So, who will emerge victorious?

Both the clubs would have hoped for a better start to their respective Champions League campaigns. But there still is ample amount of time to turn the tide in their favor. Reigning UCL champions Real Madrid currently sit in the 12th spot after accumulating six points from their opening three games. Meanwhile, defeats to Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen have relegated the Rossoneri to the 23rd spot in UCL standings. But with five more games still to play, Milan can easily rescue their floundering season with a couple of positive results. Having said that, their long road to recovery starts tonight, as they face the daunting challenge of facing Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. So, football fans buckle up because this game promises to be an enthralling watch. 

Real Madrid vs AC Milan – Match Preview 

Real Madrid will look to bounce back on Tuesday night after being humbled by Barcelona during last week’s El Classico. Hansi Flick’s men easily outclassed a start-studded Madrid lineup at the Bernabeu thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and a brace from Robert Lewandowski. It was one of the worst defeats during Carlo Ancelotti’s second stint in Madrid. Therefore, the Italian manager would look to lay down a marker against his former club where he made a name for himself. Moreover, Los Blancos will also be well rested after their La Liga match against Valencia was postponed due to catastrophic floods in Eastern Spain.  

Real Madrid head into the crunch match against AC Milan on the back of a 5-2 victory against Borussia Dortmund in their last UCL fixture. Before that, Los Blancos claimed a hard-fought 3-1 win over VfB Stuttgart in their Champions League opener. However, sandwiched between those two wins was a disappointing 1-0 loss to LOSC Lille. As a result of that loss, Real are currently outside the eight guaranteed Round of 16 spots. But a win over Milan would put them in a good position to qualify directly into the knockout rounds. Having said that, AC Milan won’t just roll over and hand Madrid an easy victory. They have players capable of punishing any team in Europe. However, Madrid fans can take solace from the fact that Los Blancos have claimed victory six times in their 15 encounters with the Rossoneri.  

However, AC Milan will be looking to pull off an upset at Barnabeu this time around. Following defeats to Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen in their first two UCL games this season, Milan resurrected their UCL campaign with a comprehensive 3-1 win over Club Brugge. But with just three points from three games, there’s still a lot to be done. The Rossoneri head into this game on a positive note, as a solitary goal from Tijjani Reijnders was enough for Milan to overcome Monza this weekend. However, Paulo Fonseca’s men need to play much better if they want to get a positive result against Madrid at the Bernabeu. In fact, Milan have secured just one win at the Santiago Bernabeu throughout their illustrious history. So, to say that the odds are stacked against them would be a massive understatement. 

Real Madrid vs AC Milan – Team News and Updates 

Luka Jovic, Matteo Gabbia, Ismael Bennacer, and Alessandro Florenzi remain sidelined with injuries, but Tammy Abraham is back in the squad after a return against Monza and should be available. Rafael Leao, who only came off the bench against Monza and has had a slow start to the season with just one goal, is likely to start against Real Madrid. Emerson Royal and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are also expected to return to the lineup following their absence against Monza, and former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata looks set to lead the line at center-forward. 

For Real Madrid, Dani Carvajal, Thibaut Courtois, Rodrygo, and David Alaba remain unavailable for Tuesday's Champions League clash. However, Antonio Rudiger is expected to feature despite recent knee concerns. With no games since El Clasico, Ancelotti should have his strongest available lineup ready to go, with no major surprises expected. Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe will spearhead the attack, while Ancelotti may opt for Luka Modric over Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield to add a bit more control to Madrid's play. 

Real Madrid vs AC Milan – Kick-Off Time and Date 

The game is scheduled to take place on 6th November 2024 (Wednesday) at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. The match will kick off at 1:30 AM (Indian Standard Time).