AC Milan vs Liverpool
As they prepare for Champions League combat in the San Siro, I have reflected on a time when these two were probably the best teams in Europe.
I say probably because one definitely was and the other might have been.
Because of the Heysel ban inflicted upon English clubs after Liverpool fans rioted in Brussels in 1985, we will never know just how the Merseysiders’ mightily impressive 1987-88 team would have fared on the continent the following season.
Would Barnes, Beardsley, Hansen et al have been able to stop the mighty Milan of Van Basten, Gullit and Rijkaard in their tracks?
We never did find out and Milan went on to win back-to-back European Cups.
Incidentally, some Everton fans are naturally still miffed that their excellent title winners of 1985 and 1987 were denied the chance to pit their wits against Europe’s best too.
Fast forward three and a half decades though, and the reality is very different.
Talking Points
Liverpool were the third best team in England last season and, while Milan were runners-up in Serie A, the gap between themselves and the Italian champions, local rivals Inter, was so huge (19 points) they were never in title contention.
Indeed, the overall picture has changed completely now and it’s largely accepted that the top four teams in England are as good, if not better, than Italy’s number one.
Finance has had a big part to play in that with television money ploughed into the English Premier League far outweighing the Italian equivalent.
This summer’s main transfer arrival in Milan perfectly demonstrated the gap.
Although injury means he is likely to start this encounter on the bench, there was great excitement at the San Siro this summer when Spain’s Euro 2024 winning captain Alvaro Morata rocked up.
The Spanish captain has often been a polarising figure in a peripatetic career at some of Europe’s leading clubs.
But after two separate spells in Serie A with Juventus, there is no doubt he has the know-how and tactical nous to lead the forward line for the Rossoneri and returns to Italy after two accomplished seasons at Atletico Madrid.
Yet in many ways that is the point.
While a decent fit at Chelsea, he was not outstanding and would not be an immediate choice for any of the front lines at England’s representatives in the Champions League this season.
Watching him now makes me eat my words against a Liverpool side which has no such issues and a plethora of forward talent.
They start as big favourites against a club they completed a group stage double against just three seasons ago.
They come into the contest on the back of very different results in mind.
While Liverpool were slipping to a home defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, Milan finally secured their first victory of the season with a 4-0 demolition of Venezia with Theo Hernandez, Youssouf Fofana, Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham on target.
After scoring four times in the opening 30 minutes of a Serie A match for the first time since October 1958, they will come into the contest full of confidence.
History
With 13 European Cup/Champions League titles between them, there’s no surprise that these clubs have had some famous battles.
Two of the most famous Champions League highlights came in finals just two years apart.
The first in 2005 was a classic – a game AC Milan dominated for all bar quarter of an hour of 120 minutes.
Yet somehow, despite opening up a 3-0 half-time lead, they allowed the Merseysiders to claw their way back into the contest as they fought back superbly to level at 3-3 and then win on penalties.
If that was a final Milan should have won, it was a role reversal in 2007 when Liverpool were the better team but went down 2-1, courtesy of a Filippo Inzaghi double.
When they last met, in the group stages in the 2021/22 season, Liverpool were much stronger than their Italian counterparts and won both games.
They would go on to reach the final but lost to the mighty Real Madrid.
Those games remain the only competitive meetings between the two sides.
Betting Tip
It says much for the difference in standard (and finances) between English and Italian football right now that Liverpool are firm favourites to win in the San Siro.
You can back them 1X2 @ 1.88 or Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.14 with the SBOTOP Champions League betting odds.
By contrast, Milan are available 1X2 @ 3.35 and Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 1.96.
A re-run of that surreal 2005 final is on offer with Correct Score 3-3 @ 44.00.
I do think there will be goals, and so look no further than odds such as over 3.00 @ 2.00, total goal 2-3 @ 2.01 and 4-6 @ 2.59.
Some of those bets have tempted me but not quite enough.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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