AC Milan vs Inter Milan: Champions League Reunion After 18 Years

The Champions League semi-finals will feature the Milan derby, with AC Milan hosting Inter Milan in the first leg. Over the years, the two sides have only met four times in the Champions League, with their last encounter dating back to 2005. Meeting in the semi-finals after 18 years, they will vie for a place in the final. Who can reclaim their past glory?

Both sides share a degree of similarity in their recent schedules. Last weekend, AC Milan and Inter Milan both won their matches against Lazio and Roma respectively with a score of 2-0, showing comparable energy expenditure. However, in terms of lineup, the absence of AC Milan’s frontcourt core, Leao, due to injury cannot be underestimated. After all, he has contributed 13 goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season. Losing him is akin to losing a sharp blade that can tear open the opponent’s defense BA88 体育.

In contrast, Inter Milan’s defense has been increasingly outstanding recently, keeping clean sheets in four of their last five matches. The attacking synergy has also improved significantly, with Lukaku and Martinez connecting frequently, and Di Marco providing ample supply. Nevertheless, AC Milan’s home advantage is undeniable. Both sides have a veteran who can command the game, suggesting that we can look forward to an exciting derby.

The two sides have faced each other three times this season, with AC Milan recording 1 win and 1 loss in the league and losing 0-3 to Inter Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana. It’s noteworthy that Spanish referee Gil Manzano will be officiating this match. He has refereed AC Milan’s matches three times before, with Milan remaining unbeaten in all three encounters. It’s also worth noting that AC Milan were awarded a penalty in each of these key matches.

BA88 Sports has set the odds for this match at 2, 2, 2, indicating a slightly more cautious stance towards Inter Milan. In terms of score predictions, both a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 away win for Inter Milan have the lowest odds at 6.5, while a 1-0 home win for AC Milan is third at 7.5, and a 0-0 draw is fourth at 8. This suggests that the match is expected to be closely contested. Overall, it seems Inter Milan has a better chance of escaping the first leg unscathed, and even a draw would feel like a half victory.