Today, AC Milan and FC Barcelona will meet in one of the most expected games of the Champions League first knockout round. Although AC Milan are in top form, having seven matches unbeaten run in Serie A and six home wins in all competitions, they will start the match against FC Barcelona with second chance.
Only a few specialists give chances to Massimiliano Allegri’s team against Barcelona. Mario Balotelli can’t play for AC Milan in this season of Champions League and this might be decisive. The Italian forward has already played for Manchester City in this competition. As Balotelli will not play, AC Milan will put all their hopes in Stephan El Shaarawy, wich is the team goalscorer.
AC Milan failed to beat FC Barcelona in the last seven matches, and are hoping to break the invincibility of the Spanish club. Last season both teams met four times,wich ended with two draws and two wins for Barcelona.
Silvio Berlusconi, the president of AC Milan, believed that if they will succeed to stop Messi, they have a chance to qualify. Berlusconi said that “the only way to beat Barcelona is that Lionel Messi should be man-marked”.