Manchester City battle AC Milan in Audi Cup semi-finals
Manchester
City FC and AC Milan squares off on July 31 at the Allianz Arena for
the semi-finals match of the third edition of the Audi Cup.
Serie
A powerhouse AC Milan has been nursing their wounded pride since August
9, 2008 - the last time the two squads meet - and this match up in this
biennial tournament gives them the chance not just to advance to the
finals but also avenge their 0-1 debacle versus The Citizens at the City
of Manchester Stadium in front of 25,181 screaming fans.
It
was a memorable game not just for Manchester City but especially for
returning player Valeri Bojinov. It was during this game that Bojinov
returned to the lineup after being sidelined due to knee injury, and it
was Bojinov who provided the lone goal for the game at the 37th minute
that gave Manchester City the win.
There is no overwhelming heavy favourite for this
match considering how each team is loaded with power and talent and
considering how well both teams have been performing in the recent
games, although the record for the last five games for each of the teams
are not identical.
Manchester City, playing with Betfred odds of *1.90 and Bet365 odds of *1.85
to repeat over AC Milan in this duel, is expected to be propelled by
the team's two-game winning streak, defeating the home team South China
FC, 1-0 on July 24, and then following it up with a win again, at home
this time versus Sunderland AFC with a score of 1-0.
AC Milan on the other hand, pegged by SBOBET with *3.95 and Ladbrokes with *3.80
odds to escape the clutches of Manchester City, has a more impressive
result during the recent six game spread, winning five matches and
settling for a draw versus AS Roma on May 12. Among the teams that AC
Milan defeated are FC Turin (1-0), Pescara Calcio (0-4), AC Siena (1-2)
and Valencia FC (2-1).
One of the things that could
have an impact on the performance of the both teams and the outcome of
the game is the frequency of the games. Manchester City could be in
better shape not just physically but also psychologically, considering
Manchester City's very active July calendar. Their game versus AC Milan
would be their fifth match for the month, compared to AC Milan who only
played once in July and had none in June.
There is no
momentum and being in-sync could be an issue for AC Milan although being
well-rested is also something that they can use to their advantage,
which they could use to propel the team to a better finish compared to
their 2009 and 2011 performance wherein they finished at the bottom of
the standings in both occasions. Manchester City, on the other hand,
could suffer from over fatigue and could be worn out by the time they
face AC Milan because of the number of games they have already played in
July alone, but the audience can expect to see inspired football from
the squad since this is the first time Manchester City takes part in the
Audi Cup and the current Premier League runner up is expected to make a
good impression in this tournament.
 - Manchester City vs AC Milan 07.31.2013){kind=link}
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