Barcelona hope to Repeat group stages result
To be the best, you have to beat the best, today this applies to both Barcelona and AC Milan.
Milan and Barcelona already played against each other this year in the group stages of the competition, they drew in the Camp Nou, but the Spanish team beat the Italians 2-3 in San Siro. Back in 2006 they faced each other for a place in the final, Barcelona won the Champions League that year in Paris after beating Arsenal.
Barcelona got to the semi-final not having lost any games, but drawing once, against none other than Milan. The Italians however could very well have been out, after Arsenal nearly managed an incredible comeback against the 7 time European Champions, but they died at the shore and it was Milan who came through to the quarter-finals.
Guardiola, in yesterday’s pre-match press conference, said “If you find yourself with a team like Milan or you play a great match, or you will not have a chance” Pep expects “the best Milan possible” and has stated that “When you play against Milan you know they can knock you out, but at least we should do what we always do”.
Talking about Milan’s star player Zlatan Ibrahimovic the Catalan coach says “[Milan] are an aggressive team, with a combined game and a player like Ibrahimovic that always has options”
Ibrahimovic has also had kind words for his former team “I want Barcelona to win the League”. If they want to beat Barcelona “All the team, including myself, will have to play a perfect game” but he insists they are ready, “we have prepared well for this match”
The best news for Milan, is that Robinho, after being out for two weeks with an ankle injury, might be fit to start the match tonight. Just like the Swede striker, Allegri says “we have to make as few mistakes as possible” and also “play with an attacking mentality”.
However the light will be shining on Messi. Recently if you talk about Messi, you’re talking about breaking records.
In the Champions League he is the first player in history to score 5 goals in a single game, to score 4 pokers and he is the only player ever to score 3 hat-tricks in the knockout stages of the competition.
The young Argentine has been the top goalscorer of the Champions League these last three years, and this year he could become the maximum goalscorer of the whole competition. He is currently on 12 goals, just two away from reaching Jose Altafini. Considering Barcelona have a minimum two matches left, Messi could well be on his way to be a record breaking record breaker.
AC Milan V Barcelona - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game live.
Source: DSG
