Real Madrid will look to claim their second trophy of the pre-season on Thursday, when Los Blancos meet AC Milan in the final match of the Chinese leg of this summer's International Champions Cup in Shanghai, China.
After emerging victorious in the Australian leg of the tournament with a dominant 4-1 victory over Manchester City, Rafa Benitez's men continued their good form in Guangzhou on Monday with a comfortable 3-0 win over Inter Milan.
Thursday's clash with the Rossoneri is Real's last before returning to Europe for the Audi Cup, and it will be the latest step in an important pre-season for the Spanish giants.
Indeed, Madrid are undergoing a significant transitional period under Benitez at present, with the former Napoli boss currently introducing a new system, style and philosophy to the outfit he inherited from Carlo Ancelotti.
After an uninspiring scoreless draw with AS Roma in Melbourne to open this tour, Benitez's critics were gaining voice. But consecutive victories since featuring flowing football have generated a certain sense of optimism around Los Blancos.
Thursday's outing represents a chance to build upon that.
Date: Thursday, July 30
Time: 1 p.m. BST / 8 a.m. EDT / 8 p.m. local
Venue: Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai, China
TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), Fox Sports (U.S.)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), Fox Sports Go (U.S.)
Team News
After sitting out Real Madrid's meeting with Inter Milan on Monday, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric should be available to Benitez against AC Milan, with the club's official website reporting that the pair joined the rest of the squad in Wednesday's open training session in Shanghai.
The Frenchman and Croatian had picked up knocks against Manchester City in Melbourne, and the club opted for caution on Monday at this early stage of the campaign for two major stars. Both, though, could feature on Thursday.
Additionally, James Rodriguez can be expected to make his first start of the pre-season in this clash. The Colombian has only recently joined up with the squad after being given extra time off following the Copa America, and he made a second-half substitute appearance against Inter in which he scored with a stunning free-kick.
The only Madrid player still struggling with an injury issue is Asier Illarramendi, who suffered a muscular strain while training in Melbourne and is expected to sit out this meeting with AC Milan.
Predicted Lineup
B/R UK
Players to Watch
Claudio Villa - Inter/Getty Images
"Keylor Navas 'locks down' no. 1 spot...for now," ran a Marca headline on Wednesday, the Madrid-based daily commenting on the Costa Rican's delicate position in front of Kiko Casilla and amid the ongoing rumors of David De Gea's potential arrival from Manchester United, according to the Independent's Jack de Menezes.
Thus, this pre-season is particularly important for Navas, the formerLevante shot-stopper still needing to convince Benitez of his worthiness for the No. 1 position following a season largely spent on the sidelines in 2014-15.
Thursday's clash is another opportunity to bolster his case.
Theo Karanikos/Associated Press/Associated Press
It will also be intriguing to watch Gareth Bale in action against AC Milan.
Thus far this pre-season, Benitez has used the Welshman in a central role in the hole behind the main striker, clearly wanting to afford Bale greater freedom than that which he saw from his right-sided berth under Ancelotti last season.
So far the positional switch has produced mixed results, with the former Tottenham Hotspur star putting in some encouraging but hardly spectacular displays.
For Bale to make the role his own, he'll need to start showing he can be a match winner with the greater responsibility. Could this clash with Milan be the first time we see him thrive centrally?
Real Madrid vs. AC Milan 2015: Prediction, Team News, Early Preview For International Champions Cup Match
Coming off a disappointing domestic campaign, AC Milan are now under the leadership of manager Sinisa Mihajlovic and began the Serbian’s tenure with a solid 1-0 victory over archrival’s Inter to open International Champions Cup play.
But the Rossoneri, armed with several new transfer acquisitions, face their first real preseason test when they meet Spanish titans Real Madrid in ICC action Thursday at Shanghai Stadium in China.
Milan wrapped up Serie A last season with a 10th place finish, two spots down from the previous year, but Mihajlovic and the addition of midfielders Jose Mauri and Andrea Bertolacci, as well as strikers Carlos Bacca and Luis Adriano, could spell a significant change at San Siro. Every one of those fresh faces saw the pitch against Inter, though Bertolacci was the only one to start.
The Rossoneri largely dictated the pace against Inter, with defender Philippe Mexes netting an incredible acrobatic goal to secure the victory in the 62nd minute.
Adriano, a star from Brazil who enjoyed roaring success with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukraine, seems particularly excited to start his endeavor with Milan.
“The impact on arrival was great, we work with greater intensity than I did at Shakhtar,” Adriano said Gazzetta dello Sport. “And my teammates are making my arrival easy for me, particularly the Brazilians Alex and Rodrigo Ely. Even members of the technical staff speak slowly, so I can understand. Berlusconi has given me confidence and peace. Not only to me but to the whole group.
“Why I chose Milan? I spoke with my wife, with my father, with [Mircea, Shakhtar Coach] Lucescu and Pato.
“I thought it was time to face this challenge. Milan have a great history, I want to be a part of it.”
Enthusiasm and a desire to bring Milan back to Champions League contention are all necessary traits before the Serie A season begins, but Adriano and the rest of his new teammates would no doubt receive a major boost of confidence should they overthrow Los Blancos.
Madrid, led by the ceaseless attacking of superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez, are fresh off convincing victories over Inter, 3-0, and Manchester City, 4-1, and looking sharp with La Liga still a month away.
And during that considerable amount of time, it’s possible Madrid could have an entirely different look. Besides the never-ending speculation surrounding Ronaldo and winger Gareth Bale’s potential transfers, Los Blancos are still fighting off bids for forward Karim Benzema.
The 27-year-old Frenchman, who’s enjoyed six incredible years in Spain, has been linked to several of Europe’s top teams, with Premier League’s Arsenal considered the current frontrunners. Benzema only fueled the speculation by taking a separate plan to China and posting a rather cryptic message to his Instagram account.
Benzema’s expected to play against Milan, but his words of “Leave the past to the past” left Madrid supporters scratching their collective head.
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