REAL MADRID v AC MILAN: OPPONENT REVIEW | OneFootball

There is no fixture quite like Real Madrid v AC Milan in the Champions League. That's because this is a duel between the two most successful teams in the competition, the renewal of a rivalry that has seen some memorable meetings down the years. Matchday 4 of the league phase will see the two sides go toe-to-toe for the first time in over a decade in competitive football. The last time the two teams played each other in the competition was in the group stage in 2010/11, with the games ended 2-0 to Los Blancos at the Bernabéu (goals from Ronaldo and Özil) and 2-2 at San Siro, with Inzaghi's brace and goals for the guests from Higuaín and Pedro León. The season before, meanwhile, the Rossoneri won in Madrid, with Alexandre Pato starring on the night.

This will be the first time in 20 years (since 2002) that Real Madrid and AC Milan have met with one of the sides being the holders of the Champions League, a fact that makes it all the more important to look in depth at Carlo Ancelotti's side in these first few months of the season. Los Blancos have had an up-and-down start to the season, given the heaving 4-0 defeat at home to Barcelona in El Clásico, which ended their long unbeaten run in LaLiga. That game is also their most recent one, as their trip to Valencia was postponed due to the flash flooding that struck the southeast of Spain. The Merengues have looked surprisingly fragile in their first three UCL games this season: they needed two later goals against VfB Stuttgart on matchday 1 before defeat to LOSC Lille and then a stunning comeback (from 2-0 down to 5-2 up) against Borussia Dortmund in the rematch of last season's final. After hosting AC Milan, Real face two tricky away trips to take on Liverpool and Atalanta, so it will be essential for them to pick up points against the Rossoneri.

HARD YARDS AND DYNAMISM TO BACK UP THE TALENT Usually, you never change a winning team. Real Madrid in 2024/25 are an exception to that rule, maybe not so much in terms of quantity but certainly in terms of quality. In the summer, Los Blancos brought in Brazilian starlet Endrick, who made his debut against AC Milan in Chicago, and most notably Kylian Mbappé, who faces the Rossoneri again after the two games last season with PSG. The Frenchman's arrival in an attacking department that includes the likes of Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo and Bellingham has made the search for tactical balance both constant and difficult. It is necessary that this balance begins with hard work without the ball - especially from the latter two - to make it possible for Vini and Mbappé to play together, as they usually look to occupy similar spaces on the pitch. More than just continued possession, this Real Madrid side runs hard so that their opposition can't get a handle of them in any part of the game.

The Borussia Dortmund game is a perfect example of that: once the talent of this team is unleashed, no scoreline seems set in stone. In recent years, Los Blancos have, on many occasions, been the authors of some sensational comebacks, especially at the Bernabéu. It goes without saying that maximum attention is required for the full 90 minutes if the Rossoneri are to take maximum points. However, that goes for Ancelotti's men too. The four goals conceded to Barcelona in a single half of football highlighted that, when Real's dynamism and hard running grind to a halt, they appear more vulnerable on the counter-attack than in years gone by. AC Milan have the players to threaten on the break, and it's likely that the winners of this encounter will be the team that works hardest without the football.

THE STALWARTS, THE KEY TO A TEAM OF STARS When we talk about Real Madrid, we're talking about the most successful club of all time, the holders of the Champions League, a competition they've won 15 times (six of those in the last ten years). Looking at the squad, there are some huge names and, despite some big absences (Courtois, Alaba, Carvajal, Rodrygo), they will put out one of the strongest teams in world football at the Bernabéu. The key for the hosts, however, could be the 'stalwarts', the players who make it possible for the stars to express their talent. One of these stalwarts is certainly Antonio Rüdiger, a mainstay for Ancelotti this season, having played the full 90 in 14 out of 15 matches this season; he came off the bench only against Espanyol in LaLiga on 21 September.

As well as the centre-back, we'd be remiss not to mention the midfield duo, who have given continuity to the side following the great Toni Kroos' retirement in the summer. On the one hand, we have a footballing legend in Luka Modrić, who could overtake his former teammate as the midfielder with the most Champions League starts for the club (they are both on 98 as it stands). On the other hand, we have the heir to Kroos: Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan is a big-game player and also a real threat when shooting from distance. His battle with an in-form Reijnders is sure to be an intriguing one. Speaking about "stars", we should mention Jude Bellingham's goal drought; the Englishman hasn't scored in the Champions League since the 4-2 win over Napoli last season. This season, however, Bellingham has more tackles, duels won and high-intensity presses than any other Real player.

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