DStv Match of the week – Manchester City v AC Milan, 28 July 2024
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Premier League champions Manchester City will continue their pre-season preparations with a blockbuster showdown against Serie A heavyweights AC Milan at the iconic Yankee Stadium in New York on the morning of Sunday 28 July 2024.
Match background.
Manchester City enjoyed a fine 2023-24 season, as they defended their Premier League title and thus became the first team in English football history to win the top-flight championship four seasons in a row. However, the inability to retain the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup trophies will have stung – giving them motivation to excel again in the new campaign.
AC Milan came home in second place in Serie A last term, but their inability to truly challenge champions and arch rivals Inter Milan – as well as relatively limp showings in continental competitions and the Coppa Italia – saw manager Stefano Pioli and the club part ways back in May. Paulo Fonseca has taken over and will be looking to make a big statement in pre-season to build confidence and expectation.
What the teams are saying
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on his grudging acceptance of a pre-season tour:
“I would say I would love to not go to another continent to play, have one more week holiday, train here,” said Guardiola. “But we have to understand the clubs, not just Man City, all clubs. They need that financial resources to be sustainable and to do it.”
AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca on his outlook for the season ahead:
“We coaches have an obligation to people who love football, which is not just to win, but to have a 'form' that gets them passionate," he said. "We must create a spectacle and to do that we need courage, for those we work with to have courage and experience football with joy. I think it's fundamental we create a strong sense of identity within the team, which allows us to have quality in our play and ambition to win every game.”
Players to watch.
Erling Haaland – The Norwegian striker had the European summer off, as his national team was not in action at Euro 2024, and he should be fit and firing for this pre-season tour. Haaland’s power and lethal finishing will make him a closely watched man throughout the 90 minutes.
Samuel Chukwueze – The Nigerian winger did not enjoy a great first season at AC Milan, managing just three goals from 33 appearances across all competitions. Chukwueze will be eager to use this pre-season action to get into prime form and prove that he can be a leading man for the Italian giants in the new campaign.
Head-to-head
In head-to-head stats, Manchester City and AC Milan have met in just two previous matches. Both were in the third round of the 1978-79 UEFA Cup, with the first leg in Milan ending 2-2, while the return game in Manchester was won 3-0 by the hosts.
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Broadcast details.
Sunday 28 July
00:00: Man City v AC Milan – LIVE on SuperSport PSL and SuperSport Maximo 1