Bayern Munich vs. AC Milan: 2016 ICC Time, TV Schedule and Live Stream
Soldier Field in Chicago will host two of European football’s juggernauts on Thursday, as Bayern Munich and AC Milan meet in the 2016 International Champions Cup.
The star-studded pre-season competition has already brought together some of the world’s biggest clubs for clashes across the globe, although few will be as glamorous as this tie, with the two teams boasting a total of 12 European Cups between them. Both will want smooth preparations for vital campaigns under new bosses.
While these ties can often be a little underwhelming, those who turn out for the match in Chicago should be in for a treat. Here are the key viewing details for this one and a look at what to expect from the clash.
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Date: Wednesday, July 27
Time: 8 p.m. (Local), 9 p.m. (ET), 2 a.m. (BST, Thursday)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), Watch ESPN (US)
TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK), ESPN 2 (US)
Carlo Ancelotti Set for Milan Reunion
Although it’s not a competitive match, this game will represent a memorable occasion for Bayern Munich’s new boss, Carlo Ancelotti. After all, the Italian is a Milan icon, having won the European Cup twice with the club as a player and a further two times as manager.
In addition to this meeting with the Rossoneri, the Bayern boss will also square off against another old club in Real Madrid at this tournament. It’s something the 57-year-old is looking forward to and believes his players will benefit from.
“These will be a special games, even if they're friendlies,” he told ESPN FC’s Raphael Honigstein. “… It's really exciting for players to play against big teams because that gives you motivation and concentration.”
It’ll be another chance for Ancelotti to run the rule over what is an incredible wealth of talent at his disposal, too.
One player who has impressed so far in pre-season is Franck Ribery, something that’ll be encouraging to the manager after the veteran endured an injury-plagued 2015-16. The new coach is a fan of the player, per the Bayern Twitter feed:
This will be Bayern’s fourth pre-season game following wins over Lippstadt, Manchester City and Landshut. Here are the highlights from the latter clash:
Their fourth opponents are finding their way under a new manager, with Vincenzo Montella on the cusp of his debut term in the San Siro hot seat.
The former forward will want to usher some consistency into the seven-time European champions, after the club parted ways with Sinisa Mihajlovic late in the previous campaign. Montella at least got his tenure off to a solid start, notching a 2-1 win over Bordeaux.
Montella definitely has talent to work with in his new post and will be keen to reassert Milan in the upper reaches of Italian football again this term after their recent lull.
Matteo Bonetti of beIN Sports believes the club can expect a vibrant style of football under their new coach:
Indeed, the omens are there for Montella to succeed. These numbers from OptaPaolo compare the appointment of the man known as the “Little Aeroplane” to his opposing manager:
Montella will learn a lot about his players in this one. While each team are at different stages in terms of developing their fitness, Bayern are likely to dominate possession and put their opponents under pressure. The new boss will be looking for pragmatism, focus and defensive cohesion in the face of a stiff challenge.
Ancelotti will likely rotate his options once again, as he has plenty of players to assess in every area of the field before the Bundesliga season begins. With the Bayern players keen to impress the new coach, expect them to be too strong for Milan.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 Milan
