Previewing AC Milan's International Champions Cup Campaign
AC Milan kicked off their pre-season schedule in positive fashion, with a 2-1 win over Bordeaux. And over the coming two weeks, they will take their preparations to the next level, competing in the International Champions Cup in the United States.
The friendly tournament brings together some of the finest club sides in world football on an annual basis, acting as a good warm-up for the season ahead. The Rossoneri will participate and should be tested by tough games against German champions Bayern Munich and English Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea.
Milan midfielder Andrea Bertolacci discussed the team’s aims for the tour with Milan TV, per the club’s official website, saying:
"My first "American" impressions are surely positive: facing important teams and coming to the USA is always a great experience. Now we need to concentrate on the training and the matches. We need to try and follow coach [Vincenzo] Montella's ideas against very strong teams, compete with them, improve our physical condition and play well.
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What follows is an in-depth look at all three of Milan’s International Champions Cup fixtures, including tactics, players to watch and potential learning outcomes.
Milan Squad and Players to Watch
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Before analysing the three games, it is worth noting who is in Milan’s squad for the friendly tournament.
Per the club’s website, Vincenzo Montella requested that last season’s top scorer Carlos Bacca and Italy international full-back Mattia De Sciglio were allowed to continue their training at Milanello. This was also the case for new signings Gianluca Lapadula and Leonel Vangioni.
As a result, these four players were omitted from the 26-man squad selected for Milan’s International Champions Cup fixtures, which is detailed below.
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Gabriel, Alessandro Livieri, Diego Lopez
Defenders: Ignazio Abate, Luca Antonelli, Davide Calabria, Rodrigo Ely, Gabriel Paletta, Alessio Romagnoli, Jherson Vergara, Ivan De Santis
Midfielders: Andrea Bertolacci, Giacomo Bonaventura, Mattia El Hilali, Keisuke Honda, Juraj Kucka, Riccardo Montolivo, Andrea Poli, Niccolo Zanellato
Forwards: Luiz Adriano, Alessandro Matri, Jeremy Menez, M’Baye Niang, Suso, Luca Vido
Players to watch include Andrea Bertolacci, who was used in the regista role against Bordeaux, and Suso, who scored twice against the French side.
Others to keep an eye on include Primavera members such as goalkeeper Alessandro Livieri, centre-back Ivan De Santis and second striker Luca Vido, who are all 19 years of age, and midfielders Mattia El Hilali and Niccolo Zanellato, who are 18.
Match 1: Bayern Munich
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Date: Thursday, 28 July (GMT), Wednesday, 27 July (ET)
Time: 2 a.m. GMT, 9 p.m. ET
Venue: Soldier Field, Chicago
TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK)
Tactics
Carlo Ancelotti enjoyed eight career-defining years with Milan. As head coach of the club between 2001 and 2009, he won one Scudetto, one Coppa Italia and two Champions League titles. However, he is now set to face off with the Rossoneri in the International Champions Cup having taken the reins at Bayern Munich.
He arrived following Pep Guardiola’s departure for Manchester City and already looks to be reshaping the team to suit his own tactical wishes. While his predecessor is a visionary and an idealist who changes shapes on a frequent basis, he is far more pragmatic.
Ancelotti assembled his Bayern team in a fairly simple 4-3-3 formation in their friendly against the Citizens, and assuming they stick by this, Vincenzo Montella may look to match up by persevering with the very same system. It worked to good effect for Milan against Bordeaux, after all.
Player to Watch
Thiago Alcantara has threatened for years, but has yet to truly deliver on the huge promise he showcased as a teenager. Now 25 years old, the Spanish international will be hoping to establish himself as a first-team regular under his new coach.
Should Ancelotti go for a 4-3-3 shape, the playmaker will have to fight off competition for places from the likes of David Alaba, Arturo Vidal and new signing Renato Sanches. He will be hoping to make a statement in the pre-season to ensure that when the competitive fixtures come around, he is firmly in his manager’s thoughts.
Learning Outcomes for Milan
Bayern became masters of the ball under Guardiola, and even if Ancelotti places less focus on this aspect, they will retain much of the technical expertise and nuanced possession play that has made them such a vibrant attacking force in recent years.
Montella prioritises ball possession, but in this particular game, he may seek to emphasise retention of defensive shape as the top priority. Here, his players’ collective organisation and positional awareness without the ball is likely to be put under heavy scrutiny.
Match 2: Liverpool
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Date: Sunday, 31 July (GMT), Saturday, 30 July (ET)
Time: 3 a.m. GMT, 10 p.m. ET
Venue: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
TV Info: Sky Sports 1, LFC TV (UK)
Tactics
Jurgen Klopp had an instant impact upon being appointed manager by Liverpool. The German arrived last October and led the club to League Cup and Europa League finals within his first seven months in charge.
While improving the team’s results, he began to impose his tactical philosophy, instituting and refining his counter-pressing ideal. His objective now will be to fit several new signings, including Joel Matip, Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane into his system and style.
Considering the intensity of Liverpool’s approach to defensive transitions, Vincenzo Montella may use this particular friendly as an opportunity to trial a back three, something he has used frequently in the past. With one extra man in the defensive line, a 3-4-2-1 setup could make it easier for his team to build and retain possession from the back following turnovers in their own half.
Player to Watch
Liverpool will be hoping that new signing Matip can solve their defensive issues. They have lacked authority and quality at the back in recent years, but the ex-Schalke centre-back could help to shore them up.
Learning Outcomes for Milan
This friendly will likely test Milan’s ability to build and retain possession, particularly in the early stages, having won the ball or benefitted from a turnover. Klopp will want his side to put the Rossoneri’s back line under pressure in these moments.
Following this match, Montella should have a better understanding of exactly how proficient his players are when faced with intelligent pressing and counter-pressing.
Match 3: Chelsea
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Date: Thursday, 4 August (GMT), Wednesday, 3 August (ET)
Time: 2 a.m. GMT, 9 p.m. ET
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
TV Info: Chelsea TV (UK)
Tactics
Antonio Conte took the reins at Chelsea this summer after guiding Italy into the UEFA Euro 2016 quarter-finals with several impressive performances. The Italian enhanced his reputation, having already steered Juventus to three consecutive Scudetti, and he will now be looking to establish himself abroad.
Early signs in pre-season suggest he will not, however, utilise the 3-5-2 system that worked so well for him with the Bianconeri and the Azzurri. Instead, he has opted for a 4-2-4 shape, something he used while in charge of Bari in his earlier days as a coach.
So far, there appears to be a focus from Conte on wing play and combinations in the final third, attacking inward from the outside. This will present Vincenzo Montella’s Milan with a fairly unique threat after games against Bayern and Liverpool.
Player to Watch
Victor Moses has yet to assert himself upon Chelsea’s starting lineup, spending each of the last three seasons on loan at three different clubs: Liverpool, Stoke and West Ham. However, with his pace, work rate and flexibility he could be reborn under Conte, who appreciates those particular traits.
Learning Outcomes for Milan
Conte’s sides are always extremely well drilled and difficult to break down. This is unlikely to be any different with Chelsea, and consequently Milan will have to use their possession effectively here.
Montella’s side may well have the lion’s share of the ball, but against a collectively organised unit this could prove meaningless. Here, the Rossoneri will have to play positive, penetrative passes to break down a solid defence.
