Even though it is a match between heavyweights on paper, the AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri has clearly stated that Barcelona will be coming into the match against the Italian club as the strongest of the two.
Barcelona will be playing against AC Milan in a two legged match to determine the qualifiers for the quarter-final stage of the Champions League. Even though AC Milan come into the match as the most prestigious club of the two having won the competition seven times, Barcelona will be the strongest according to the Milan manager Allegri.
AC Milan are only the second most successful club in the competition having lifted it seven times compared to the nine times of Real Madrid. Barcelona remain some way behind the Italian club having been successful only four times, but they have lifted this competition twice in the last four years. They are also regarded as the best club team in the world right now due to the presence of players like Andreas Iniesta and Lionel Messi. The two teams came up against each other in the quarter-final stage last season. The first leg at the San Siro was a draw, while Milan lost in the return leg at the Camp Nou.
However, Milan have lost a number of influential players during the summer and are considerably weaker. “We ended up with the strongest team in the world. We’ll still try to get through this round, hoping to be luckier than we were last year,” said the Milan manager. The first leg between the two teams will be played at the San Siro on February 20, while the return leg will be in the first week of March. Milan are unlikely to have the likes of Alexander Pato and Robinho for this match after they are likely to be sold in January.