AC Milan vs Barcleona Betting Preview

AC Milan face a task akin to climbing Mount Everest on Wednesday evening when they enter the veritable lion's den that is the Nou Camp in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against tournament favourites Barcelona. As if that wasn't enough of a challenge for the Italian giants, they also have a one-goal deficit to overturn from the first leg at the San Siro where a 57th-minute Giuly strike earned Barca victory and, crucially, a vital away goal, which means that AC are going to have to score at least twice in this return leg. To illustrate how tough an assignment this is for Milan, consider the stats: Barca have not conceded more than one goal at home in any one game in this competition this season, while they have conceded just fifteen goals in their seventeen home matches in the Primera Liga during the current campaign - that's an average of just over 0.8 goals per game. Furthermore, AC Milan have not been anywhere near as effective away from home as they have been at the San Siro in all competitions this season. All in all, despite their unquestionable quality, Milan look set to struggle, regardless of how they approach this game. Indeed, they have to play offensively, as they have nothing to lose. But this could leave them vulnerable, as Barca boast some of the best attacking players around - including they very best, Ronaldinho - so the visitors will have to ensure that they get the balance right, as if they concede first it will be like taking a right hook from an at-his-peak Mike Tyson. Despite the fact that the Italian side will be fired up for this game in a major way - after all, it is a Champions League final place at stake - I reckon they will be overwhelmed by Barcelona, who are without a shadow of a doubt the best team in Europe at present. The Catalan side have lost just one of their last fifteen matches in all competitions and it's hard to unearth and real chinks in their collective armour - indeed, they have strength in depth in every area of the field. I can see this match being evenly matched in the first half, Barca will probably absorb Milan pressure for much of the first period, before wearing their rivals down in the second half. With this in mind, I feel that VCBet's offer of 6/5 about draw in the half-time result market is pretty generous - Stan James go 10/11 about the same bet. This is bound to be a fiercely competitive affair, but I cannot envisage many goals being scored. Although Barca are much the most likely winners of the match, it could easily end all square, so from a punting perspective the half-time result bet looks the safest option.