Tonight at the Santiago Bernabeu the two teams with the most Champions League titles will face off, and Paulo Fonseca will rely on Rafael Leao.
As Corriere della Sera (via MilanNews) underlines this morning, it might be the two most successful clubs in the history of the European competition squaring off, but it feels like a potential mismatch on paper.
The perception of the two clubs has changed in the last 20 years. Two decades ago it was the Rossoneri that had a higher turnover than Real Madrid but today everything has turned upside down and the gap between the two clubs from an economic point of view is incalculable.
Milan closed 2023-24 with a growth in revenues to €450m, which is positive if you look at the struggles of the past. However, Florentino Perez’s side had a turnover of more than €1billion, and that means they can go out and make big signings like Kylian Mbappè.
Of course tonight it will be 11 men against 11 men on the field, but the squad that Carlo Ancelotti has means Milan’s task is arduous there too. The Diavolo must try, knowing full well that they will then close their European campaign with four games to win on paper and that should be enough for a place in the play-offs.
The one who will have to make the difference, especially on these nights, is Rafael Leao who today returns to the starting line-up on the left wing. Last night Fonseca declared that he is confident that his compatriot can be decisive, and this would be a great night to prove it.