The International Champions Cup might not mean a heck of a lot, particularly to the European teams who are treating this as nothing more than a warm-up to the season ahead, but don't tell that to supporters of AC Milan and Inter Milan.
The Derby Della Madonnina is always one of the roughest and toughest in the entire world, and though this match technically means little in Shenzhen on Saturday, you probably won't know that based on the way the two teams play on the pitch.
ODDS ANALYSIS
As of Tuesday night, there are no odds posted on this match. That said, if history is any indication, you can bet on a relatively high-scoring total to hit the board alongside a very tight spread.
RECENT FORM
Inter Milan got its season started here in the International Champions Cup with a loss to Bayern Munich, but there wasn't a lot to be ashamed of from Roberto Mancini's standpoint.
Mancini knows that that match was lost 1-0, but the goal for the German giants didn't come until the 80th minute from super sub Mario Gotze.
There definitely were some issues up front in the first half, as there was just no relationship between Mauro Icardi and Rodrigo Palacio until they both came off of the pitch, and though the defenders generally had a fairly good game, Inter won't be happy with anything but a clean sheet for the most part. Do keep in mind though, that the goal was scored on second-team goalie, Juan Pablo Carrizo, who looked much more uncomfortable in net than Samir Handanovic did.
AC Milan was also beaten in its first major friendly match of the season. Lyon got the best of the Italian side 2-1 in a fixture which might have proven to be a bit of an eye-opener. AC Milan was favored in that match, but it never looked like the better side on the pitch on this day.
Then again, it should be noted that the red and black Milan side is still trying to get used to its new manager, Sinisa Mihajlovic, and this was the first time that the club was on the pitch against anything aside from some provincial fodder which had no chance of competing.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
This is going to end up being a really interesting match to watch. We don't expect to see many of these men play more than 45 minutes, but we clearly see an Inter Milan side which doesn't look to be all that interested, knowing that most of its superstars have either not come to China or have been left curiously on the bench. Perhaps this is the fixture in which Xherdan Shaqiri will play, though many still believe that he is going to be on the move before this preseason is said and done with.
AC Milan was the more forward-thinking of these two teams from what we saw in the initial matches each played, and if we can get it at plus odds to win in 90 minutes, that's exactly the route which we are going to end up going in.
AC Milan 2, Inter Milan 1
The International Champions Cup lines for this contest will be first released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and totals. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between Inter Milan and AC Milan is scheduled for Saturday, July 25, 2015 at 8:00 a.m. ET at Shenzhen City Stadium in Shenzhen, China. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
