UEFA Champions League Betting: AC Milan vs. Manchester United

Two titans of European soccer will lock horns this week as Italy’s A.C. Milan and England’s Manchester United do battle in a key UEFA Champions League clash. The competition is currently in the round of 16, meaning Man U and Milan will engage in a two-match series starting on Tuesday starting at the San Siro before going to Old Trafford for the return leg.

From a sports betting perspective, both teams are evenly matched. At the Sports Interaction online sportsbook, Milan is currently listed at 2.50 while United is at 2.60, with a draw at 2.95. Let’s take a look at some of the key storylines for this heavily-anticipated match.

The biggest story surrounds David Beckham, who rose to worldwide prominence with Manchester United and now finds himself plying his trade with Milan. This will mark the first time Beckham has ever squared off against United, the club he left in 2003. Whether or not Beckham will start remains up in the air; Milan coach Leonardo has only used Beckham in a substitute role but may be forced to include him in the starting 11 given that newly-signed Amantino Mancini is ineligible for the game.

Milan is going through a rough stretch lately, having only won one of their last five matches. Despite this, there’s no shortage of talent in the squad, as the team is littered with star power — Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato and in-form Dutchman Klaas-Jan Huntelaaar are amongst the game’s finest.

United, meanwhile, are chugging along, business as usual. They’re furiously chasing first-place Chelsea in the English Premiership and have gone undefeated over their last eight games. All eyes will likely be on Wayne Rooney; the 24-year-old striking phenom has been on fire domestically and recently scored his 100th career Premier League goal in a 3-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

These two giants haven’t met since 2007, when Milan torched United 3-0 at the San Siro. Milan will look to replicate that stellar defensive effort on Tuesday, as the gifted pairing of Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva plan to anchor the backline to perfection. That will probably be the matchup most will be watching; if Nesta and Silva can contain Rooney — who has scored 21 goals in the Premiership and filled the scoring void left by Cristiano Ronaldo — Milan will be in great shape for the return match at Old Trafford.

If you’d like to check out sports betting options on this match and more Champions League soccer betting, head on over to the Sports Interaction online sportsbook. It’s got everything soccer betting enthusiasts could want!