Round: Quarter-Finals Venue: Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade Rules: 90 minutes, followed if necessary by extra-time (original rules with multiple goals possible in 30 minutes) and then if the scores are still tied a penalty shoot-out * Note - If you think the game will go to extra-time please choose that option (at the bottom end of the poll) and then you can say what you would choose for the score at full-time in normal time/90 minutes in the thread, as well as give details of how you'd see extra-time going Line-ups: (diagrams in following posts) Juventus 97-98 - Angelo Peruzzi; Alessandro Birindelli, Ciro Ferrara, Paolo Montero, Mark Iuliano; Antonio Conte, Didier Deschamps, Edgar Davids; Zinedine Zidane; Filipo Inzaghi, Alessandro Del Piero. AC Milan 89-90 - Giovanni Galli; Mauro Tassotti, Alessandro Costacurta, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini; Roberto Donadoni, Frank Rijkaard, Carlo Ancelotti, Alberigo Evani; Marco van Basten, Daniele Massaro. Voting deadline - 18th May 2015 (1 week from now) Main thread: http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/1989-2014-fantasy-world-club-cup.2012816/page-22 Feel free to discuss the match and how you think it would play out, and then after you vote for a scoreline feel free to provide reasoning. If considering substitutions, please check the players were at the club in the relevant season and then you are free to consider 3 substitutions selected from the whole squad for each team, in the scenario you envisage
The 2-1 to AC Milan looks reasonably likely here, but still a few days to go.... I went with just the single goal and an AC Milan 1-0 victory. There's plenty of quality on show and I could easily see more goals in an entertaining game, which would be preferable, but it's probably about time I went with a 1-0 again in a game and I feel like it's as likely a score as any here as Juventus would be competitive and solid (and maybe a little cautious if they are under pressure - they can leave the attacking to the front 3 if and when they wish), while Milan have a top defence and might also restrict Juve with their pressing game (although Zidane would likely pick his way through a few times, with a bit of help from team-mates). If it does become such a tight game, with few goals, then I suppose it's easy to believe Juventus could come out on top with a bit of Del Piero and/or Zidane magic. But I'm instead favouring Milan's approach to give a few more chances to do something near the Juventus goal and I think that Inzaghi has a big task to evade Costacurta and Baresi while it shouldn't be so easy for Juventus's defenders to keep Van Basten at bay. Milan also have Rijkaard and even Baresi from the back who can up the tempo and open things up with a skilful surge forwards with the ball. Baresi set Van Basten up for a goal on the stretch in a 3-0 win vs Inter in 89-90 - I'll say a similar piece of play occurs this time but perhaps rather than being allowed to finish Van Basten is sandwiched by late tackles (or deliberate fouls?) of Ferrara and Montero, and picks himself up to slot home the winning penalty. I do think Juventus can offer something going forwards (Davids might drive forwards and/or dribble his way into dangerous positions for example) and if and when they fall behind they would try to respond. But like I say, I'm thinking if one team is to go scoreless I'd favour them - Milan have more of an attacking nature in terms of how they are set up - even Evani could easily have an effect in the final 3rd, and Maldini coming from behind him too. I feel like Juventus, if they had got in the lead, would need to try and get a second to be comfortable, but as described I'm going with the scenario where it is Milan who open the scoring and go on to keep a clean sheet.