Saturday 29 July predictions: The highlight of the day is the friendly between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Napoli and Atalanta are also on the pitch
The Summer Champions Tour, which involves some of Europe’s most famous clubs on tour in the United States, today offers one of the most interesting and fascinating challenges of all, that between the two great rivals of Spain, Barcelona and Real Madrid. A friendly match only on paper, which no one wants to lose even if there is very little at stake.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Blancos proved they were already on the ball by overturning AC Milan 2-0 to 2-3 in the first US test and beating Manchester United 2-0. On the other hand, the Blaugrana, defeated 5-3 by Arsenal, had to be overhauled. For Xavi’s team, the match against the Gunners was the first friendly after the cancellation of the match against Juventus due to a gastrointestinal virus that decimated the Catalan coach’s squad. In any case, Real seem to be ahead of their eternal rivals and should at least avoid defeat in a match with at least one goal each. Third friendly match also for Italian champions Napoli: the Azzurri against Spal did not shine and in the test against Hatayspor they might again fail to keep their goal unbroken. Potentially prolific matches also await Atalanta and Genoa against Bournemouth and Monaco.
Other match predictions
In the Superligaen, Denmark’s top league, Copenhagen may be suffering from cup fatigue – they played the Champions League preliminary against Breidablik this week – and it won’t be a walk in the park to face Vejle away.
Larsson of Copenhagen
MMolde also face a double task: the Norwegian champions will try to redeem their defeat to HJK by going for a win at home to Stabaek. The remaining matches of the first day of the Zweite Liga will be played: Hertha Berlin will make a complicated debut at home to Fortuna Dusseldorf. Finally, in Brazil, Fluminense should get the better of a dangerous and disastrous Santos away.
Winners
- Vejle or draw (in Vejle-Copenaghen, Superligaen, 4pm)
- Molde (in Stabaek-Molde, Eliteserien, 18:00)
- Fortuna Dusseldorf or draw (in Fortuna-Hertha Berlin, Zweite Liga, 20:30)
- Fluminense (in Fluminense-Santos, Brasileirao, 21:00)
