" #AudiCup2015It may just be a brief run-out versus Milan, but any chance to watch the promising (very) early progress of Alli at Tottenham should be taken. AC Milan Player to Watch: Keisuke HondaHoping to be a central figure in new boss Mihajlovic's set up, Honda had a tough time standing out amid the oppressive attentions of an unrelenting Bayern side. The Bundesliga champions repeatedly stopped the playmaker in his tracks, surrounding him almost every time a hint of an opening appeared. He was not alone here, but Milan suffered for his lack of involvement. Keisuke Honda will hope to have more room to operate against Spurs than he did versus Bayern. Kerstin Joensson/Associated PressIf Honda features against Tottenham, he should have more time to operate.
"The is the final week before start of the Premier League, and the Audi Cup will be a great test as we try to get into a rhythm before we play Manchester United on Saturday, " he told Tottenham's official website. Tottenham Hotspur Player to Watch: Dele AlliTottenham Hotspur @SpursOfficial"@dele_alli36: Delighted to start but disappointed with the result. I'm just trying to show what I can do. " http://t. co/3CmQ89fVq7Having started him against Real Madrid, Pochettino may limit Alli to a substitute appearance on Wednesday. That will be better than nothing for Spurs supporters, given even more reason to be excited about the 19-year-old midfielder following his confident performance against the La Liga runners-up. As against the MLS All-Stars last week, Alli got up and down the pitch well, combined positively with his team-mates and showed good positional sense when entering the penalty box.
Coming against Real there was an extra sense of wonder about the display, emphasised most delightfully by the way he skillfully maneuvered past former Spur Luka Modric in the opening 15 minutes. Tottenham Hotspur @SpursOfficial. @dele_alli36 on nutmeg: "It was just natural instinct. Hopefully I've shown what I can do.
Certainly, if Milan catch them pushing numbers forward, the Japan international will be in prime position to execute the swift transitions Real Madrid got some joy out of on Tuesday. But also against a defensive midfield setup that showed hesitancy to commit to closing down the Spanish club in front of their own penalty area. Key Battle: Can Tottenham's Defence Show More Responsibility Against Resilient Rossoneri Attack? The Milan attack will fancy their chances against a Tottenham defence that, based on their two non-behind-closed-door friendlies, look very much a work in progress.
CHRISTOF STACHE/Getty ImagesGoals by James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale dispatched the Lillywhites in the first of Tuesday's contests. Juan Bernat, Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski saw off the Rossoneri to confirm Bayern's place in the final. Both Spurs and Milan will be keen to reinforce their preparations and record at least one win to match one of their exalted conquerors. Date: Wednesday, August 5Time: 5:15 p. m. BST/12:15 p.
Cristian Zapata and M'Baye Niang were both substituted with injuries during AC Milan's defeat to Bayern Munich. Their statuses were also uncertain as of midnight Wednesday. AC Milan @acmilan64' OUT Zapata (Injured/Infortunato) IN AlexAC Milan @acmilan89' OUT Niang (injured/infortunato) IN CerciPredicting pre-season lineups is challenging enough, given the mandate for experimentation this time of year.
Given both bosses in this fixture are having to juggle their resources for a second match in two days, please excuse not trying to pin down these starting XIs here. Sinisa Mihajlovic at least does not have to worry about a big season-opening fixture within just a few days, as is the case for his counterpart, Mauricio Pochettino. Though, prior to the tournament, Spurs assistant head coach Jesus Perez tried to cast the quick turnover in a positive light (publicly at least).
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For the second time in two matches, Spurs conceded as a result of loose marking and lax attention from their back four. Kyle Walker allowed Isco too much room to cut back in from the left and cross. With centre-backs Toby Alderweireld and Kevin Wimmer drawn to the Real midfielder, James Rodriguez was able to pop up between Eric Dier and Danny Rose and head home his team-mate's centre unchallenged. David Villa scored for the MLS All-Stars last week amid similar neglect from Spurs' centre-backs. Pochettino is understandably looking at different combinations in his back four. That will mean some hiccups as new team-mates figure each other out.
While respective defeats to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have denied them the chance to compete for some pre-season silverware, both will be keen to fine-tune their preparations with the season proper getting closer. Especially Tottenham, who begin their campaign against Manchester United this Saturday lunchtime. Milan were unable to hold Bayern Munich back in the Germans' home tournament.
AC Milan vs Tottenham live stream: How - Yahoo Sport UK