It’s time for the sharp end of the 2022/23 Uefa Champions League, as the semi-final stage sees a pair of monster first legs take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Four need to be whittled to two ahead of the final on Saturday 10 June with the second legs deciding the lineup next week.
A Milan derby at the San Siro pits AC against Inter on Wednesday, after favourites Real Madrid and Manchester City kick off the semis on Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Uefa Champions League predictions for 9 – 10 May
The iconic San Siro stadium will be a cauldron on Wednesday night, as AC Milan go up against Internazionale in the Uefa Champions League semi-final first leg.
It’s a first Milanese derby at this stage of the competition in 20 years.
And while duels between the likes of Andrei Shevchenko and Fabio Cannavaro are two decades in the past, it’s a contest that still marks a certain resurgence for the Serie A pair in their historic shared venue.
Inter came through their quarter-final with Benfica comfortably, with a 5-3 aggregate scoreline closer than the reality of the contest thanks to two late Portuguese goals.
It made for an Iberian double, with Inter having already dispensed with former champions FC Porto in the Round of 16.
The Rossoneri are Italian derby-hardened thanks to their nervy, 2-1 aggregate success against new Italian champions Napoli in the quarter-finals.
English Premier League club Tottenham were their victims in the first knockout round, meanwhile, with the Italians inching their way through the pack on their return to continental football’s top table.
It’s just as intense on Tuesday night, as the two favourites for the UCL title kick off their semi-final when Real Madrid play host to Manchester City.
Los Blancos had a quarter-final cakewalk as they gobbled up EPL strugglers Chelsea with a pair of 2-0 victories, as veteran boss Carlo Ancelotti got one over on his former club.
Liverpool were seen off in the Round of 16, too, with Ancelotti’s men now making it a hat-trick of English opponents in their quest for a record-extending 15th European crown.
City are still searching for their maiden European title despite their domestic dominance under legendary coach Pep Guardiola.
This season looks like their best opportunity yet, not least after a first leg blast at the Etihad Stadium saw them bury Guardiola’s former club, Bayern Munich, in the quarter-finals.
RB Leipzig had earlier suffered even more fury in the first knockout round, with City romping to an 8-1 aggregate success.
Real Madrid v Manchester City
| Result prediction | Real Madrid to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Real Madrid / Real Madrid to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | K. Benzema(Real Madrid) Vinícius Júnior(Real Madrid) Rodrygo(Real Madrid) E. Haaland(Manchester City) |
Milan v Internazionale
| Result prediction | Milan to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Milan / Milan to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | O. Giroud(Milan) |