After becoming the first men’s team in English football history to win four consecutive top-flight titles last term, we will play four matches in collaboration with FC Series, a showcase for international clubs with matches across the US.
Last week we took a look at the history between City and our first opponents on tour, Celtic.
Now we turn our attention to AC Milan, who we will face at the Yankee Stadium in New York on Saturday 27 July.
Tickets for City v Milan in New York this summer
Tickets are available for the match, while fans in the UK will be able to see it live on CITY+.
One of the most respected clubs in the world, Milan have lifted seven European Cups – placing them second on the all-time list behind Real Madrid.
Having won Serie A 19 times, they are the third most successful club in Italian domestic football.
While our meetings with Milan have been limited, the Italian giants have had an impact on City with their famous red and black shirt inspiring our iconic away kit.
Here we’ll look back at the few previous encounters we’ve had with the Rossoneri…
Milan 2-2 City, UEFA Cup, San Siro, 23 November 1978
Having come past FC Twente and Standard Liege, City’s third round tie was with the great Italian club.
The first leg, at the magnificent amphitheatre that is the San Siro, was actually played a day later than scheduled due to a heavy fog in Milan.
Instead taking place in the afternoon, there were still 60,000 spectators in the glorious sunshine to watch an unforgettable match.
Tony Book’s City set aside middling league form to go toe-to-toe with Milan, overcoming early pressure to take the lead thanks to Brian Kidd’s finish from Asa Hartford’s cross.
We doubled our advantage in the 57th minute thanks to a long, unchallenged run and shot from Paul Power.
Milan rekindled hope almost immediately through Alberto Bigon before the Italian levelled the scores in the 83rd minute.
While it wasn’t the victory that appeared likely earlier on, City were still in a strong position ahead of the second leg at Maine Road.
Milan 2-2 City | Match of the Season
City 3-0 Milan, UEFA Cup, Maine Road, 6 December 1978
Book’s Blues were even better back in Manchester a fortnight later.
With Maine Road packed to the rafters, there was hope of another special occasion.
Tommy Booth, City’s imposing central defender, towered above his marker and nodded us into the lead after 15 minutes.
Both sides played on the front foot, with a few vital last ditch interventions required to protect Joe Corrigan’s goal.
However, it was tireless midfielder Hartford who scored next, firing into the top corner just after the half hour.
It was three before half-time, when Kidd nipped in ahead of the goalkeeper to turn the ball home.
That appeared to knock the stuffing out of our visitors, with City the likelier of the two to score in the second period.
A famous night was sealed with City advancing to the quarter-finals.
Milan 1-5 City, International Champions Cup, Pittsburgh, 27 July 2014
Manuel Pellegrini’s City began our three-match tour of the United States with a comprehensive win.
Stevan Jovetic opened the scoring, latching onto Jesus Navas’s fine pass on 12 minutes and he drilled his low shot past Milan keeper Michael Agazzi at his near post.
Sixty seconds later, we doubled our advantage as Gael Clichy playing at right-back got down the right and crossed for Scott Sinclair, who took the ball down inside the box before smashing his half-volley high into the net past Agazzi.
City made it 3-0 on 23 minutes when Jovetic picked out Navas at the far post and his acrobatic volley took a wicked deflection off Andrea Poli to wrong-foot the unfortunate Agazzi.
Things got even better for City three minutes later when Nigerian youngster Kelechi Iheanacho was afforded too much space on the edge of the box and he poked his shot past Agazzi even though the keeper got two hands on the strike.
Milan gave themselves hope with a goal back just before the break through former Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari.
However, man of the match Jovetic grabbed his second and City’s fifth goal of the contest early in the second half to condemn Milan to their second defeat in the pre-season tournament.
City, who were Premier League champions, would go on to draw against Liverpool and Olympiacos before returning home to begin the new campaign.
CITY+
Subject to rights restrictions in certain countries and regions, CITY+ subscribers will be able to watch the matches on our pre-season tour of the US right here on mancity.com and our official app.
CITY+ is available via an annual subscription of £34.99 a year, saving you £24 on our monthly offering.
Choose monthly and pay £4.99 a month with the option to cancel anytime.
Official Cityzens and Season Ticket Members can subscribe annually for £30 a year, a saving of £29.
