Saturday, November 25, 2006
Top-of-the-table showdown in Italy
The top two in Serie A meet on Sunday night with Palermo playing host to Inter Milan, whose city rivals AC take on Messina on Saturday.
AC Milan are suffering and desperate for a change in fortunes. Carlo Ancelotti's men, who are at home to Messina in this weekend's 13th round, are 22 points behind leaders Inter.
Even their Champions League adventure had some of its shine removed this week as the Rossoneri lost 1-0 at Greek underdogs AEK Athens.
Veteran defender Paolo Maldini urged everyone to be calm after Milan's setback to AEK.
"We had even more opportunities than against Anderlecht (on matchday four), with great ball possession and control," he said.
"The problem is the injuries. We had two youth team players on the bench and we were limited.
"I hope someone will be able to return soon because playing every three days with the same men all the time isn't easy."
Among the ailing is defender Dario Simic, who has an intercostal injury.
"The injuries are really strange, especially Dario's," Maldini said.
These are times of change for Milan, with the Serie A giants on the verge of wholesale defensive changes.
The talismanic Maldini, now 38 years old and near the end of his career, is expected to quit playing at the end of the season.
And there are other concerns about the back line as well, with Cafu and Alessandro Costacurta also nearing the end of their careers.
Roma's French defender Philippe Mexes and Palermo's Andrea Barzagli have been mooted as possible signings, but acquiring them will not be easy.
Mexes has finally lived up to the hype which led to his move to the Eternal City from Auxerre a few years ago and has arguably been the best defender in the league with Roma boasting the meanest defence in Italy.
He is under contract in Rome until June 2008, and is thought to have a 10.5million euro buyout clause.
The price tag on Barzagli is far greater. He is valued at 20million euros.
What matters now for Milan, however, are the players currently at the club, because it is they who must figure out a way out of the hole they find themselves in, brought about by an eight-point deduction for match-fixing at the start of the season.
Maximum points are needed when they face 12th-placed Messina at the San Siro on Saturday, and with a long injury list those will not be easy to obtain.
Ancelotti hopes to have Alessandro Nesta, Kaka Kaladze and Massimo Ambrosini fit for selection.
Various injuries have ruled out Gennaro Gattuso, Giuseppe Favalli and Sergio Serginho.
Simic, Cafu and Costacurta are doubtful with muscular problems, while goalkeeper Nelson Dida is carrying a left knee injury.
Nevertheless, Maldini believes Milan's luck has already begun to turn.
Despite their defeat to AEK, Milan still clinched a place in the next phase of the Champions League due to other results.
"I hope that the unfortunate moment is over after going through as group winners," Maldini said.
"With all the negative things, there was also good news. The mindset is not a problem, if we can do it now we can always do it. Everything is about to change."
In Saturday's other game, struggling Chievo are at home to seventh-placed Udinese.
A clash of the titans will take place on Sunday night at the Renzo Barbera stadium, the home of Palermo.
The Rosanero take on leaders Inter looking to rejoin them at the top. They go into the game just three points behind.
In Sunday's other games, Roma visit Sampdoria after whipping Catania 7-0 last weekend, although Luciano Spalletti's men suffered a midweek Champions League defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Siena will host Fiorentina in a Tuscany derby, Lazio play at home against strugglers Ascoli, and Empoli host Cagliari, with both teams in good form.
Fourth-placed Livorno go to Reggio Calabria to visit rock-bottom Reggina, Torino face Atalanta at the Fratelli D'Italia stadium and Parma go to Catania.
Even their Champions League adventure had some of its shine removed this week as the Rossoneri lost 1-0 at Greek underdogs AEK Athens.
Veteran defender Paolo Maldini urged everyone to be calm after Milan's setback to AEK.
"We had even more opportunities than against Anderlecht (on matchday four), with great ball possession and control," he said.
"The problem is the injuries. We had two youth team players on the bench and we were limited.
"I hope someone will be able to return soon because playing every three days with the same men all the time isn't easy."
Among the ailing is defender Dario Simic, who has an intercostal injury.
"The injuries are really strange, especially Dario's," Maldini said.
These are times of change for Milan, with the Serie A giants on the verge of wholesale defensive changes.
The talismanic Maldini, now 38 years old and near the end of his career, is expected to quit playing at the end of the season.
And there are other concerns about the back line as well, with Cafu and Alessandro Costacurta also nearing the end of their careers.
Roma's French defender Philippe Mexes and Palermo's Andrea Barzagli have been mooted as possible signings, but acquiring them will not be easy.
Mexes has finally lived up to the hype which led to his move to the Eternal City from Auxerre a few years ago and has arguably been the best defender in the league with Roma boasting the meanest defence in Italy.
He is under contract in Rome until June 2008, and is thought to have a 10.5million euro buyout clause.
The price tag on Barzagli is far greater. He is valued at 20million euros.
What matters now for Milan, however, are the players currently at the club, because it is they who must figure out a way out of the hole they find themselves in, brought about by an eight-point deduction for match-fixing at the start of the season.
Maximum points are needed when they face 12th-placed Messina at the San Siro on Saturday, and with a long injury list those will not be easy to obtain.
Ancelotti hopes to have Alessandro Nesta, Kaka Kaladze and Massimo Ambrosini fit for selection.
Various injuries have ruled out Gennaro Gattuso, Giuseppe Favalli and Sergio Serginho.
Simic, Cafu and Costacurta are doubtful with muscular problems, while goalkeeper Nelson Dida is carrying a left knee injury.
Nevertheless, Maldini believes Milan's luck has already begun to turn.
Despite their defeat to AEK, Milan still clinched a place in the next phase of the Champions League due to other results.
"I hope that the unfortunate moment is over after going through as group winners," Maldini said.
"With all the negative things, there was also good news. The mindset is not a problem, if we can do it now we can always do it. Everything is about to change."
In Saturday's other game, struggling Chievo are at home to seventh-placed Udinese.
A clash of the titans will take place on Sunday night at the Renzo Barbera stadium, the home of Palermo.
The Rosanero take on leaders Inter looking to rejoin them at the top. They go into the game just three points behind.
In Sunday's other games, Roma visit Sampdoria after whipping Catania 7-0 last weekend, although Luciano Spalletti's men suffered a midweek Champions League defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Siena will host Fiorentina in a Tuscany derby, Lazio play at home against strugglers Ascoli, and Empoli host Cagliari, with both teams in good form.
Fourth-placed Livorno go to Reggio Calabria to visit rock-bottom Reggina, Torino face Atalanta at the Fratelli D'Italia stadium and Parma go to Catania.
# posted by mojtaba @ 5:00 AM 
