Barcelona are without Jordi Alba, Ibrahim Afellay and Isaac Cuenca for the Champions League match with Milan. The Blaugrana step into San Siro on Tuesday evening in this Group H encounter. Barcelona are without Jordi Alba, Ibrahim Afellay and Isaac Cuenca for the Champions League match with Milan. The Blaugrana step into San Siro on Tuesday evening in this Group H encounter. Coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino is without Jordi Alba and Afellay, while he has chosen to leave behind Isaac Cuenca. UEFA have chosen German referee Felix Brych to officiate. Milan will name their squad later today, but are pessimistic on Mario Balotelli, Christian Abbiati or Mattia De Sciglio being able to make it. Barcelona squad for Milan: Victor Valdes, Pinto, Olazabal; Montoya, Piqué, Puyol, Mascherano, Bartra, Adriano, Dani Alves; Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta, Jonathan Dos Santos, Busquets, Song, Sergi Roberto; Pedro, Alexis Sanchez, Messi, Neymar, Tello
Read More......Barcelona director Andoni Zubizarreta is again looking forward to a European Cup clash against Milan. The two teams have been regularly drawn with each other in recent seasons and they will meet at San Siro again on Tuesday night. “It wouldn’t be the Champions League unless we played Milan,” Zubizarreta smiled on Monday ahead of the trip to Italy. Barcelona director Andoni Zubizarreta is again looking forward to a European Cup clash against Milan. The two teams have been regularly drawn with each other in recent seasons and they will meet at San Siro again on Tuesday night. “It wouldn’t be the Champions League unless we played Milan,” Zubizarreta smiled on Monday ahead of the trip to Italy. “We have played each other a lot. We are going to a stadium in which the opponent does not mind closing up against us and that to us will make things more complicated. “In no way do we have to explain to our players the trajectory of Milan. It is always a good time to play Milan – whether before a Clasico game against Real Madrid or not. “It’s another opportunity to play against a great side. If you were to ask Carles Puyol, he will tell you that this is the best team that we can play.” Barcelona have a 100 per cent record in Group H, while Milan have beaten Celtic and drawn with Ajax in their two games so far.
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Cesare Prandelli believes 2012 is Italian football’s year with the Champions League and European Championships, but how would he solve Inter’s woes?
There are three Italian sides in the last 16 of Europe’s top club competition, as Milan beat Arsenal 4-0 while next week Napoli face Chelsea and Inter visit Olympique Marseille.
Cesare Prandelli believes 2012 is Italian football’s year with the Champions League and European Championships, but how would he solve Inter’s woes?
There are three Italian sides in the last 16 of Europe’s top club competition, as Milan beat Arsenal 4-0 while next week Napoli face Chelsea and Inter visit Olympique Marseille.
“In a one-off game, Napoli can beat anyone,” said Prandelli. “Nowadays all clubs would prefer to avoid taking on Walter Mazzarri’s men in a decisive match.
“I am confident all three Italians will go through to the quarter-finals. Milan have practically booked their ticket with that 4-0 victory over Arsenal.
“Inter are going through a strange season of highs and lows. At the moment it is difficult for them, but they have the players to rise up again. They need to push back with the pride of their champions.”
This year also sees Euro 2012 and Prandelli’s Italy qualified unbeaten, although they face Spain, Croatia and the Republic of Ireland in the first round.
“We’ll see what happens, but it’s not easy, as we have Spain in our group.
Juventus boss Antonio Conte used his Press conference ahead of the Parma game to label Milan as the “super favourites” for the Scudetto.
The Old Lady actually sit at the top of the standings, one point ahead of the Rossoneri, but the tactician has piled the pressure on his rivals.
“Milan’s ability to win so easily is surprising,” Conte noted after the San Siro giants disposed of Cagliari 3-0 last night.
“Yesterday, with so many absences, they took the points with absolute tranquillity. They have a great champion like Zlatan Ibrahimovic who, at times, gives the sensation that he is Gulliver, a giant.
“They are so impressive that they are the super favourites to win the title. Up until now we are keeping up with them and we hope to keep the championship alive until the very end.
“There are still 18 games to go and there are 54 points on offer, so anything can happen amongst the top six or seven sides.” Source : http://www.football-italia.net
While Adriano Galliani says Milan have a meeting with Manchester City on Thursday, Silvio Berlusconi insists Carlos Tevez “is not my type.”
Confusion reigns at San Siro after City confirmed they would not release Tevez on loan, therefore rejecting the Rossoneri’s first offer.
Vice-President Galliani said “we have an appointment with Manchester City on Thursday. However, it probably won’t be the decisive one to conclude a deal.”
This evening ahead of the rescheduled Week 1 game with Cagliari, President Berlusconi painted a very different picture of the situation.
“I am not courting Tevez, as he is not my type. Besides, he’s too expensive,” Berlusconi told news agency adnkronos.
“We already have a squad that can win the Scudetto as it is. As for Alexandre Pato, he needs to play more.” // http://www.football-italia.net
Tuesday’s showdown between Barcelona and Milan has been labelled as the “Derby of the World” by Adriano Galliani.
The two teams meet in their opening match of Group H as the Champions League kicks off this evening.
“Barcelona are the best team in the world right now, but Milan are the club with the most titles,” the Rossoneri Vice-President noted.
“Therefore, this game can be called the Derby of the World.”
Former Barca ace Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be missing from this global tie though after he picked up an injury in training on Monday.
That initially led to the understanding that Antonio Cassano and Alexandre Pato would start in attack, but that may not be the case.
As boss Massimiliano Allegri is also without the injured Robinho and the unavailable Pippo Inzaghi, there are suggestions that he could just start with Pato up front on his own.
The suggestion made by the Gazzetta dello Sport is that the Brazilian will be backed up by Kevin Prince Boateng and Urby Emanuelson in a 4-3-2-1.
Milan patron Silvio Berlusconi insists he will not interfere with Massimiliano Allegri’s team selection after spending big in the summer.
Berlusconi got his wallet out after a couple of lean years and brought in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho to great fanfare.
Interviewed in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Berlusconi was asked why he had suddenly fallen in love with the club again.
“It’s not true that I have re-found love for Milan, because I always had it. But in the last two years, I didn’t share the way with which the team was put on the pitch, first with Ancelotti and then with Leonardo.
“I have always respected the role of our Coaches, but I felt pain seeing that the resources available to them weren’t used opportunely.
“In some games we didn’t even have a shot in a half, because instead of being close to goal Ronaldinho and Pato were 45m away from it.”
Berlusconi was also keen to take the spotlight off his galacticos and turn it on some of Milan’s unsung heroes.
“Further to Pato, Ibra, Ronaldinho and Robinho there are other class players like Pirlo and Seedorf, but it will be up to Allegri to decide who play on the basis of form and the health of everyone.
“I am not the last person to arrive in football so I believe that I am able to say my piece. I have spoken with Allegri. I have told him what I think and he knows that I wanted to set up a very spectacular Milan, capable of entertaining, in which all the best players can play together if they are well. But, as always, he has the last word.”
When asked if he agreed with Ibrahimovic’s sentiment that Milan are now stronger than Inter, Berlusconi said: “I’ll let the others say something on that.
“I only know that, as always, we are aiming to be protagonists in Italy and in Europe. If there aren’t any injuries, our squad is of the highest order. It was last year and it is even more so this year.”
Finally Berlusconi gave his reaction to reports linking Inter with a move for former Milan talisman, Ricky Kaka.
“If Kaka were to go to Inter I’d also applaud Inter because he has always been a great player,” he concluded.[www.football-italia.net]
Real Madrid failed to respond to the defeat in Santiago Barnebeu after a 1-1 draw with AC Milan in the European derby rematch at the San Siro on Wednesday (4 / 10) in the morning. Karim Benzema had a chance with Madrid winning it before equated Rossoneri through Ronaldinho penalty.
Manuel Pellegrini could not reduce the injury Cristiano Ronaldo Gonzalo Higuain playing again since the first minute, while AC Milan to host full strength with lower tridente Pato, Ronaldinho, and Marco Boriello.
Karim Benzema threatened Dida's goal in minute 19 but kicks from the penalty box only a few inches wide to the left of goalkeeper Milan.
Counterattack through Clarence Seedorf, Rossoneri almost opened the scoring in the 24th minute when Alexandre Pato failed to score a goal despite living dealing with Iker Casillas.
Karim Benzema took advantage of Los blancos in minute 29. Kick the ball rebound failed Kaka is well captured by Dida could be maximized for Benzema scored his first goal in the Champions League this season.
Milan managed to equalize six minutes later thanks to Ronaldinho's penalty goal. The referee awarded a penalty after Pepe did handsball when Gianluca Zambrotta blocked the bait in the penalty box.
Two minutes later, Pato could make the San Siro to rumble with the goal to goal and Casillas the referee annulled because the first offense on Alvaro Arbeloa. 1-1 score was not changed until the first half ended.
Entering the second half, both AC Milan and Real Madrid continue demonstrating the game to attack. Los Galacticos had opened up opportunities through long-distance kicks Kaka and Marcelo.
To sharpen the attack, both teams made substitutions to include senior players, Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy at Real Madrid and Filippo Inzaghi of AC Milan.
At minute 88, Dida did brilliantly when thwart rescue Raul kick in the penalty box from Milan who became the last chance Los Merengues and does not change the position of a 1-1 game until the end.
With this result AC Milan and Real Madrid still be ranked one and two championship Group C followed by Marseille a 6-1 win over the Swiss representative, FC Zurich
Filippo Inzaghi can't wait to play his first official game at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and is looking forward to taking on Real Madrid captain Raul.
Inzaghi is not sure whether he will feature in the starting line-up, as Milan Coach Leonardo is yet to decide on his best team for the game.
“I have played in all the best European grounds but never at the Bernabeu,” explained SuperPippo.
“I have never played against Raul either and now I will get the chance to face him in his own stadium.”
Inzaghi and Raul are also battling it out for the title of European competition's all-time top scorer, with the Italian currently edging out the Real star by just three goals.
“The fundamental thing is that Milan win the game and return home with all three of the points at stake,” insisted the Rossoneri veteran.
Marco Borriello is part of the squad that will travel to Spain, but Inzaghi is the established regular in European competition.
“The boss decides whether I am playing or not but I feel good and I am ready if I am called upon.
“I always try to contribute, even when I start from the bench like I did against Roma,” concluded the former Juventus man.[www.football-italia.net]
Milan have been told they need to “get it done” quickly for David Beckham’s loan from LA Galaxy.
The England international has said he is very close to securing a return to San Siro in January so he can play in a competitive League going into the 2010 World Cup.
"We want to get it done, for him and for us, because we have work to do over the next few weeks and I don't want any confusion,” said Tim Leiweke, chief executive of Galaxy owners AEG.
"It's the same with Landon [Donovan], there are a lot of rumours of whether he is staying or going. We're going to clear that up in the next two weeks because we want the team to be focused.”
Last year Beckham was only meant to stay in Milan from January to March, but paid out of his own pocket to have that period extended to the end of May.
He will remain in Europe to begin preparations for the 2010 World Cup, but is warned he won’t be having a summer holiday.
"We're not going to give him as much time off this time. He's going to have to earn his keep! He will have a little time off,” added Leiweke.
“We have a deep appreciation of what he is doing over here with his national team. I wanted him to know that we will support him so we are going to lend him out."[www.football-italia.net]
AC Milan coach Leonardo has appealed to Rossoneri supporters not to give up on his struggling outfit.
The sale of Kaka to Real Madrid and the departure of coach Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea has been followed by a woeful start to the season, with Sunday's goalless home draw against newly-promoted Bari leaving Milan 11th in the standings.
Just 34,000 fans turned up at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium to watch Milan on Sunday and many booed at the end of the game.
"We are struggling psychologically although our team has the experience to react," Leonardo said.
"We hope that more fans can turn up to the stadium, the team needs their support."
Ronaldinho has denied speculation in the Spanish press he is considering retiring from football at the end of the season.
The Brazilian star has not featured in the Rossoneri's last two games and has yet to find the back of the net after three appearances with the Serie A giants this campaign.
"I have never considered the possibility of retiring from football," said the 29-year-old on his official website.
"The source of my happiness has always been to play football.
"I am happy at Milan and I will remain here until the end of my contract."
The two-times winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award joined Milan from Barcelona last year, but he has failed to make an impact at the San Siro.
Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi had hoped that after selling Kaka to Real Madrid this summer, Ronaldinho would rediscover some form.
Rossonero coach Leonardo has not been impressed, however, and the player was not included in the 2-1 Champions League victory at Marseille last week, nor did the South American feature in the narrow triumph over Bologna at the weekend.
Ronaldinho is under contract with the Rossoneri until June 2011.[sportinglife.com]
Juventus' perfect start to the new season continued as they posted a 2-0 win at Lazio on Saturday.
Ciro Ferrara's side moved three points clear at the summit thanks to second-half strikes by Martin Caceres (72) and David Trezeguet (90), although they will see that lead wiped out if Genoa and Sampdoria win their games in hand on Sunday.
The victory was Juve's second successive Serie A triumph at Rome's Stadio Olimpico. The Bianconeri triumphed 3-1 at Roma in their last match before the international break thanks to two goals from top summer signing Diego.
Defeat for Lazio was their first of the season after also kicking off their campaign with two wins. Davide Ballardini's side remain in fourth place.
In the day's other game, AC Milan's disappointing start to the season continued as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Livorno.
The Rossoneri looked bereft of ideas as they failed to make amends for their 4-0 defeat to Inter Milan a fortnight ago with a lacklustre display in Tuscany.
Four-time defending champions Inter Milan are fourth after goals from Samuel Eto'o and Diego Milito proved enough to end Parma's stubborn resistance at the San Siro.
Alberto Gilardino scored as Fiorentina beat Cagliari 1-0 while goals from Giampiero Pinzi and Sergio Pellissier gave Chievo a 2-0 win at Bologna.
New Roma boss Claudio Ranieri got off to a winning start thanks to an 89th-minute strike from substitute John Arne Riise against 10-man Siena.
The 151st Serie A Derby della Madonnina takes Inter’s total victories to 55 compared to 47 Milan wins.
This is the biggest margin in the derby since the Rossoneri’s 6-0 triumph on May 11, 2001. Inter hadn’t registered a result this comprehensive for 35 years, a 5-1 scoreline on March 24, 1973.
The Nerazzurri hadn’t won their ‘away’ derby since a 4-3 corker on October 22, 2006.
Luciano Spalletti has only ever beaten Juventus once in 12 years, a Coppa Italia tie, along with 15 defeats and three draws. His record at Roma in Serie A has been even worse with two points from seven meetings.
Without a point after two rounds, this is the Giallorossi’s worst start since the season of their relegation in 1950-51. Back then they lost the opening three to Bologna, Palermo and Triestina and went on to lose six of the first seven matches, conceding an average of 3.28 goals per game.
Daniele De Rossi has never previously put the ball into the Juventus net.
Diego scores his first two Serie A goals, while Felipe Melo nets on his official debut for the Bianconeri.
Cesare Prandelli has beaten Walter Zenga in all three head-to-heads without conceding, but all previous wins had been 2-0.
This is only Siena’s second ever victory at Cagliari’s Stadio Sant’Elia, the other in the 2002-03 Serie B campaign.
Genoa hadn’t conquered Atalanta in Bergamo since a 2-1 result on May 30, 1993.
Lazio beat Chievo by an identical scoreline last season, again with Sergio Pellissier scoring for the home side.
In the top flight Livorno haven’t earned a single point in Naples since a 2-1 win in December 1940.
Parma and Catania have only met three times at the Tardini in Serie A, the previous couple ending in draws.[football-italia.net]
The Champions League draw always provides entertainment. Even though the random drawing and the whole ceremony is fairly boring, it’s always interesting because it always seems to draw clubs together that are related in some way. Sometimes they’ll gift a club with revenge against a club that knocked them out the year before, or other times provide a real group of death. This time, the interesting thing the Champions League draw did was bring Kaka and Zlatan Ibrahimovic back to Italy (and back to the San Siro more specifically). Yes, Kaka and Zlatan will face their former clubs for one game during the group stage and get to play in front of the fans that once idolized them. (Unless of course they are suspended or injured for the match, which makes this all moot.) Groups of the Italian teams after the jump.
Group A
Bayern Munich
Juventus
Bordeaux
Maccabi Haifa
Juventus got an ok group. Bayern Munich is their toughest opponent, while French champions Bordeaux could provide a tough test as well. Maccabi Haifa shouldn’t be a problem but away trips to Israel are never easy.
Group C
Milan
Real Madrid
Marseille
Zurich
Milan were handed a favorable group. Real Madrid aside, Marseille and Zurich shouldn’t provide big scares for the Rossoneri.
Group E
Liverpool
Lyon
Fiorentina
Debrecen
Fiorentina have a rematch with Lyon and have the tough task of facing Liverpool. Debrecen will probably be the group punching bag. Fiorentina’s matches with Lyon will be crucial as Liverpool will be tough.
Group F
Barcelona
Inter
Dynamo Kiev
Rubin Kazan
Inter get to face old friend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and then face two Eastern European sides, and we all know how those winter trips to Russia and the Ukraine can be.
AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has risked undermining new coach Leonardo before the city derby by saying he prefers a different formation to the one used by the Brazilian.
Milan won 2-1 at Siena on Saturday in their Serie A opener with the impressive Ronaldinho playing behind frontmen Alexandre Pato and Marco Borriello.
However, Berlusconi wants to see Ronaldinho pushed further forward for Saturday's meeting with champions Inter Milan, who were held 1-1 at home by Bari on Sunday.
"If I was choosing the formation, I would play Clarence Seedorf in the hole, Pato as the main striker with Ronaldinho as second striker," the Italian prime minister told 7 Gold television late on Monday.
New striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar is available for the derby after serving a ban against Siena carried over from his time at Real Madrid.
Inter are close to a deal for Real playmaker Wesley Sneijder, media reports have said, with the Dutchman possibly starting the derby after coach Jose Mourinho questioned Sulley Muntari's fitness given the Ghanaian's commitment to Ramadan.[Reuters]
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, AC Milan captain and midfielder Massimo Ambrosini (32) said : "AC Milan's only objective is always winning. We never start a season thinking we could lose. We want to win trophies and we are very motivated. .... As always, the Serie A championship will be hard. Our opponents are all worthy. Inter won the last three titles, they are used to winning and have a strong squad. Juventus are solid and now have Diego, who is great. However, AC Milan can still achieve great things because we also have top players, despite Kaka's departure. For example, we have Nesta - who has recovered from injury - the very reliable Thiago Silva, the tenacious and hardworking Pippo Inzaghi, Borriello - who will be very useful once he fully recovers from injury - Pirlo and Gattuso as well as Ronaldinho. I am not worried and I am optimistic with these great team mates".
Source: Gazzetta dello Sport
Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso believes there is nothing wrong with Marcello Lippi’s predictions ahead of the start of the new campaign.
The Italy boss was strongly criticised by Jose Mourinho, who claimed his comments were out of place and highly disrespectful.
“Lippi didn’t say anything strange,” claimed Ringhio. “It is just normal that he hopes the best for his own interest. After all he has six or seven national players at Juve while at Inter there is only Marco Materazzi.” he argued.
Regarding footballers’ wages and Silvio Berlusconi’s advice to reduce it, Gattuso had also something to say.
“I thought it was excessive to claim footballers should reduce their wages up to 50 per cent,” he said.
“We didn’t make the contracts ourselves. Clubs negotiate them and agree to them so it is not our fault.”
The hard man believes that his club are still struggling ahead of the new campaign.
Milan registered their first win of the pre-season over Juventus last night, albeit in a penalty shoot-out to claim this year’s Trofeo Berlusconi.
It ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, with Diego and Alexandre Pato grabbing the goals for their respective clubs, meaning that a shoot out was required to find a winner. Yago Falque’s miss with the first spot kick was all it took, allowing the Rossoneri to clinch a 5-4 victory.
Despite the eventual outcome, Gennaro Gattuso is aware of the fact that his club’s problems are still present, as they failed to win a single match to this point in the pre-season.
“It is our first victory of the pre-season, even if it was obtained on penalties,” Gattuso explained to Sky.
“This is important for us, as we did go a month without winning. However this is still our problem at the moment, because it was the players who have been letting the club down.
“We have not solved our problems with this victory tonight, because there is still a lot of work to be done.
“The older players like myself, [Andrea] Pirlo and [Massimo] Ambrosini have been struggling a bit with injury recently. But when anyone wears the Milan shirt, you’re accustomed to winning, and this is not what we have been doing.
“It’s hard to accept the criticism we have been getting lately, so again, there is a lot of work that still has to be done.”
The Rossoneri kick start their campaign this weekend, with a trip to Tuscany to face Siena at the Artemio Franchi stadium.
Adrian Del Monte, Goal.com
