Serie A preview: Milan derby takes centre stage

AC Milan meet champions Inter Milan at the San Siro on Saturday in a match that could well define the title credentials of both sides.

Milan have topped the Serie A standings for much of the 2010-11 campaign, but Massimiliano Allegri’s men have stagnated in recent weeks and were held to a 1-1 draw at home by bottom side Bari on March 13 before slumping to a 1-0 defeat at Palermo.

Inter, by contrast, endured a difficult start to their campaign under former manager Rafael Benitez, but since he was replaced by Leonardo in December, the reigning Italian and European champions have gone from strength to strength.

Their league record since the Brazilian took over has been impeccable, with 12 wins, two losses and a draw seeing them sitting just two points behind Milan with eight games remaining.

Leonardo will be hoping for more good form from Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o, who has scored 19 league goals this season, with four in his last four Serie A games.

Also on Saturday, Brescia will be desperate to move out of the relegation zone when they host Bologna.

Sunday sees another huge fixture, when third-placed Napoli – who are just three points behind Milan – take on a fifth-placed Lazio side who are desperate to keep their Champions League push alive.

As well as Inter, the big movers of 2011 have undoubtedly been Udinese and the northerners are unbeaten in the league so far this year from 13 games – scoring 35 goals and conceding only 10.

That form sees them lying in fourth place in the league, six points behind Milan, ahead of Sunday’s trip to relegation candidates Lecce.

Elsewhere on Sunday, sixth-placed Roma host Juventus at the Olympic stadium with a spot in next season’s Europa League the objective for both teams, and the visitors will be keen to slash Roma’s five point advantage.

Catania welcome Palermo at the Stadio Angelo Massimino for an all-Sicilian affair while struggling Cesena play host to Fiorentina.

Bari are six points adrift at the foot of the table and need maximum points from their trip to Parma, Cagliari visit Genoa in a mid-table clash and Chievo Verona welcome a Sampdoria side who are just three points clear of the relegation zone.

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´Tired´ Milan not panicking

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri is refusing to panic despite seeing his side held to a 1-1 draw by bottom-placed Bari on Sunday.

A win at the San Siro would have seen Milan stretch their lead atop the Serie A table to seven points after Inter Milan drew at Brescia on Friday, but the weary side were lucky to even escape with a point.

Gergely Rudolf put Bari ahead in the 39th minute, and it looked all over for Milan when star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off with a straight red in the 73rd minute.

But Antonio Cassano ensured Milan would at least not lose any ground to Inter with an equaliser eight minutes from injury time.

Allegri admitted his side were tired from their Champions League loss to Tottenham on Wednesday, but preferred to focus on the positives after the match.

“I think that in these moments we should be calm, since we’re leading the championship and therefore we shouldn’t be nervous at all,” Allegri said.

“We should only focus on playing football. We have played well in the second half of the match and a bit less in the first half.”

“I’m sorry because the team put in a good performance in the second half of the match and we created many good chances. We weren’t concentrating when Bari scored their goal.”

“But in the end we’re still five points ahead. Of course if we had won, we would have seven points ahead, but this is the championship and I think that being five points ahead when there are nine matches to play is a good advantage.”

“The team is tired. They have played an intense match today, especially in the second half where we had to play with 10 men.”

“They played in London on Wednesday and used up many of their physical and mental energies. We have made mistakes in the first half of today’s match, but we knew that we could face some difficulties even if Bari are bottom of the league.”

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Juve to go shopping in Milan

Juventus are planning a summer shopping spree in Milan with the Bianconeri interested in Andrea Pirlo and Davide Santon.

Andrea Pirlo’s contract at Milan is set to expire at the end of the season and with the Rossoneri unlikely to offer him a new deal, the Italy international could be on his way out of San Siro.

Juventus see Pirlo as a much cheaper alternative for Alberto Aquilani, whose high transfer price is likely to prevent the Old Lady from making his loan deal permanent.

Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta is also keen on Inter full-back Davide Santon, who is currently on loan at Cesena.

Marotta’s attempts to sign Santon in January were unsuccessful, but he hopes to soften Inter’s stance on the deal by offering either Momo Sissoko or Felipe Melo.

Santon’s future at Inter doesn’t look too bright after the Neroazzurri signed Yuto Nagatomo in January and he could be tempted by the prospect of first team football at Juve.

[Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport]

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Milan look to end mini-slump

AC Milan will be looking for their first win in three matches when they take on Bari in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia on Thursday.

The Serie A leaders have stumbled of late in the league, having drawn 1-1 draw at Lecce on Sunday and being held 4-4 at home by Udinese a week earlier.

And because of the slump in form, coach Massimiliano Allegri intends to send out his strongest side for the knockout cup tie.

“After two draws, the most important thing for us is to win again and tomorrow we’re going to have an important chance to do it,” Allegri said.

“Nesta won’t be playing but (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Antonio) Cassano, Pato and Robinho are all available.”

“(Kevin-Prince) Boateng is working and is improving. Let’s see in the next few days if he will be available again.”

“(Filippo) Inzaghi should be almost available in March. He is working very well and I’m very happy.”

“His enthusiasm and willingness will surely shorten his recovery times. He is proving this since he works hard every day. This is the most important thing for us.”

Allegri added that it was important that Milan was competitive in the Serie A, Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League.

“We want to win both the championship and in the Champions League,” Allegri said. “When you reach the semi-final or final everyone respects your values.”

“It’s always good to win a cup, so we should try to get to the final.”

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Ronaldinho, Milan reach agreement

Brazilian star Ronaldinho will continue his football career in his home country, ending rumours of a switch to Blackburn Rovers.

With Ronaldinho unhappy at AC Milan, the Rovers launched an audacious bid to land the attacking midfielder, with the club’s new owners, The Venky’s Group, keen on signing the 30-year-old.

But the talk has been proved to be fanciful at best, with Ronaldinho announcing on Thursday he was returning home to continue his playing career.

“We have signed an agreement with Milan, and today I am free to continue my life here in Brazil,” Ronaldinho told reporters.

The contract of the former Milan and Barcelona star does not run out until June, but AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani, who was in Rio de Janeiro at the press conference, confirmed a deal had been agreed ‘in principle’ to allow Ronaldinho to play out of Italy.

“I want to make it clear that Milan has not ended the contract with Ronaldinho,” Galliani said.

“Ronaldinho has a full agreement with Milan. We will see what is the best decision for him.”

The Brazilian paid tribute to the club after his two-and-a-half year stint saw him boast a scoring average of almost one in every three games.

“The time I spent playing in Milan was wonderful. I felt part of Milan’s family and I will continue to feel that,” he said.

While Ronaldinho is expected to return to his first club, Gremio, his agent and brother Roberto de Assis said of his future: “(it)will be defined over the week, and we will evaluate offers from the clubs.”

“We have a contract with Milan, but there is an agreement giving us the freedom to negotiate with Brazilian clubs,” de Assis said.

An announcement on Ronaldinho’s future is expected later this week.

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