[Tennie]

Milan play Reggina Satuday at the San Siro.

Pirlo is suspended for this game.

Here's Mediaset's projected lineup:
Abbiati; Zambrotta, Bonera, Maldini, Jankulovski; Beckham, Flamini, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Kakà; Pato
(they also project Milan primavera player on loan Di Gennaro as starting for Reggina)

Gazzetta shows the same projected lineup.

This post has been edited by Tennie: Feb 5 2009, 12:51 PM

Reason for edit: Edited to add projected lineup

[Darunia]

Milan - Reggina
Stadio Meazza

It’s David v Goliath at San Siro as rock bottom Reggina travel to in-form Milan looking for a footballing miracle.

These are exciting times for the red and black half of Milan. A David Beckham-inspired 3-0 victory over Lazio last weekend saw Carlo Ancelotti’s outfit hurdle Juventus and move into second place. The Rossoneri’s poor start to the season has been confined to the history books and the Scudetto race is on.

If Milan are to catch city rivals Inter, who enjoy a six-point advantage at the top, they need to be consistent and to win games like this that seem to be routine outings. It is hard to imagine the Diavolo fluffing their lines, but they must deliver if they are to put pressure on Inter’s trip to Lecce.

Nothing is expected of Reggina as they make the daunting trip north. The Amaranto have forgotten what it is like to win and have picked up all three points just three times all campaign. Last week’s battling 2-2 draw with Roma on a waterlogged pitch will have boosted confidence, but this is a sterner test.

The Amaranto are three points adrift at the bottom and could have too much to do to stay afloat if they don’t pick up some unlikely points. Anything here would be nothing short of heroic but could turn their season around.

Milan had to dig deep to win 2-1 at the Stadio Granillo in Week 4 as Alexandre Pato scored the goal that helped steady the ship. Last term the Rossoneri made short work of their Calabrian visitors, winning 5-1 with a Kaka hat-trick.

Ancelotti has injury problems, but no fresh concerns. Kakha Kaladze, Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso, Marco Borriello and Giuseppe Favalli are all unfit. Andrea Pirlo is suspended. Ronaldinho and Andriy Shevchenko are likely to start on the bench once more.

Reggina are without Antonio Giosa, Emmanuel Cascione, Luca Vigiani and Franco Brienza.

Keep an eye on: David Beckham (Milan) – After taking down Lazio with two assists, Beckham will be confident of having too much class for Reggina.

Last season: Milan 5-1 Reggina

Form guide: Milan (D W W D W) Reggina (L L L D D)
Milan (probable): Abbiati; Zambrotta, Maldini, Bonera, Jankulovski; Beckham, Flamini, Ambrosini; Kaka, Seedorf; Pato

Reggina (probable): Campagnolo; Lanzaro, Valdez, Santos; Krajcik, Barreto, Cozza, Carmona, Costa; Di Gennaro, Corradi

Ref: To follow...

It'd be embarassing if we dropped points here, but it's also what has happened at the past. We're at home, and we're playing a team at the bottom, so we better gain maximum points here. I think Carlo will go with Seedorf but I'd like Ronnie to get a shot here. Also, hopefully Bonera doesn't get a yellow so he can play against Inter.

This post has been edited by Darunia: Feb 5 2009, 06:30 PM

[dst]

They will probably stay back and defend a lot so I'd field Ronaldinho, he's our best player against packed defenses.

This post has been edited by dst: Feb 5 2009, 06:48 PM

[Tennie]

So there was a full training session after the team returned from Glasgow.

Warmups, drills, practice game, etc. Kaladze trained with the group.

Nesta trained separately but did 'optimal' (direct translation of the word used) training on running and changing directions.

Tomorrow will be training and the prematch press conference.

[Zed.D]

Unless we're planning to make Ronaldinho the next Rivaldo, I think he must play in this one. it'd be extremely unfair if in spite of Pirlo's absence, he sat this out.

Pato

Dinho ----- Kaka

Seedorf ----- Flamini ----- Becks

Janku ---- Maldini ---- Bonera ---- Zambro

Abbiati

This post has been edited by Zed.D: Feb 6 2009, 10:38 AM

[acid911]

Agree with the lineup wholeheartedly, ZD. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) Flamini in a deeper role helping the defense, of course!

[Rossoneri7]

Its really hard to predict the line-up for this one, but since Pirlo is out of this match, that does free up a spot for Ronnie.

If it was up to me, I'd keep the line-up as it was in the previous two matches, so as not to disturb the equilibrium of the squad prior to the derby.

[CrazyMilanFan]

mediaset have changed the linup with r80 coming for seedorf and ambro-flamini-beckham in midfield

[han2503]

Unless we're planning to make Ronaldinho the next Rivaldo, I think he must play in this one. it'd be extremely unfair if in spite of Pirlo's absence, he sat this out.

Pato

Dinho ----- Kaka

Seedorf ----- Flamini ----- Becks

Janku ---- Maldini ---- Bonera ---- Zambro

Abbiati

Completely agree with that one.

Seedorf is much better in that deeper role rather the as an AM because of his slow pace. Ronaldinho is goos when defences are tight, which like dst said, there is no doubt that Reggina will try to park the bus. Dinho is great at providing balls through tight spaces, look at how many times he fead it to Pippo against Rangers on Wednesday

[RinoIlCapitano]

Unless we're planning to make Ronaldinho the next Rivaldo, I think he must play in this one. it'd be extremely unfair if in spite of Pirlo's absence, he sat this out.

Pato

Dinho ----- Kaka

Seedorf ----- Flamini ----- Becks

Janku ---- Maldini ---- Bonera ---- Zambro

Abbiati

I totally agree too, the midfield and the attack are totally in my way... Great!

The defense, like the defense, it can be better but not ours in that time.

I really hope to see R80!!!!

[RinoIlCapitano]

Inter is playing an away match with the 16th lecce. They are a team with must draws in serie a! 10 out of 22 games.... so they will stay back looking for another one.... Can they do that? I hope they can! They will play on counter attacks and i hope they can score one and that they can grab a point so the DERBY will be the best ever if we win and i am sure we will! Reginna is a the bottom of the table with 8 lost, 2 draws and only 1 away win, so with our domestic record of 9 wins and only one lost game (the first domestic game in serie a this season with bologna on Aug.31st) i think it's only matter of how much will we score and how much will we win! So let's hope for another time that inter which is not in good form will lose some point so we can catch them!!

We have won the first fixture with Reggina on Stadio Oreste Granillo 2:1, With Boriello and Pato goals!

This post has been edited by KakaIlCapitano: Feb 6 2009, 03:02 PM

[Tennie]

Carletto has given his prematch press conference. Herewith are highlights:
*Pirlo's absence (due to suspension) isn't an insurmountable difficulty
*Beckham will play on the right of midfield
*Ronaldinho is available for selection (I got the impression that he'll probably play though it wasn't stated)
*Kaladze is recovered but still has work to do. He won't be called up for the game.
*Janku will be evaluated for a back problem
*Favster will be evaluated for a muscular problem
*Next week, Nesta will start training with the team.

[Zed.D]

*Next week, Nesta will start training with the team.

(IMG:http://tinypic.info/files/rqn7nvoufpioi6yflm3q.gif)

[han2503]

*Next week, Nesta will start training with the team.

best news I'v heard all week

[Zed.D]

best news I'v heard all week

+1.

Our defense has been kinda embarrassing this season...