Ascoli - MilanFootball Italia previewAscoli are in a sorry state in the Italian championship. They have begun to change that but the fixture list is doing them no favours at the moment. Milan are the expected guests at the Lillo Del Duca and the home fans do not really expect to have anything very much to cheer about when the final whistle goes on Sunday.
All that said, they did not expect much from the trip to Sicily either and yet they came away with what was only their second win of the season. The victory arrived in the midst of circumstances that were as unexpected as the result itself. Two injury time goals from 20-year-old Michele Paolucci have left the home side just three points adrift of Parma in the League and four points away from prospective safety.
Ascoli Coach Nedo Sonetti will be without centre-back Luigi Di Biagio for the next two games, who, instead of celebrating his side’s late equaliser when it came, began arguing with the fourth official about the penalty which Alessandro Parisi had converted to give Messina the lead and got sent off for his trouble. It gives Marco Pecorari another chance to prove himself at the back. Gaetano Fontana could also come into central midfield alongside Paolo Zanetti in place the Ukrainian Vitor Boudianski.
Sonetti will want to close down Milan’s midfield and a five man midfield looks likely as his side will have to contend with Andrea Pirlo and Kaka’ among others. All fans of the Bianconeri will be hoping young Paolucci’s brace last time out was more than a fluke
Carlo Ancelotti’s Milan side are just three points away from the season’s objective of getting back into Champions League positions in the domestic League. A 1-0 win against Parma with a strike from Filippo Inzaghi assured the Rossoneri of their fourth Serie A win in the last five games.
With the arrival of Massimo Oddo and the return of a finally fit Daniele Bonera, Milan’s defence looks in better shape than it has all term, and they will be looking for another clean sheet at Ascoli. Massimo Ambrosini looks likely to come in, in place of Cristian Brocchi, Alberto Gilardino will probably be given another start up front, with Inzaghi possibly coming off the bench again if the need arises. It remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will be included in the squad after his arrival.
Man on fire: Michele Paolucci (Ascoli) – A double strike from the youngster gave his team the win, superb movement and brilliant finishing with both head and feet. Watch this space.
Last season: Ascoli 1-1 Milan
Form guide: Ascoli (L W L L W) Milan (W W W D W) (IMG:
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Ascoli (probable): Pagliuca; Melara, Pecorari, Nastase, Minieri; Fini, Fontana, Zanetti, Bonanni, Gubert; Paolucci
Milan (probable): Dida; Oddo, Bonera, Maldini, Jankulovski; Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Seedorf, Kakà ; Gilardino
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