Serie A 2007/08 - Week 18

Milan vs. Napoli

Sunday, January 13, 2008

14:00 (UK); 15:00 (IT)

Of course if we don't buy a fullback, we're screwed. Oddo and Janku are gonna be in Intensive Care by the end of this season.

9-0 Pato, Kaka, Ronaldo hat tricks

Is this gonna be our first win at San Siro? (can't believe I'm saying this and we are almost in january already). We must create a winning streak in the league towards the CL games.

PATO'S DEBUT!! that's what makes this match special for me! fly Ducky, fly!

Will Pato play? Is there any news regarding his official debut?

Do whatever ducky...just don't sink!!

6 days to go !!!

we'll have all four strikers and I predict a convincing win. But what I'd like to see is a Pato goal.

I'd be willing to bet that Pato may start this one even if that may not have been Carletto's original plan. With Pippo just getting out of hospital with kidney stones and Ronaldo in God knows what kind of shape, the attacking options may be quite limited.

I'd be willing to bet that Pato may start this one even if that may not have been Carletto's original plan. With Pippo just getting out of hospital with kidney stones and Ronaldo in God knows what kind of shape, the attacking options may be quite limited.

Ronaldo in Milan official line up in Dubai !

can any please keep us updated wiv the friendly match of the Dubai club against AC Milan?

The Brazilian signed for the Rossoneri from Internacional in the summer, however he was ineligible to play until January because he was under-18 at the time of the transfer.

Having now had all his documents authorised by the relevant authorities, Pato is set to start in Sunday’s Serie clash with Napoli at San Siro.

“On Sunday I will play and I will score,” Pato told Milan Channel.

“I will score a goal…actually I will score two goals.”

The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the most explosive talents to come out of Brazil in the last generation, with some believing he could have the same impact that Ronaldo had when he arrived onto the European scene in the mid-1990s.

Milan will certainly be hoping this proves to be the case as they are currently languishing in 12th position in Serie A, a huge 25 points behind league-leading city-rivals Inter.

The Brazilian signed for the Rossoneri from Internacional in the summer, however he was ineligible to play until January because he was under-18 at the time of the transfer.

Having now had all his documents authorised by the relevant authorities, Pato is set to start in Sunday’s Serie clash with Napoli at San Siro.

“On Sunday I will play and I will score,” Pato told Milan Channel.

“I will score a goal…actually I will score two goals.”

The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the most explosive talents to come out of Brazil in the last generation, with some believing he could have the same impact that Ronaldo had when he arrived onto the European scene in the mid-1990s.

Milan will certainly be hoping this proves to be the case as they are currently languishing in 12th position in Serie A, a huge 25 points behind league-leading city-rivals Inter.

Kaka in injury scare 
Tuesday 8 January, 2008

Milan Coach Carlo Ancelotti faces a nervous wait to see whether Kaka will be fit for Sunday’s game against Napoli.

The Ballon d’Or winner was injured after a collision with teammate Yoann Gourcuff in training yesterday.

The Selecao star reported a shoulder pain overnight and had to pull out of today’s friendly against the United Arab Emirates national side.

Reports in La Gazzetta dello Sport had suggested that Ancelotti would hand newcomer Alexandre Pato his debut in a Brazilian trident with the newly fit Ronaldo and Kaka.

However, while the Diavolo medics await the results of scans taken this morning, Kaka is unlikely to start at San Siro.

Milan side to face United Arab Emirates: Dida; Oddo, Maldini, Kaladze, Serginho; Cafu, Gattuso, Pirlo, Gourcuff; Seedorf, Ronaldo

Kaka was replaced?? didn't catch that.

We Hope To Sign Messi Or Ronaldinho – Napoli


Napoli sporting director Pierpaolo Marino has revealed that the club hopes to sign either Lionel Messi or Ronaldinho in the future.


Messi & Ronaldinho

During the 1980s Napoli were the pride of the South. A country dominated by the powerful, industrial, and sometimes racist north, southern teams historically never stood a chance of competing with the likes of Juventus, Inter and Milan.

This changed with Napoli, as led by the legendary Diego Maradona, they roared to the Scudetto in 1987 and 1990.

Since the time of the little Argentine, the Partenopei have endured a fall from grace, yo-yoing between the top divisions, going bankrupt, and never looking like challenging for the top honours again.

However film-producer and new-president Aurelio De Laurentiis has recently re-founded the club and with the club in seventh position on their return to Serie A this season there are high hopes that the glory days of the 1980s may return.

“The club has a project,” Marino told Radio Marte.

“In the future, who knows, maybe one day the President will sign Messi or Ronaldinho.

“I am telling all Neapolitans – De Laurentiis sooner or later will realise your dreams.”

Milan

This Sunday the Azzurri travel to San Siro to face Milan, and Marino remembers the classic matches in the 80s between Maradona’s Napoli and the Milan of Van Basten, Rijkaard and Gullit.

“It will be a difficult and fascinating game, in which Pato, a player of whom great things have been said about, will make his debut,” Marino explained.
“I remember with pleasure the battles that Maradona had with them in the 80s for the title.”

Kaka was replaced?? didn't catch that.

Source??!!

this is from goal.com, but apparently he said it in an interview on the milan channel.

There'll be PaKaRo then

Don't say that it will jinx it, remember the whole KaRoLi sh!t galliani came up with after the Siena game last season? 

Yeah I remember that. it was stupidly optimistic!

Alexandre Pato prepares for his Serie A debut as Milan hope to begin 2008 on the right foot. If they don’t secure their first home win of the season, catching up to the top four will become a massive uphill struggle, but Napoli have every intention of causing another upset.

Pato signed his contract in the summer, but because he only turned 18 in September, was unable to deposit it and become eligible for official competition until the January transfer window. The Brazilian is ready at last to cause a sensation and the pressure on his shoulders is already immense, especially as his fellow forwards are struggling with injury.

Ronaldo has only played one game – at Cagliari – since July 31 due to recurring calf problems, while Pippo Inzaghi was briefly hospitalised this week for kidney stones. The training camp in Dubai has given Milan time to refresh their legs and prepare themselves for what is effectively a whole new season in which they must chase fourth spot in Serie A and face Arsenal in an anticipated Champions League showdown.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men ended 2007 with mixed emotions, as the celebrations for the Club World Cup and Kaka’s World Player of the Year triumph were tempered by a 2-1 derby defeat. Nelson Dida’s howlers in that game further dented his position between the posts and we could see Zeljko Kalac given the gloves sooner rather than later. Gennaro Gattuso is suspended in midfield, with Clarence Seedorf not 100 per cent fit, so we should see Cristian Brocchi step into the breach. The injury and tactical situation encourages Ancelotti to field Pato from the start alongside Alberto Gilardino with Kaka slotting into the hole.

Goals have been the main problem at the Stadio Meazza, as here the Rossoneri have scored just four times – including the derby – in a total eight games, never managing more than one per 90 minutes. The points tally is astonishing, with 13 of their 18 points earned on their travels. Even with three games in hand, this is not the record of a side aiming for the top four.

Napoli are the worst team for Milan to be facing right now, as they have a good record against the big clubs and have the confidence to cause an upset. They are damaged by bans to Manuele Blasi and hitman Marcelo Zalayeta, although they will appeal against the latter’s two-game suspension for persistent diving. Emanuele Calaiò is favourite to partner Ezequiel Lavezzi in his absence, although considering Milan’s trouble defending in the air, Roberto Sosa would be a good bet.

Edy Reja’s men need to work on their form outside the Stadio San Paolo, as their only win was at Udinese on September 2. There have been some excellent results in that time, specifically the 4-4 away to Roma and slender 2-1 loss to Inter in this very arena, but for the most part they do not seem like the same side. Hopefully history can boost the two teams, as in the late 1980s and early 1990s this was a decisive head-to-head Scudetto battle. Napoli’s last win here was 2-1 in 1986 sealed by Diego Armando Maradona. The Azzurri haven’t visited Milan in Serie A in over seven years.

Keep an eye on: Alexandre Pato (Milan) – The long-awaited debut of ‘The Duck’ opens 2008 for the San Siro crowd and whatever the result it will be a turning point in Milan’s campaign.

Last season: Not played.

Form guide: Milan (W D W D L) Napoli (W L W D D)

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Milan (probable): Dida; Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze, Jankulovski; Brocchi, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Kaka; Pato, Gilardino

Napoli (probable): Iezzo; Cupi, Cannavaro, Domizzi; Garics, Gargano, Hamsik, Bogliacino, Savini; Lavezzi, Calaiò

Oh how I've missed this formation.. it might take us awhile to adapt (and hopefully we don't concede some counterattacks by Napoli).