Milan's last preseason friendly is in Spain against Sporting Gijon.

Any news on whether we'll be fielding any (or most) of our first team players? Or will it still be our youth.

Who's this Sporting Gijon anyway? And why is Milan playing with him? Did we get a new feeder club called Sporting Gijon?

^^ Cute smiley, acid!

I don't know who we'll field in this one. There is one practice session today (currently underway) and we may get an indication after that.

EDIT: Sporting Gijon are a team that plays in La Liga in Spain, Grin. They've been promoted up from the second division. Interesting trivia: this was David Villa's first club.

I have no idea why this friendly is happening, though.

Maybe the Gijon director was getting bored and asked Galliani if his boys could come out and play

Maybe so, Grin!

Today's training has taken place.

Those who played in the Birra Moretti tournament had a light workout, starting with stretching and suchlike before moving into the gym, where Kaka, Nesta and Borriello worked also.

Those who didn't play yesterday, including the various NT players, worked with the ball right away. After warmups, they worked on ball possession drills and on technical-tactical drills. The first minigame was played with only one keeper, Kalac, in goal. Following this, the team worked on defensive drills.

Oddo did specific personalized work, including speed variations on the central pitch.

There will be one training session tomorrow and the traditional prematch press conference by the coach.

One reason: $$$. It's always about the money. I still can't understand why we're going to Spain (this close to the season start), to play a low-table team. Any of the top-tier, that's okay, but I'm sure this won't help much in preparations when one takes into account the travel. No point in buying extra fatigue for the players.

Sporting what?

Gijon It's there in the title? Goddamn white cross types.

The 'Pull zd's legs and beat him with it' week is going well, I presume?

Last day...*resolutely*I have to piss him off. I'd be disappointed if I don't get my 69% warning.

Keep working. We're all with you, captain, till your death.

Didnt David Villa start his career at Gijon?

There are two Gijons? Isn't this the only one?

I'm sorry, you don't piss me off one bit at least not after you revealed this pull zd's leg thing... you shouldn't have said it publicly!

Yep, one's the one Milan are gonna play against. And the other is "Gee! John!!"

Don't tell me you're Jack Sparrow in disguise. Gee! John!! Good one!


Some people just love the publicity and stuff that comes with it. Joking captain, joking. Don't mark next week as acid911's pulling and legging.

Carletto has given his prematch press conference. link

ON THE GAME WITH GIJON AND ON THE SITUATION OF INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS
Tomorrow in Gijon we'll play the last friendly, a real game of 90 minutes and we want to do well. We're getting some players back form injury.
Kaladze, Maldini and Emerson are recuperated and tomorrow for them it'll be an important test.
The NT players are back, Jankulovski is doing well and also the Italians are doing well except for Gattuso who has a shoulder problem and won't be available tomorrow.
Inzaghi doesn't have a serious injury, just a little strain on his leg, and will resume training next week.
The lineup that'll start tomorrow, in defense and midfield, should be the one that will start against Bologna. As regards the attack, however, we need to wait on the return of Ronaldinho and Pato. They arrive tomorrow and will rest Monday and resume training with the squad on Tuestday. The team has improved a lot in these weeks, even in defense where we're more ordered.
Ronaldinho in this moment perhaps isn't at the top due to his long injury and absence and in China the rhythms of games were rather slow. When he arrives we'll evaluate the state of his condition. Pato trained in China too. In the past he has already demonstrated his great potential, he only needs to find continuity in his work and in games.
At Gijon Abbiati will play in Goal. This choice was tied to the level of tiredness of Dida and Kalac after the games in Napoli. Abbiati is the one currently feeling best.
Nesta has started to work regularly and it seems that the work is going well while Kaka, thanks to the break after the first match day (fishdoll note: there are FIFA dates where various NTs will play World Cup qualifiers), has the possibility of being ready for the second matchday.
Viudez and Cardacio continue to train with us, they're two young players who are becoming acclimatized well. We'll see if Viudez could play also with the Primavera.
The youngsters are continuing their training with the first team and the same comments I made about Pato and Viudez are appropriate for them. In Italian squads there's not time to let the young play and grow and learn form their errors. We need to let them grow in a different manner, in other championships if this is possible.

ON THE MARKET
For Shevchenko I was displeased when he left Milan 2 years ago. Sheva is now a Chelsea player, I don't think there were ever concrete chances of his return.
Senderos is a player I konw, but doesn't seem a Milan-type player, much less that Milan has intentions of taking him. He wouldn't be the first player I read about in the paper who failed to arrive in Milan.

ON THE SUPERCOPPA BETWEEN ROMA AND INTER
It's a preseason game and its normal to have some doubts and uncertainties, but I don't think there's a favorite for the Supercoppa. Inter is maintaining a great offensive potential and the defense seems solid. The strikers are in form. Roma needs to wait for Totti's return, and will play Baptista. With these two, it's a squad of high level and doesn't seem inferior to others. I hope Roma wins because of my background. Whoever wins is the best.

Carlo at his best

Thanks a lot for the translation by the way.

^^ It's not just Milan though, zd. It seems to me that it's a general Serie A thing.

In any event, today's training has taken place.

After warmups, Carletto had his talk with the squad. Following this there was some runnin gof a course with stretching and exercises in place (I think?). Keepers trained separately.

During the second phase of training the players worked on speed and agility and ran a series of sprints. Following this the team worked on tactical drills with one keeper (Abbiati) in goal.

The final phase of training was an 8 v 8 practice game with Dida and Abbiati in goal.

Maldini, Kaladze and Emerson trained with the team.

Nesta, Borriello, Gattuso, Kakà, Ambrosini and Oddi worked in the gym. (no idea what happened to Ambro, apparently an injury of some sort)

Call ups for the Gijon game:

PORTIERI: Abbiati, Dida, Kalac;
DIFENSORI: Antonini, Bonera, Darmian, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Maldini, Zambrotta;
CENTROCAMPISTI: Brocchi, Cardacio, Emerson, Flamini, Pirlo;
ATTACCANTI: Paloschi, Seedorf, Viudez.

Even Roma?

Yep, even Roma.

Both De Rossi and Aquilani were loaned out for at least a year (Aquilani to Triestina and De Rossi to Ostia).

Is it me or is it ridiculous that 2 GOALKEEPERS are tired after only 45 mins?

I think Carlo doesn't want another humilation especially against a team like Gijon. So he's made an excuse for the others. As far as I'm concered it's more then clear on who Carlo has chosen to get the gloves at the start of the season

Will Sheva play? lol.

I don't think he'll play..he'll arrive tomorrow and the game's tomorrow..So i don't think milan would just put him there to play that quick..Although it will be good for him to play so he could find his form with his old team mates before they actually kick off the new season..

I didn't know about that. thanks!

Joke of the funking year!

Pirates. Can't trust them.

Very true..VERY UNTRUSTWORTHY

I don't think Carlo even knew what was going on. Apparently it happened by a frantic couple of calls with the Chelsea management, can't imagine Carlo being informed. Maybe he knew talks were still on going but didn't think it was serious

I was thinking the same thing, but I'm guessing that's not what Carlo meant.

Either that, or it's just Carlo's trademark harebrained logic being used in his selection of the GK for tomorrow's game.

This is a question to R7: Hey man im trying to look for the match tonight on tv in the Middle east but can't will it be on AL Jazeera or ART ? Thanks in advance

Second best joke of the funking year!

Seriously, han, Carlo knows everything. He knows things Galliani and Mr. B doesn't, so apparently Sheva's return was something they had in agreement with the coach. They obviously wouldn't have brought him back if he did not fit in Carlo's plan. Every transfer Milan makes is in accordance with the coach, at least if his name is Carlo Ancelotti. They at least inform him, whether he agrees is another matter entirely. Keeping in mind the family atmosphere in Milano, I'd be willing to bet even Leonardo knew about the deal. The trident of Mr. B, Galliani, and Carlo know everything.

I'd be very pissed if I were Ancelotti (thank God for that), and I came to Milan training to find out Sheva is here wearing the club jersey. Oh, I'd be very pissed indeed.

Match just started a couple of minutes ago.

SPORTING GIJON: Sánchez; Sastre, Iván Hernández, Jorge, Canella; Míchel, Matabuena; Pedro, Kike Mateo, Diego Castro; Barral.
MILAN: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Kaladze, Maldini, Jankulovski; Cardacio, Pirlo, Flamini; Brocchi, Seedorf, Paloschi.

Big chance for Paloschi missed

btw, love how our 3rd kit looks when you see it on the players

Do you have a good link by any chance?

Another great chance for Paloschi, Flamini flashed a low cross across goal, Palo poked it from the near post, but it went wide

http://rtpa.stream.flumotion.com/rtpa/tpa.asx paste it in your media player

Thanks

Thanx han


What is the lineup ?

great cearance from Zambro

Goal Gijon. Terrible defender there

Gijon scored

Abiatti, damn

Kaladze lost his player

Sorry, didnt look that far up .. got shocked because there was an actual live game going on lol