Serie A kicks off next weekend. On Matchday (Giornata) 1, Milan take on Bologna at the San Siro.

The game will be at 3pm Milan time (2pm UK time, 9am Eastern Daylight Time).

Bologna is one of the 3 teams promoted from Serie B (the other two being Chievo and Lecce). They've been in and out of Serie A, having won the Intertoto Cup in 1998 and going on to the UEFA cup. They were most recently in Serie A in 2004-2005.

Milan Primavera player Davide di Gennaro played for Bologna last year. Off the top of my head, one former notable Rossoneri to have also played for Bologna is Roberto Baggio.

Can't wait... ought to be exciting... I respect Bologna as a side...

Same here. I have memories of Bologna because of Roberto Baggio's time there. We have somewhat of a relatively easy match at home. Other top sides have each other to contend with like Juve, Fiorentina, Roma, etc.

Any early predictions, guys?

Must must must win....but more importantly, I want a 2 goal margin of victory and/or a clean sheet.

I respect Bologna too much to wish a demolition of them by Milan. I'd say 2-0 victory is fine by me. I actually wish them a successful season, but Milan comes first. A well fought 2-0 victory...

I'd actually like a 3-0. Much like last season. Greedy, ain't I? But 2-0 doesn't sound in any way bad. As long as we don't win by a one goal margin, and keep a clean sheet. *gulp* Abbiati *gulp. I have a hunch feeling we'll do just fine.

Let the countdown begin!

Hoping 2-0 or 3-0, but the main thing is to secure the 3 pts and a solid performance.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!! TOO EXCITED!!! DINHO DINHO DINHO DINHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shevagol!!!!

DINHO BABY DINHO

Bologna's No.1 keeper is Milan's ex - Cesc Antonioli, right?

Oh, this 'll be a hard match. They have a very experienced midfield with Mudingay and Volpi, so if we break them here (which I count Kaka and Dinho will do) we could win. My prediction - 1:0 for us..

Kaka doesn't turn up till matchweek 2 was what I heard. So it will She-Pa-Ro, by the looks of things.

-------------------Abbiati

Zambrotta ---- Maldini -----Bonera -----Janku

------------Flamini-----Pirlo----Seedorf

-------------------Ronaldinho----------------

------------Sheva---------------Pato--------



But Carlo might play with Kaladze and another def mid instead of striker

I don't think so. Ronaldinho is not gonna be an automatic starter. I'd rather think if Sheva is starting, he'll be given a formation he's used to. So Seedorf would be trequartista.

I'd think we'd see the 2 DM formation with Ambro, and Seedorf behind Sheva and Pato. Later Pato comes off for Pippo.

other than defence and goalie this will be our starting line up garuanteed.


---------abbiatti-----------
zambrotta---maldini----trash---janku


--gattuso---pirlo---flamini---

---seedorf-------dinho----

----------pato-------------




sheva wont play, what makes you guys think after 2 years of bench hes match fit?

he'll sub maybe. Also carlo will be proving a point here by showing he is no longer anything special nor will he be treating differently than the rest. He is no longer than sub captain he used to be in that pic misha has.







prediction 4-2.

I'd disagree with that lineup in that, I don't see Milan starting without Ambro. He's been in good form. Much as I hate to say that it must be Rino who gets benched, I don't see it happening, unless they bring out his physical condition as an excuse, and start Flamini.

Kaladze in the middle?? I don't know....at this stage Favalli seems better. You're prolly right about Sheva not starting. Pato from the start?? If Pippo is fit, I think Pippo goes first.

I think Rino may not play; remember the knock he took. If Milan start with 2 strikers, I'm going to predict Pippo (if healthy) and Pato.

What is the news on Pippo, what's his injury now?

Nothing said today, Kurt. There's no training today, by the way. The team (presumably with its newest addition) will start training tomorrow. Carletto more or less said that it was a minor injury, but with Pippo that could mean 1 day out or 3 months out, so you never know.

She-Pa-Ro

I'd rather we win 1-0 but don't drop points in our next games. last season we had a bright start but... don't even want to remember those dark days.

Me desired lineup:

Who's Abbitai? Sounds like an Uzbek or Mongolian...Uzbek/Mongolian men are girls according to Borat..

Fix'd

By the way, the fish doll will most likely be at the game.

Last time the fishdoll was at a Milan game we won, am I right? (Torino-Milan)

I can't wait for the start of the season

I prefer this line up:

I would go for that also, against these kind of teams I don't want to see us going out with the old 4-3-2-1 formation that has proved that it doesn't work over and over again, we've got enough strikers now to play a formation that best suites us and it would be easier to break teams like Bologna down who undoubtedly will put everything but the team bus in front of their goal.

Sheva and Pato will no doubt play great together, Sheva has lost some of his pace but he can be more of a box striker with Pato next to him.

The only thing I would maybe change is Seedorf and replace him with Ambro or Rino, since Flamini like to go forward also and until Nesta comes it's better to put in another ball winner in midfield to ease a bit of pressure off the shaky defence. And if we're having some trouble with scoring then one of the defencive mids could make way for him.

Did han just say he wanted 3 DMFs???!!!

^^^ The sky is falling, Captain Jack!

--
And yes, zd, Milan won the last time fishdoll attended a game. Pato scored the lone goal.

Hopefully the fishdoll will find Pato another goal and another Milan victory.

In an interview after the games against Napoli & Juventus, Carlo said that Pippo had suffered a slight leg strain, and hence why he did not take part in the game yesterday vs Sporting. He aslo noted (at the time) that he expects him to possibly resume training some time this week hopefully.

... *so fingers crossed for that *

Um pirlo is not a defensive mid Jack

Either way with the defence we have it's better to be safe then sorry, at least until Nesta comes back

I'd heard Zambrotta, Zambro, Zamborghini, etc. but not Zambi before

We must win.

My line-up

Abbiati
Zambrotta (Maybe Senderos) Maldini Jankulovski
Pirlo
Flamini Gattuso
Ronaldinho Seedorf
Pato

Zambi resembles Bambi a bit too close for comfort. Otherwise a nice nickname. Should be famous with girls, at the very least.

I like Zamborghini better. (MizNelson! Got any drawings of Lamborghinis?) Zambi is too cute even for me.

Thought so. I'm not 100% anyone used this name before, it just came into my head a couple of weeks after he signed. At least I haven't seen it used anywhere on other forums and sites. Either way, it suits him perfectly. More so when he's on form and running down either the left or right flank to attack.

Zambi is another name of Bull Shark,It's easier for me to call him Zambi

Gee, never knew that, Vahid. Bull Shark, oh my!

Well Here is picture of a Lambo:


And here is one with a Ferrari just for good measure:
Lamborghini & Ferrari

Yo that car is too sexy to be a police car...

Ferrari's are just about the best cars money can buy. But I prefer Lambos over them any day. Oh, the sound of the engine roaring. A bit of a noise pollution, but it's not that Ferrari's are much silent either.

Yea and dang they are fast...

Wow and police here in Malta have Hundai Accents as their squad cars

The cops here use Crown Vics... and to a lesser extent Impalas...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Crown_Vi...ice_Interceptor

The reason they do is these cars can take quite a beating and are quite tough... because of all the police chases they have going on here.

DP. Sorry.

On their anniversary occasion, Lamborghini (the company) gifted two Gallardos absolutely free to the Italian police. Or donated, if that's the right word To help in criminal chases. You'd certainly not want to be the policeman chasing someone driving a Ferrari (or some other sports car) using Hundai Accents and Ford Crowns. Trust me on this one! It will not be good. I'm sure the image above is from the cars gifted to the Italian police force. Even the British police has more than one.

Gallardos are good, I may own one down in the future (depending on how much money/oil I have to spare). But Murciélago owns everything. And everyone. Oh, the sound. I've heard of old people falling down from stairs when they had a Lambo drive by their village. Ouch! Beauty, huh?

Anyway, in an effort to get the thread back on track (and not be made a meal for piranhas ), any latest news on whether Sheva will be available for this one? Pato and Ronaldinho, yes, but it'd be great to at least see Sheva come as a substitute and watch the San Siro crowd reaction. It's an amazing opportunity to find out, first game, home game and all.

Sheva will be available. He will wear number 7. He will score.

Not so sure about the jersey number; would prefer Pato to keep it, honestly. That said, I imagine Shevchenko will play some part of the game unless something strange happens.

I'm sure he'll be available. He played 45 minutes for the Ukraine NT last week, and in terms of completing the paperwork there shouldn't be a problem. My guess is that he'll come as a sub in this game.