We must secure the first place; a draw would be enough for that. but I want revenge! I say let's do both of us and Shakhtar a favor by beating Celtic on Tuesday! that guarantees our first place and makes Shakhtar and Celtic's points equal [if Shakhtar beat Benfica], and because of the better head to head record against Celtic, Shakhtar will qualify. I like them... I want them to qualify!

yay SBS(Australia) is showing the game


yeh i want Shakhtar to qualify too

same opinion

Thats' what should happen. At home vs Celtic is a good game to bounce back. Hope Shakhtar won't screw it up either.

So it's only me and Kurt who'd rather see Celtic go through!

Goooo Milan & Shaktar!

is Kaka gonna be holding out his award at the beginning of the game!!?

I think so. It's usually done in the first home game after the win.

I have a feeling Kaka might score in this game after winning the Golden Ball.
Guys do you remember that person who held the award in San Siro about 2 years ago? Now he's a mere shadow of himself

Yeah... !

But it's all his fault. I'm sure there's no day he goes through without regretting this decision.

I feel sorry for him, but on the other hand I'm also glad that he set an example of what you may become when you leave Milan like this!

Milan will win this tie, there is no question about it!

It is a Milan priority that they end up group leaders.

It seems that way!

Is it only our group that's playing this week? United are playing tonight and Arsenal are playing Newcastle on Wednesday, so they arent competing in the CL. Seems very weird to me.

I'm hoping for a Milan win and whatever result means Celtic go through in the other game.

Carletto has given his pre-match press conference, accompanied this time by Daniele Bonera. (link)

It sounds like Pippo will start as Carletto talks about him having another chance to break Gerd Muller's record. Carletto also complimented the Fiorentina players on their behavior after yesterday's game and said it was a good example. It doesn't sound like there'll be many big changes to the lineup (not that there ever is) but with Bonera at the press conference, one can guess that he may start.

Yes we're the only ones playing tomorrow night... it's because of the greatest trophy in the world, the Club World Cup...

Don't forget Maldini is the one who wants it most

Plus, it would also mean that this group of players have won all there is to win

Maldini wants it because it's the second of the two trophies (the first one being the European Super Cup) that Milan have a great chance of winning! He already has 2 of them... He's only saying what He's supposed to be saying. He's smart and he knows that saying the scudetto is our biggest goal in a season like this would not be too clever...

Whether he should say it or shouldn't is irrelevant to what I'm saying

All in all, this team need to add this trophy to the others that they have won. If they succeed, this group might just be the heir of gli invincibli (notice: i said might.)

All I'm saying is that Maldini only said what you wanted to hear!

There will never be a team as good as that one! (notice: I'm being dogmatic!)

I don't like the way our players are saying they would like to win it because no European team ever has.. it's no different from the Intercontinental Cup! Of course a European team has won it! That'd be like saying Milan only have 3 Champions League titles.

I'd like to believe they mean no team has won it under the new format... just like how one would say Milan have indeed won only three Champions League campaigns...

Bonera may start in place of Oddo.. I wouldn't be surprised. Or even at LB lol..

But Cafu was at the press conference too but he didnt play at all, so we'll see.

http://www.acmilan.com/NewsDetail.aspx?idNews=57359

In Europe Milan is #1 ... This trophy, if Milan win it, they will be #1 on the world stage. I have no idea why some of you are being sarcastic as to why the management prioritize this tournament, but in all truth I think this season is a special season for this very tournament that Milan will get a chance for revenge when the team faces Boca again

Of course the league and CL are heavier championships in comparison to the CWC But for a side that has won it all, except for this one trophy, it would be a good way to end this cycle, don't ya think

The league and CL will always be there, and of course Milan will be amongst the top teams in both competitions as always

That is what I was thinking ... yeah, we'll see. Plus, it doesn't make much of a difference really.

A lot of people are expecting this to be a bore draw since both teams require a point for their respective goals... Celtic might be afraid to be too offensive unless they go a goal down. Hopefully Pippo breaks the record tomorrow though!

No Maldini or Serginho...

Probably something like this:

Dida
Oddo-Nesta-Kaladze-Bonera(or Favalli)
Gattuso-Pirlo-Ambrosini
Kaka-Seedorf
Inzaghi

I wouldn't be surprised if Gattuso/Ambro and Nesta were rested either

(from acmilan.com's italian page)
Call ups:
MILAN-CELTIC: I CONVOCATI ROSSONERI
03/12/2007
MILANELLO - Sono 19 i convocati di Carlo Ancelotti per domani: PORTIERI: Dida, Kalac;
DIFENSORI: Bonera, Cafu, Favalli, Kaladze, Nesta, Oddo, Simic;
CENTROCAMPISTI: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Kakà, Pirlo, Seedorf;
ATTACCANTI: Aubameyang, Gilardino, Inzaghi

this should be good cant wait

No UEFA cups that must be a good thing right ?

dst is right, Maldini is only saying that because he knows there is no chance for the Serie A, even if he might want to win the league more than the CWC.

Yes it is a trophy that I would like for us to win, but the fact now that they are making it as an excuse for our poor league form is BS.

When the season hadn't even started the CWC wasn't the top priority. That's all I'm saying


It's like when last season they were sayning that it was celtic's first appearance in the last 16 of the CL, when in reality they have won the competition in the past. Just because they change the format and the name of the competition that doesn't devalue the ones that were won under the previous format. Just like we don't count 3 CL titles and the badge on the player's arms says 7 not 3

Agree with han. In most of the world, no one really gives a f@ck about CWC (Barca wasn't too upset ). Our management hyping it, won't change that. CWC and supercup are minor trophies that you don't really count at the end of the season (unless you want to make something look better. Be sure Galliani will be mentioning them a lot if we won't win the CL)

I care about the world cup !

Its something we can play cause we're euro champs. To me its more like the icing on the cake . And darn good cake that was

Yeah, it's icing, not the cake

Was just about to say that

Of course the league and CL are much better targets than the CWC ... But believe it or not, Milan targeted the CWC from the very beginning. They didn't just decide on it a month ago, from the very start they were looking forward to it, as was Maldini.

Now, what reason Maldini had to say what he said, I believe none of us can speculate if he meant this or that or if we weren't good enough yadda yadda yadda ... Maldini can target whatever he wants to end his illustrious career. And who are we to question him, is all i'm saying

Of course not the cake, the cake was the CL and SC ... ohhh and I'm seeing u in Moscow in May, right ?

Of course it is

thought so

definatly not the cake

Exactly, that's what I was saying.

This isn't Milan's "missing trophy" at all, we've already won it 3 times so it shouldn't be top priority. It's like winning the Italian Super Cup, fantastic.

Yes the CWC was one of the many targets we set for ourselves this season, but I'm 99.99999% sure that it wasn't the top target.

Just because Galliani and everyone else re-adjusted their priorities because they've given up on the Serie A doesn't mean that they made the Serie A second to the CWC at the beginning of the season when everyone thought that we might actually have a go at it


Exactly, maybe you are demeaning the CWC too much, comparing it to the Mancini cup is too much imo But yes, it's not important as the other 2 big titles, and just because they are saying what they are saying now because they've given up is what irritates me. They are using the CWC as a form of excuse for doing badly in the league "Oh since we 'want' the CWC more then the league then it's ok to be completely sh!t in domestic play". Which imo is all complete BS since we all know what the players made as a top priority at the beginning of the season and it wasn't the CWC

Er. Isn't this the Milan-Celtic match thread?

So...who do you think will start? Will Pippo break Gerd Muller's record today? Or will the Celtic defense and dodgy-kneed keeper prevent it?

Pippo

That's not even a sentence!

On Sky Sports News it said "With Ronaldo injured, Inzaghi looks set to partner Gilardino in his quest to become European footballs all-time top scorer."

I'd be surprised to both Pippo and Gila starting though. I think Pippo will get the start.

I'm going to predict 1-1 (Yes, an away point for Celtic). And I also think Boruc will save a penalty from our golden boy!

i'm hoping to sneak out of work this afternoon to watch the game at home.

i predict 3-1 milan

Let's get the 3 points. Just that.

Kaka' and Gilardino show tonight please.

1-0 Nesta.

1-1

Pippo and.. Donati

Kalac
Cafu
Simic
Bonera
Favalli
Gattuso
Pirlo
Ambrosini
Seedorf
Kaka
Inzaghi

play our strongest lineup Carlo said? Well.. our backup def is in and no Dida

MILAN-CELTIC: LE FORMAZIONI UFFICIALI
04/12/2007
MILAN: Kalac; Cafu, Simic, Bonera, Favalli; Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Kakà, Seedorf; Inzaghi.
CELTIC: Boruc; Caldwell, Pressley, Mc Manus, O'Dea; Hartley, Mc Geady, S. Brown, Donati, Jarosik; Mc Donald.
| |

Celtic aren't exactly being adventurous with their lineup either. They look to be playing a 4-5-1. Then again, with the keeper scheduled to have knee surgery right after the game, they may have reason to remain cautious.

I'm glad to see Simic and Bonera starting in the centre of defense. Those two I don't have any worries about. It's Cafu and Favallinho that worry me.

C'mon, Pippo! Break the record today!

i wouldve like to see Gourcuff