Super difficult game but with our situation we cannot lose points anymore. We should build on Cagliari game and make last decisive run in the league.

No defenders for this game =/

Kalac
Cafu Bonera Maldini Favalli
Gattuso Pirlo Seedorf
Kaka
Inzaghi Pato

Although I wouldn't be surprised if Carlo used x-mas tree with Pato the lone striker, although Inzaghi's brace may have earned him a starting spot. If Favalli can't make it then Simic starts in the middle and Bonera will probably be moved onto the left.

yep i really do despise the zebras, lets beat em!

We haven't got a reliable keeper, we've barely got any defenders. I see nothing but a Juve win to be honest. 2-0.

The team knew more than anyone else that we need a victory.
There is no margin for error.
Just take a few leaps of faith mate!!

Prediction: 1(Milan) - 0(Juventus)
Forza Milan

If Klinsman or Wenger would be our coach, Kalac would probably be on the bench against Juve, and Dida will get his chance.

Somebody please help , i register on Showtime section of Official website but in terms and conditions section when i click Si and click to continue the page remains on & on and dont go to email verification section !!!!!

I'm trying to be optimistic, but I just can't... Juve win.

Our defence will probably prove to be the reason why we won't take full points from this one. Especially since we barely even have one left...

It will probably look something like this

Cafu--Simic--Maldini--Banera

Cafu was hardly impressive yesterday but he is the only choice unless Carlo is will to play Brocchi there, which imo would be better then Cafu, he is fast, can cross and marginally good defensively. Atleast I would be more at rest with him there instead of the Cafu we saw yesterday

I would really like to see Bonera in the center again, but at the moment we have no choice, Maldini would be better suited playing next to Simic since Bonera and Simic are too much alike and have never really impressed when playing together.

And I don't think Maldini can handle a full game against Juve playing as a LB, especially since he will most likely have to play a full 90 minutes since we have no other subs for the defence

^^^
I hope Simic plays too, but I doubt it!

is nesta available for this game?

No, Nesta's suspended for the game. He picked up a 2-game ban last weekend unfortunately. The defense is going to be...a little scary for this one.

Maybe our savior Digao will play.
We are very lucky to have him.......




Juve is tricky they give up a sillygame to Reggina but peform against the big teams. We do have a good setup with Seedorf Pirlo and Kaka in the midfield with a quick Pato up front or a sly Inzaghi.

If we play like we need the 3 points which we do and we play do or die i think we can play the Seedorf card because they will have to play Sissoko on Kaka and Camoranesi on Pirlo Seedorf should be freed up to get the ball to Pato who will easily be able to take the Juve defense. Its the monster they have for a keeper im worried about.

If we put all of the pressure on them and their defense they should crack alowing us to attack quickly. No silly mistakes at the back and an on form Kaka we could win 1-0 or 2-0.

Without the cards going our way they could easily win 2-0

I'm sure Pato would be honored to beat the best 'keeper in the world.

As for this game, if we want a win we must attack... constantly. considering our defense situation we cannot sit back and defend at all. so no silly Christmas tree for this one, Carlo...

Yes, we have to put all of the pressure on the Juve defense because lets face it they are poor and have no skill when it comes to players like Pato who can run at them. Chellini and Legrotalie IMO arent skilled at all they use brute forse and tricky fouls to stop attackers. We also need to have Seedorf ready to play because Kaka wont get an inch and Pirlo will not be allowed to move.

If Sissoko will mark Kaka, I'm telling you from now that we'll see a lot of magic from our Golden boy

if buve are smart they;ll put zanetti on kaka who's had success against him.

Zanetti's hurt - got hurt in the Genoa game and hasn't played since then (early March). According to the Juve website, he's still not training with the team.

No news on Nedved yet.

Word. Plus, Dida regularly plays his best against Juve because he loves playing against Buffon.

There's talk that Milan may appeal Nesta's 2-game ban and try to get it reduced to 1 game so that he'll be available for this one.

Wouldn't hold my breath, though.

I hope the Italian FA anything like the English one then. If you make an appeal without any good reason, they extend the ban. And I don't really think we have valid ground to make an appeal if I'm honest.

(from acmilan.com's italian page)

Today's training:
Pato, Janku, Favalli, and Emerson worked in the gym. The rest of the team - including Rino and Sergio - did the regular training, including ball possession drills and an 11x11 practice game.

Sergio is back.. finally. We may need him if all our other LBs are out.

Does anyone know what happened to Pato?

I think it's a thigh strain, Mike.

Ouch, a thigh strain? That's pretty bad - even a small one usually causes you to be out for around 3 weeks.

There is chance that Nesta plays this game, the decision will be made Friday


"Will Nesta play? It will be discussed on Friday at noon, we hope to have him against Juventus." Galliani

so he isn't banned for two matches. he is injured.

I'm expecting a Bonera - Simic - God - Favalli defence line-up. Or maybe Bonera in the center as he's played more matches than the Croat.

No he is banned for two matches but we're appealing against it as it looks like.

^^^ What dst said. Galliani said that they were appealing the 2-game suspension (of which Nesta's already served 1 game) at the Lega meeting that's coming up.

Huh, I'm positively sure Pato might have slotted a couple in practice games against Dida. Don't you think?

Agreed. I'm usually a decently optimistic person, but even I'm not too sure we'll be seeing Dida anytime soon, what with only a handful of matches left till the end of the season. Oh well, that's the way with Carlo, I reckon.

Kalac is back to his usual self (7-8 goals in last five matches), and while everyone here appreciates what he's done these last couple of months, he seems to have gotten out of his purple patch. Confident, yes. Dependable, maybe. But he's not quite the keeper he was at the start of the year. Still, I hope he puts in a great performance this Sunday.

After all the pieces fall to place, I'd very much hate Dida's last match in Milan be Inter, December 2007.

MILAN - Pavel Nedved talked about his conditions after leaving the hospital at Palermo, where he had been recovered after clashing heads with Guana yesterday: "I feel better today, better than yesterday. I was in the hospital, but everything's OK - the Czech player said - sometimes my head still spins. I was a bit scared."

"Galliani also said that a decision over whether Alessandro Nesta will play against Juve will be made on Friday at noon. The defender is struggling with injury.

"Will Nesta play? It will be discussed on Friday at noon, we hope to have him against Juventus."
"

I think goal.com is wrong, it's bout Nesta getting his suspension dropped to 1 game instead of 2, not injury.

sounds like a concussion

I WANNA SEE DIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~!

So now we all turn against Kalac? Hmh,..

Don't wanna harp you with that but,..I told 'y so..Kalac is sometimes good, but he makes mistakes that show he isn't a whole season keeper and first team player. Dida should now get his chance and stay with us at the end. If we wanna sell someone it should be Kalac, now that he is worth something (even after that Cagliari goal). We should also install Coppola as 3rd and this should be it!

Now for the game...anyone knows the score Carlo has against Juve and Ranieri?

Juve is the same ol' Juve some years ago, I mean the same style and mentality, but not that quality players. Iaquinta IMO will be the biggest problem, I hope he don't starts.

We just have to win this one and play with the same mentality as against Cagliari.

Double training session for Milan today. The morning session has taken place; it was all individualized work. Afternoon training will take place in...just over 90 minutes from when I'm posting.

The Zebras have an afternoon training session today, at which the conditions of Pavel Nedved and Cristiano Zanetti will be evaluated.

EDIT: Nedved's had another CAT-scan and has been examined by a neurosurgeon. He's been passed fit to resume activity and will train with the Zebras tomorrow (Wednesday). [from the zebra website]

It's a shame this game falls when it does - it could have been a great physiological boost to gain some points on Fio if we had an easier fixture. Although saying that, not many fixtures have been 'easy' this term.

You've got to admire Juve in the way that they've bounced back from last year. I still don't consider their squad to be the 3rd best in Serie A though, which I guess is a compliment to how well they've done this season. I know we can win this game if we play like we know Milan can, but I've no idea which Milan is going to turn up.

It'll leave a bitter taste if Inter beat Fio and we fail to capitalise on it.

Imagine if we beat Juventus, Inter and Fiorentina drew and Roma got all 3 points! Now that would be sweet!

^^ I'd still consider that a bad result for us! Inter have to beat Fio - I don't think we're in a position to cheer on Inter's rivals when we're 4 points away from a CL spot with 6 games to play

Even if Inter win, Fiorentina will have to fall again in the following games... it makes no big difference. What matters is that we win all games left if possible so that we take advantage of any occasional slip-up of theirs or pray that they lost points too when and if we do...

Afternoon training has taken place. Rino and Sergio trained with the group. Favster ran sprints - which I take as a sign he may be available if needed. Pirlo and Pato worked in the gym but I'm pretty sure they'll both be available. Janku and Emerson also worked in the gym and probably won't be.

It's wierd how sometimes the players we don't count on, turn out to be big trump cards.

This is kinda unrelated...but I remember last season, and we were not going great shakes at all (CL or League) and the board kept saying, We need Ambro back...it's vital...blah blah...and I went Pffffftt...but it turned out to be true.

Now this season, they say Pippo's injury and they seem to be being proved right as well.

I mean in the footballing theory sense (let's not get into the politics of Galliani and co. discussion)...but I wonder is there something about these players we don't know of. For instance, when Carletto says in his interview after 7 long years....that now he knows fully what his players can and cannot do...I think that's a deeper statement than most people give credit for .

Here for instance is where I think a lot of managers differ. I believe that Capello, Spalleti, Prandell, (now) Carletto, and SAF (I think this is his biggest USP in the EPL) do know this, while others like say...Rijkaard, Schuster, dare i say Mourinho don't.

Wenger is somewhere in between. He knows what his players can do at their best. But he is totally blind to them being at their worst.

I also believe this is what makes a coach do great things with what seems to be a weak team.


Juve v Milan.....maybe two strikers for this one...we'll look to press them in the beginning and then take a striker off for a DM. Usual tactic. If our players have continued the good work from Cagliari (and not hit a plateau) we might have a chance...

But the Milan team's performance this season, has been as predictable as a roulette wheel. So I'll not make any prophecies.

This is when we found our form last season (game at Bayern...) so I hope it is the same now.


I certainly disagree with the Mourinho part. If there's something this guy does better than anyone else it is bringing the best out of his players.

^^

misha would disagree...

I don't think he had his players completely. It's one thing to make the guys who like you play for you...but wasn't he kicked out..coz a lot of people didn't like him and I mean players.


Just like Sacchi was for us...

Did you guys know that Kaladze is suspended for this game?

We're doomed ...

Well, we may not be quite so doomed if Nesta's suspension is reduced to 1 game.

Another training note from the land of the Zebras: Del Piero trained separately today.

Are kidding this is Milan we're talking about not the zebras or la merda!
I'm quit sure he wont play