Serie A: Inter can clinch title in Milan derby

godtabh

Preview

MILAN, May 2 (Reuters) - Inter Milan will retain their Serie A title if they beat a hungry AC Milan on Sunday in what has been billed as one of the most important city derbies ever.

AdTech Ad
Milan, in fifth, are desperate for three points to aid their bid to overhaul fourth-placed Fiorentina, who visit strugglers Cagliari on Sunday. They are two points above Milan in the final Champions League qualifying place with three games left.

'Sunday will be something special, past derbies I've played in don't compare, England included,' Inter and former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira told Thursday's Gazzetta dello Sport.

'What an atmosphere. I raise my game under pressure. These are the games I live for.'

A victory is possibly more important to European champions Milan given that Inter have a six-point lead over second-placed AS Roma and would triumph if the pair finished on the same points because of a superior head-to-head record.

Inter coach Roberto Mancini has even hinted he would rather win the scudetto at home to Siena on May 11 so that more fans could celebrate the triumph. Milan are designated as the home team for Sunday's derby at the shared San Siro.

Inter owner Massimo Moratti is more excited than his manager, saying this week the derby was as important as a Champions League final.

The two clubs played in a 2003 Champions League semi-final when Milan went through while they also prevailed in a 2005 quarter-final when keeper Dida was struck by a flair thrown from the Inter end in the abandoned second leg.

Moratti feels Sunday is more crucial but a repeat of any violence is unlikely given a security crackdown after a series of incidents in Italy in recent years.

Milan captain Paolo Maldini, yet to decide if he will retire at the end of the season, is again expected to be unavailable because of a thigh injury, while Inter's leading striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to miss out with ongoing knee trouble.

Roma will look to take advantage of any Inter slip when they visit sixth-placed Sampdoria, who have an outside chance of beating Milan and Fiorentina to the final Champions League spot.

Third-placed Juventus, who secured their place in the Champions League qualifiers last weekend, have not given up hope of overtaking Roma and bagging an automatic berth.

Claudio Ranieri's side are five points behind Roma and travel to mid-table Siena on Sunday.

The relegation battle is extremely tight with three to play and complicated by the fact many of the strugglers meet each other in the final weeks of the season.

Bottom side Livorno, who brought back coach Fernando Orsi this week after sacking Giancarlo Camolese, go to Atalanta, where even a defeat would not spell the end, although they would have to win their last two matches and hope results went their way.

Sunday, May 4, 2008
Time Home Away VENUE
14:00 UK Lazio v Palermo Stadio Olimpico
14:00 UK AC Milan v Inter Milan Giuseppe Meazza
14:00 UK Torino v Napoli Delle Alpi
14:00 UK Sampdoria v Roma Luigi Ferraris
14:00 UK Parma v Genoa Ennio Tardini
14:00 UK Catania Calcio v Reggina Angelo Massimino
14:00 UK Atalanta v Livorno Atleti Azzurri d'Italia
14:00 UK Cagliari v Fiorentina Sant'Elia
14:00 UK Empoli v Udinese Carlo Castellani
14:00 UK Siena v Juventus Artemio Franchi

Sorry about last week. Was away and didnt have net access like I thought I would.

All I'm gona say this week is Forza Inter!

PHB

If Milan lose today against Inter, and Florentina beat Cagliari (who at 15th), there will be a 5 point gap with two games to go! Two draws or one win would then give Florentina CL football and be the end of an era for Milan.

godtabh

PHB wrote: »

If Milan lose today against Inter, and Florentina beat Cagliari (who at 15th), there will be a 5 point gap with two games to go! Two draws or one win would then give Florentina CL football and be the end of an era for Milan.

Here's hoping!

Ah no seriously I think Milan have been threading water for a long time and I think that they need to do a lot of team building this summer and get rid of a lot of dead wood.

I'd also prefer the Viola to get into the CL. I think they deserve it

Mr. Presentable

I think Milan will win tomorrow- they've started to show some form. Fiorentina will probably get a draw.

delija_sever029

I still hope Fiorentina will play CL next year,on one side i hate this pensionary team of Milan and i think Fiorentina deserved to play CL with they very nice playing this season in league and UEFA cup.I think they will hold this 4th place till the end

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV

forza juve, roma lose plz. thanks

godtabh

ThE_IVIAcIVIAIV wrote: »

forza juve, roma lose plz. thanks

That would suit Inter so yeah why not

evad_lhorg

Milan are all over Inter. Inzaghi really should have scored.

eZe^

I miss Serie A... Have watched nearly nothing of it this season, and now watching the Milan derby I miss the sunshine and the Italians...

Xavi6

Juve 1 down :mad:

delija_sever029

51' Cagliari 2 - 0 Fiorentina not good.....

eZe^

Kaka sets up Inzaghi... Kaka's run and cross was f*cking tops!!!!

1-0.

Xavi6

Inzaghi's such a hero. Best poacher of his generation.

delija_sever029

55' AC Milan 1 - 0 Inter Milan :mad::mad::mad:
Stupid Milan....

eZe^

Milan don't look like a bunch of pensioners I must say... Very impressive stuff... Hope they make CL.



Kaka with a lovely finish...


2-0

evad_lhorg

2-0 Kaka. poor defensive mistake though. nice finish

delija_sever029

57' AC Milan 2 - 0 Inter Milan

I think they will at the end get that 4th place......

evad_lhorg

eZe^ wrote: »

Milan don't look like a bunch of pensioners I must say... Very impressive stuff... Hope they make CL.






0

it would be the champions league back to full strength with Juve and Bayern back in as well.

eZe^

evad_lhorg wrote: »

it would be the champions league back to full strength with Juve and Bayern back in as well.

Exactly. Fiorentina are a good side, but I just feel they won't have the winning mentality to do something good in the knock out stages. Which means more of the crap from SKY about how its a sh*t league.



EDIT- Inter getting back into this it seems. Would have bet my house on Crespo scoring that...

delija_sever029

61' Cagliari 2 - 1 Fiorentina
Come on,maybe they still can do something....

PHB

Florentina are bottling it!

But Inter equalise!!

eZe^

2-1, what a free kick by Cruz, the wall was only about 7 yards away iswell.. Quality. Game on boyos!!

PHB

ugh, I hate cheering for Inter

eZe^

Inter can f*ck off to be honest. It just makes for an interesting game.. Didn't look like Suazo fouled in the box there, definitely a good penalty shout in favour of him.

PHB

I just like to see non expected sides to get into the CL from the big leagues. It's good for football in the long run not to have teams dominate leagues consistantly, like the top 4 now in England.
Also I still hold out the dream of signing Kaka for United

eZe^

Nah, it'll be nice to see Italy have a strong showing in the CL next season. La Liga will have the worst showing in next years CL...


Don't think I could ever see Kaka in any England teams shirt. If anywhere itll be Madrid.


Close there by Chivu!!!

Unearthly

This on tv lads?

eZe^

Unearthly wrote: »

This on tv lads?

http://www.rojadirecta.com/canal/psn-1.html

Pretty much finished now though...


See that schmuck Figo in the crowd, big ugly mug on him... =P

PHB

eZe^ wrote: »

Nah, it'll be nice to see Italy have a strong showing in the CL next season. La Liga will have the worst showing in next years CL...

Yeh I'd agree, but IMO they'll still have two teams with a great chance of winning it. Also I think Villareal can step up another level if they spend right.

Don't think I could ever see Kaka in any England teams shirt. If anywhere itll be Madrid.

A man can dream

eZe^

Well, Villareal were only one penalty away from an another all Spanish CL final. If Atletico sort out their defense, they have one of the best partnerships in Europe in attack so its all about potential when speaking about Villareal and Atletico.


I know money speaks, but I really can't imagine Ricardo wearing the United jersey you know.. :P And I can see him wearing the horrible Blanco jersey though...


This was a good game, I really hope Serie A comes back on TV next year... I miss it...

PHB

Dreams

Florentina lose. Threw it away.

Raskolnikov

Business back to the usual in Serie A with the Milans, Juve and Roma gaining qualification to the Champions League.

delija_sever029

FT AC Milan 2 - 1 Inter Milan
FT Atalanta 3 - 2 Livorno
FT Cagliari 2 - 1 Fiorentina
FT Catania 1 - 2 Reggina
FT Empoli 0 - 1 Udinese
FT Lazio 1 - 2 Palermo
FT Parma 1 - 0 Genoa
FT Sampdoria 0 - 3 AS Roma
FT Siena 1 - 0 Juventus
FT Torino 2 - 1 Napoli

Fiorentina ruined nice chance to play CL next season......

godtabh

PHB wrote: »

ugh, I hate cheering for Inter

eZe^ wrote: »

Inter can f*ck off to be honest.

I've been following Inter since 1990 and its unreal the way you see people turn when another team that they dont follow is doing well. Jealousy is a wonderful human trait

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Business back to the usual in Serie A with the Milans, Juve and Roma gaining qualification to the Champions League.

The Champions League is about the best teams in Europe not about what teams we expect to be in it

PHB

My problems with Inter have nothing to do with their success, it's just I can't stand a lot of their players.

Raskolnikov

kearnsr wrote: »

The Champions League is about the best teams in Europe not about what teams we expect to be in it

That's fair enough, but the fact is the present format of the Champions League is killing competitiveness.

That's an issue for another thread though.

eZe^

PHB wrote: »

My problems with Inter have nothing to do with their success, it's just I can't stand a lot of their players.

I just always preferred Juve out of all the teams in Serie A.

godtabh

PHB wrote: »

My problems with Inter have nothing to do with their success, it's just I can't stand a lot of their players.

i dont some of their players and back room staff but they are still my club.

weemcd

Tough for Florentia, they deserved to get a cl spot after a.c's poor domestic season, however i don't see how you can have the cl with out the old (emphasis on OLD) kings of europe, it just wouldn't be the same without Milan.

The final rundown between Inter and Roma would be very interesting, Inter play the distinctively mid table placed Napoli in their next game, and relegation zone Parma, so 2 matches they should take maximum points from. Roma's situation if almost exactly the same with Atlanta and Catania one place ahead of Inter's opponents respectively.

delija_sever029

i could imagine CL without Milan,and i would be glad to see it,if we can manage not seeing England on Euro why not to than to not see Milan in CL,if they would change this old team and style maybe i would like to watch them,but this team...i preffer to watch Fiorentina in CL

eZe^

delija_sever029 wrote: »

i could imagine CL without Milan,and i would be glad to see it,if we can manage not seeing England on Euro why not to than to not see Milan in CL,if they would change this old team and style maybe i would like to watch them,but this team...i preffer to watch Fiorentina in CL

Because England have quite obviously had as much success and prestige in the Euro's as Milan have had in the CL..... :rolleyes:

delija_sever029

With this squad as you can see Milan can hardly get into CL,so their times with this squad on top of the europe passed,as i said,if they change something maybe they will do something,with this squad they have no chance to come further than 1/8 final

eZe^

delija_sever029 wrote: »

With this squad as you can see Milan can hardly get into CL,so their times with this squad on top of the europe passed,as i said,if they change something maybe they will do something,with this squad they have no chance to come further than 1/8 final

Em.... The squad that less than 365 days ago became European Champions... This squad may be old, but to write off the likes of Inzaghi, Kaka, Pirlo, Gatusso, Nesta, and Ambrossini is ridiculous. No chance to get to the quarters... Lets see...

PHB

delija_sever029 wrote: »

With this squad as you can see Milan can hardly get into CL,so their times with this squad on top of the europe passed,as i said,if they change something maybe they will do something,with this squad they have no chance to come further than 1/8 final

Liverpool won the Champions League at the same time as coming 5th in the league.

delija_sever029

I am not saying its important league position,i just cant compare Liverpool and Milan,yes,Milan had a great season and won CL but i think that was last they could make with this team,well it seems Berlusconi think same coz he want to make team fresh and get rid of these old guys,maybe than they will really come back in european top for next few years

Seaneh

Forza Milan, that is all.

delija_sever029

Forza Fiore,now thats all;)

delija_sever029

Things getting very interesting!!!
75' Inter-Siena 2-2
75' Napoli-Milan 2-0
75' Fiorentina-Parma 2-1
75' Roma-Atalanta 2-0

Xavi6

Another reason to hate Materazzi. Misses a peno in the 78th minute.

pickarooney

Down to the wire now, with the bottler's bottlers throwing away another couple of points.
Atalanta making Roma sweat to the end and Del Piero on top of the scoring charts.

Raskolnikov

Fiorentina win 3-1 and Milan lose 3-1. Now Fiorentina have a two point advantage over Milan in the race for 4th place! All they have to do is beat Torino away from home and they get the chance to make the Champions League.