Serie A - The Big One!

godtabh

Preview

AC Milan playmaker Kaka is bidding to defy medical science to make the squad for a city derby his side almost certainly need to win to keep their dwindling Serie A title hopes alive.
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The Brazilian, who turned down a world record move to Manchester City last month, injured his foot in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Reggina and doctors ruled him out for 15 days.

However, he is making a quicker-than-expected recovery ahead of Sunday's clash with leaders Inter Milan, who have an eight-point advantage over their third-placed rivals.

"We will see if he can recover for the derby, at least for the bench. It is too early to say now," Milan doctor Jean-Pierre Meersseman told reporters. Defender Alessandro Nesta also hopes to make a return after being blighted by injury for months.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti, whose side last won the scudetto in 2004, needs a fair slice of good fortune if the Rossoneri are to challenge this season and he is to cling on to his job.

Defeat would leave them 11 points adrift of Inter with 14 games remaining, a seemingly insurmountable task given that Jose Mourinho's team are picking up points despite not always playing well.

Media reports have said another season's failure in Serie A would mean Ancelotti leaving the San Siro, with rumours circling that Chelsea are interested having only appointed Guus Hiddink until the end of the campaign.

For now though, the only matter on Ancelotti's mind is one of the biggest games in club football.

His main hope is that Milan can repeat their 1-0 victory in September, one of only two defeats Inter have suffered in the league, when the inconsistent Ronaldinho nodded in the winner.

That headed goal was a rarity for Milan, who laboured against bottom side Reggina because striker Alexandre Pato was not tall enough to connect with David Beckham's crosses.

Inter's physical presence is huge in comparison and their height in the box and record against smaller teams has been key to their success as they chase a fourth straight title.

Their powerful squad will be further strengthened by burly striker Adriano being available again after a three-game ban, although he was not missed in Saturday's 3-0 win at Lecce.

Juventus, a point above Milan in second, still hope to have a say in this season's championship but again have injury problems for Sunday's home game with Sampdoria.

Saturday, February 14, 2009
Time Home Away VENUE
17:00 UK Lazio v Torino Olimpico
19:30 UK Napoli v Bologna San Paolo
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Time Home Away VENUE
14:00 UK Chievo Verona v Catania Stadio Marc`Antonio Bentegodi
14:00 UK Genoa v Fiorentina Comunale Luigi Ferraris
14:00 UK Cagliari v Lecce Sant'Elia
14:00 UK Reggina v Palermo Stadio Oreste Granillo
14:00 UK Atalanta v AS Roma Stadio Azzurri D`Italia
14:00 UK Juventus v Sampdoria Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino
14:00 UK Siena v Udinese Artemio Franchi Montepaschi Arena
19:30 UK Internazionale v AC Milan Giuseppe Meazza

Its the big one this weekend. Who cares about any other game this weekend!

redout

Kaka gone so I have lost half my interest already. I will watch but only because United play Inter in about 10 days. Hope Beckham score's a free-kick in the 90th just to wipe the smug look of Mourinho mouth.

godtabh

redout wrote: »

Kaka gone so I have lost half my interest already. I will watch but only because United play Inter in about 10 days. Hope Beckham score's a free-kick in the 90th just to wipe the smug look of Mourinho mouth.

With Inter already 3 up at that stage it wont matter

redout

I think it will be a Milan win or a draw.


EDIT: Note that nobody got that.:(

Jam-Fly

Inter to win, have a feeling they could win by quite a bit too, just a hunch though.

Seaneh

Forze Rossoneri, blah blah blah, Ibra is the only weapon, blah blah blah, adriano danger from crosses, blah blah blah, maicon an issue blah blah blah...

Tristram

red and black ftw

godtabh

AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini said ambitions to win one more league title have charged him up for Sunday's game against Inter Milan, his last derby before retirement.

Third-placed Milan need to close an eight-point gap on leaders Inter if Maldini is to add an eighth Serie A title to his huge honours collection, which also includes five European Cup-Champions League triumphs.

"Naturally my final derby is even more special," the 40-year-old told a news conference on Friday.

"The beautiful thing is I'm playing with something important at stake. I still believe we can come back and this team can win the title."

Maldini will bring down the curtain on his career at the end of the campaign, having changed his mind about quitting last season. But he said there was no chance of another postponement.

"I'm happy I changed my mind last year. This year I've had very few physical problems," he said.

"But in June I'll be 41 and I think it's right for me to stop this season."

Maldini said Brazil playmaker Kaka, who looks set to skip Sunday's match with a foot injury, would be missed.

"Going in without your best player is undoubtedly a major handicap," said the defender.

Maldini also said he would like to see David Beckham stay, as the Italian club negotiate with Los Angeles Galaxy to extend the England midfielder's loan move or make it permanent.

"David has expressed his desire to stay and that is what the club want too," he said.

"I don't know how his contractual problems will be resolved but if they are resolved we'll be very happy to have him until the end of the season and next year too, being as that is what he wants.

"When two people meet and they are happy I think there should be a marriage."

Great player

kinaldo

away win

SantryRed

I see what you did there.

Nunu

I'm going for a Milan win....Beckham to set up a goal or two if he plays.

BTW 'The Big One' is Inter v Juve;)

Seaneh

I'm all gonna say is this.

Life is hard when your reserve for Kaka is Ronaldinho and you have another 2 ballon d'or's in the squad.

Forza Rossoneri

redout

Seaneh wrote: »

I'm all gonna say is this.

Life is hard when your reserve for Kaka is Ronaldinho and you have another 2 ballon d'or's in the squad.

Forza Rossoneri

Who is the other two ? I can only get Sheva apart fom the first two that you mentioned.

Bubs101

The big one is Juve Inter, not Milan vs. Inter.

Derby d'Italia>Milan Derby

eagle eye

Seaneh wrote: »

Life is hard when your reserve for Kaka is Ronaldinho and you have another 2 ballon d'or's in the squad.

And they are only third in the League.:eek:

Seaneh

Bubs101 wrote: »

The big one is Juve Inter, not Milan vs. Inter.

Derby d'Italia>Milan Derby

Inter don't even feature in the Derby d'Italia, Nor the derby d'Europe.

In both cases it is Milan.


Also the biggest game in every Italian season is Milan vs. Juve and the return.

The Milan Derby is second and then the Rome Derby.


Dunno where yo got the idea that the derby d'Italia was Juve vs. Inter, it never has been nor ever will be.

Seaneh

redout wrote: »

Who is the other two ? I can only get Sheva apart fom the first two that you mentioned.

His name is david and he probably didn't deserve his.

Seaneh

eagle eye wrote: »

And they are only third in the League.:eek:

In fairness to Milan, the league has never been a priorty.

Vokes

Always thought that Inter v Juve was the Derby of Italy, no? Cos they are historically the most successful teams (?) and had never been relgated (well, until recently).

godtabh

Bubs101 wrote: »

The big one is Juve Inter, not Milan vs. Inter.

Derby d'Italia>Milan Derby

The Milan Derby still holds something special.

Seaneh wrote: »

Inter don't even feature in the Derby d'Italia, Nor the derby d'Europe.

In both cases it is Milan.


Also the biggest game in every Italian season is Milan vs. Juve and the return.

The Milan Derby is second and then the Rome Derby.


Dunno where yo got the idea that the derby d'Italia was Juve vs. Inter, it never has been nor ever will be.

I think your wrong. Its always been Juve Inter

Bubs101

Seaneh wrote: »

Inter don't even feature in the Derby d'Italia, Nor the derby d'Europe.

In both cases it is Milan.


Also the biggest game in every Italian season is Milan vs. Juve and the return.

The Milan Derby is second and then the Rome Derby.


Dunno where yo got the idea that the derby d'Italia was Juve vs. Inter, it never has been nor ever will be.

Only quoting this again to be a dick

Having said that, I doubt there's that much difference. Was at the Rome Derby where Roma won 5-1 in 2001 and it was one of the best nights in my life. Atmosphere was electric and the day afterwards the Roma fans stormed the Colloseum to burn Nesta jerseys

Y2J_MUFC

Any channel showing it?

eZe^

I'm not saying it's the Derby D'italia, but I also always thought that A.C vs Juve was the biggest game in Serie A history. I also don't see how Inter are a more successful club that A.C much much less European Cups, and they have one less league title, less Copa Italia's. The only thing they beat A.C on is how many years they've spent in Serie A.

godtabh

Read my link a couple of posts up. Its to do witht the fact Inter and Juve had never been relegated

jamsieboy86

Inter and Juve also have the 2 biggest fan bases in Italy.

redout

Seaneh wrote: »

His name is david and he probably didn't deserve his.

David who ?

flyswatter

Y2J_MUFC wrote: »

Any channel showing it?

It's on BBC3 at 7.30pm.

Seaneh

redout wrote: »

David who ?

Drunken posting FTL.

He was runner up.

Either way, there's still two in the match day squad and one out injured.

Carcharodon

Anyone else think That Italian soccer is on the way back up again, I think after a couple of turbulent years it is definitely coming back strong as I always thought it would.
I think Mourinho and Becks have helped get the English media more involved and also A.C signing and holding on to big players.
I have always watched Seire A since those early Channel 4 days and love it. I won't say its better than Prem but its different and equally as entertaining in my opinion.

Really looking forward to the game tonight, hope A.C stuff Jose

redout

AC Milan lineup:
Abbiati, Kaladze, Pirlo, Maldini, Jankulovski, Beckham, Seedorf, Ambrosini, Ronaldinho, Pato

Inter lineup:
Cesar, Samuel, Cambiasso, Cordoba, Maicon, Muntari, Stankovic, Zanetti, Adriano, Ibrahimovic

Eurosport only displaying 10 on each side !

Zambrotta, Chivu are the missing two.

Raskolnikov

INTER: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Samuel, Chivu, Santon, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Muntari, Stankovic, Ibrahimovic, Adriano.
MILAN : Abbiati, Zambrotta, Maldini, Kaladze, Jankulovski; Beckham, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Ronaldinho, Pato.

Raskolnikov

Does Shevchenko even play football anymore, or is he in hiding after becoming the worlds most expensive flop?

K4t

That's a pacy attacking line up from Inter :pac:

Bobalicious93

http://www.iraqgoals.com/en/ch5.html

Match starts here at 7:30 for anyone without BBC3

syngindub

prediction 2-2

Pyjamarama

Hansen clearly hasn't watched a Serie A game in a long time. He kept talking about how poor Inter were against pool last year! Thats professionalism!!

syngindub

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

http://www.iraqgoals.com/en/ch5.html

Match starts here at 7:30 for anyone without BBC3

game is not being streamed here at the moment anyway. showing some comedy bull****

redout

AC will win it.

Tom65

syngindub wrote: »

game is not being streamed here at the moment anyway. showing some comedy bull****

http://www.justin.tv/vipsportss

That's a good stream.


You have to love (not really) the justintv chat: "dis is bull$hit no kaka damnnnn".

syngindub

http://www.justin.tv/rambo_es instead

Bobalicious93

Other stream I posted isn't working.

http://www.justin.tv/rambo_es this is

EDIT: already posted

titan18

The BBC commentary is ahead of the match.Kinda annoying

Bobalicious93

How did Muntari get away with that?

redout

Maldini superstar

Usually thats funny when said but this time its actually true !

BigCon

titan18 wrote: »

The BBC commentary is ahead of the match.Really fupping annoying

FYP

syngindub

good match so far. game being played a quick pace. hopoefully we get a few goals

Headshot

bloody commentary on bbc is driving me nuts

Bobalicious93

being constantly bombarded with ads on my stream :mad:

redout

Peno or great defending ?

Defending for me

Bobalicious93

:D how did they not score?

Bobalicious93

Great save!