YUGOSLAV
Josip Broz TITO
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2002
- Messages
- 3,587
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Chicago, (Mostar)
- Fav. Players
- Baggio, Totti, Maldini, Canna, Olic, Barbarez, Šuker, Gatu, Buffon, Pirlo, Zambro & Nesta
Tuesday 31 January, 2006
(channel4.com)
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Massimo Ambrosini has admitted that Milan have given up on the title race and have now restricted their League ambitions to a second-place finish.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men had high hopes of challenging Juventus for the Scudetto at the start of the season.
Indeed, when they beat Juve 3-1 in late October the Rossoneri were just two points behind the Italian champions.
Two months on, though, and Milan are a full 12 points behind their Turin rivals and, according to Ambrosini after Saturday night’s 1-1 draw with Sampdoria, out of championship contention.
"This year there is one side that is dominating – Juve – and another that is more or less on a par with us – Inter," he said.
"Unfortunately, we have to think about them, as they are our nearest challengers, before worrying about the bigger picture."
The picture as it stands displays Milan in third place, four points behind their local rivals and just three ahead of Fiorentina.
The combative Ambrosini knows that his side now need to show a great deal of character to silence the critics and secure automatic Champions League qualification at the end of the campaign.
"Unfortunately, we are being criticised every day, but that’s because everyone is used to Milan’s high standards of results and the football we play," he added.
"From our point of view we must be calm enough to assess the current situation. It’s not a question of our team formation as we can play in a number of ways at any time against any team."
Milan’s more immediate attention will be focused on the Italian Cup quarter-final second-leg match against Palermo this evening.
The Rossoneri take a slender 1-0 win to the Renzo Barbera where Palermo await to play their first match under Coach Giuseppe Papadopulo.
Palermo look set to field a first-choice side while Milan are expected to rest, among others, Andriy Shevchenko, Filippo Inzaghi, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso and Dida.
Palermo (probable): Lupatelli, Zaccardo, Barzagli, Biava, Gonzalez, Mutarelli, Corini, Barone, Grosso, Caracciolo, Di Michele.
Milan (probable): Kalac, Simic, Nesta, Stam, Kaladze, Cafu, Vogel, Seedorf, Jankulovski, Kaka, Gilardino
(channel4.com)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Massimo Ambrosini has admitted that Milan have given up on the title race and have now restricted their League ambitions to a second-place finish.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men had high hopes of challenging Juventus for the Scudetto at the start of the season.
Indeed, when they beat Juve 3-1 in late October the Rossoneri were just two points behind the Italian champions.
Two months on, though, and Milan are a full 12 points behind their Turin rivals and, according to Ambrosini after Saturday night’s 1-1 draw with Sampdoria, out of championship contention.
"This year there is one side that is dominating – Juve – and another that is more or less on a par with us – Inter," he said.
"Unfortunately, we have to think about them, as they are our nearest challengers, before worrying about the bigger picture."
The picture as it stands displays Milan in third place, four points behind their local rivals and just three ahead of Fiorentina.
The combative Ambrosini knows that his side now need to show a great deal of character to silence the critics and secure automatic Champions League qualification at the end of the campaign.
"Unfortunately, we are being criticised every day, but that’s because everyone is used to Milan’s high standards of results and the football we play," he added.
"From our point of view we must be calm enough to assess the current situation. It’s not a question of our team formation as we can play in a number of ways at any time against any team."
Milan’s more immediate attention will be focused on the Italian Cup quarter-final second-leg match against Palermo this evening.
The Rossoneri take a slender 1-0 win to the Renzo Barbera where Palermo await to play their first match under Coach Giuseppe Papadopulo.
Palermo look set to field a first-choice side while Milan are expected to rest, among others, Andriy Shevchenko, Filippo Inzaghi, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso and Dida.
Palermo (probable): Lupatelli, Zaccardo, Barzagli, Biava, Gonzalez, Mutarelli, Corini, Barone, Grosso, Caracciolo, Di Michele.
Milan (probable): Kalac, Simic, Nesta, Stam, Kaladze, Cafu, Vogel, Seedorf, Jankulovski, Kaka, Gilardino
