Here are the 18 called up players for the match against Udinese: Dida, Kalac, Bonera, Cafu, Digao, Favalli, Kaladze, Oddo, Serginho, Simic, Ambrosini, Brocchi, Kakà, Pirlo, Seedorf, Gilardino, Inzaghi, Pato.
Unavailable players: Jankulovski, Maldini, Emerson, Gourcuff, Ronaldo.
Suspended players: Gattuso, Nesta.
Marcos Cafu:
"Five years ago I chose to come to Milan because I knew that it was a serious and important club, where here I could have proven everything I had previously learnt in my football past. I lived five marvellous years in which I managed to win everything. It will remain to me an unforgettable memory. When I arrived in the summer of 2003, Milan had just won the Champions League in the Manchester final and today Milan is still for the next few days European Champion following the Athens final. With Milan we won many titles. In these five years we also became World Champions and Italian champions. I think that inside me this happiness,for all the titles I won here together with my team-mates, will remain. The moment to leave has arrived. It’s sad and tough, but I knew that sooner or later the time to return home would have arrived, to return to Brazil to my family. My children have been fine here in Italy, especially in Milan.
"When I arrived at Milan I found coach Carlo Ancelotti who also he knew the Roma environment. In the first game at Rome, there was the curiosity to see the reaction towards me of the Giallorossi fans. In Rome I spent six marvellous years, I won the league title and what I will hold both from the Roma and Rossoneri fans is surely a wonderful memory."
"I have arrived at the moment to say goodbye. I don’t know whether I will play when I go back to Brazil. Sunday will be my last game, I don't know if the coach will allow me to play, but I will be ready for this important game which will not be just my farewell game, but also an important game for Milan. Carlo Ancelotti can count on me on all fronts. It will not be easy saying goodbye to the fans who have welcomed me in a fantastic way, so I hope not to have disappointed anyone. I will still continue to sidefor Milan.
"In my career I won thirty-two titles. It's surely a nice satisfaction both from the personal as well as the professional point of view. This means that my career has been victorious. I won everything and I’m really happy."
Superior record
Taking the Scudetto with a win against
Cautious words
Roberto Mancini, however, is hoping that the derby dream will not overshadow the serious task at hand. "Our target is to win the title, no matter when," said the coach, whose side visit S.S. Lazio in the Coppa Italia final second leg on 7 May, after drawing 0-0 in the home fixture. "I hope we get the result we need against
Nine goals
Mancini will be well aware of how important the derby is for
Final atmosphere
"We love these kinds of games and we are used to playing them," said the
European dimension
"The future is in our hands," he added. "For many of the
AC Milan will do all it can to spoil cross-town rival Inter's party and keep it from celebrating its division title with two matches left in the season.
''They (Inter) have the title practically in their pocket, let's say 80%. But for
Sunday's match will be a toss up, Kaladze, explained, ''because there is never a favorite in a derby. We're in good form and so are they''. ''The group is going to make the difference more than strategy and this is one of
Roma is still in the running for the division title and should Inter lose the derby and the capital's side defeat Sampdoria there would only be a gap of three points with two matches left.
However, should Roma draw and Inter win, then the
Inter will also take the title if it draws and Roma loses.
Sampdoria still has a mathematical chance of reaching the Champions League preliminary round, especially if it beats Roma and Inter wins the derby, which would place the
Fiorentina travels to
"At the moment I see a very strong Inter. They have to control their games and they don't need to take any big risks. This must be an important signal to us because we know we will find a team who know exactly what they want. In any case we are doing well right now, we have three games left in which we have to get three points and then see what Fiorentina do.
I think it's right to celebrate every single victory, each game in this period is important, also the one on Sunday against
What is the best memory you have of a derby?
"Certainly the goal I scored to make it 3-2 when we came back from 2-0 down. It was very significant because it helped us to win the Scudetto."
Ibrahimovic's absence?
"Inter continued to win despite his absence because they are still a strong team, with five very good strikers who can make the difference." (acmilan.com)
