DERBY DELLA MADONNINA !!!!!

San Siro zero hour for Inter and Milan

Sunday 4 May 2008 could end up being an unforgettable day for FC Internazionale Milano. Beating city rivals AC Milan in the Derby della Madonnina would mean a third Serie A title in as many seasons for the Nerazzurri, but Milan will be determined to prevent that from happening as the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League winners - fifth in Serie A - look to book a place in next season's European club showcase.

Superior record

Taking the Scudetto with a win against Milan is the stuff of fantasy for many Inter fans, but it could be a reality by Saturday. Victory would ensure they maintain their six-point advantage over second-place AS Roma, who visit UC Sampdoria on Sunday, and since they have a superior head-to-head record in their games against Luciano Spalletti's side, the title would be theirs.

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 Milan but if we don't we'll try to hit the target in the last two matches."

Nine goals

Mancini will be well aware of how important the derby is for Milan, who are still two points adrift of ACF Fiorentina in the race for the fourth and final UEFA Champions League berth. Nine goals in back-to-back wins against Reggina Calcio and AS Livorno Calcio are a measure of the sharp upturn in Rossoneri performances in recent weeks, and Carlo Ancelotti is feeling buoyant.

Final atmosphere

"We love these kinds of games and we are used to playing them," said the Milan coach as he focused on the San Siro clash. "I think Inter want to win the title as soon as possible as surprises are always around the corner in football. However, only a win will suffice for us. This is not a [UEFA] Champions League final, but the atmosphere and pressure will be the same and we are prepared for it.

European dimension

"The future is in our hands," he added. "For many of the Milan players, there is a huge difference between [UEFA] Champions League and UEFA Cup football and we want to play in the former competition next season." Victory against Inter would not redeem a difficult season for Milan or put Inter's title in huge peril, but making life difficult for the Nerazzurri could yet have important side-effects. (uefa.com)

Milan derby may be decisive - AC Milan hopes to spoil Inter's title party

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.

Milan has more at stake than Inter, which enjoys a 6-point lead over second-placed AS Roma, because it currently sits behind Fiorentina for the last berth open to enter the Champions League preliminary round.

''They (Inter) have the title practically in their pocket, let's say 80%. But for Milan it's different because we're playing for next season, to take part in the Champions League,'' observed Georgian defender Kakhaber Kaladze, who scored the only goal in Milan's last derby win in April 2006.

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 Milan's strong points,'' he added.

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 Milan side will its third title in a row on Sunday.

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 Genoa side one point ahead of Milan and on the heels of Fiorentina.

Fiorentina travels to Cagliari on Sunday licking the wounds of its elimination from the UEFA cup this weak after a penalty shoot-out at home against Glasgow Rangers.

Cagliari currently sits above the relegation zone and may play for a draw, hoping that Fiorentina will be demotivated by its UEFA defeat and losing striker Christian Vieri, who tore a tendon during Thursday night's shoot-out.

Other matches on Sunday include third-placed Juventus away at Siena, Torino hosting Napoli and Lazio receiving Palermo in Rome. (ANSA.it)

THE DECLARATIONS OF CLARENCE SEEDORF

Clarence, we are in the week that leads to the match on Sunday against Inter...

"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 Livorno. There's still a lot of time to get ready and we don't need the whole week to do it ahead of the derby, we will be ready at the right moment. The important thing is to have the tranquility and serenity in our work, without thinking about the game all the time. We have to stay calm, and prepare the game against Inter the same way we have done with the other games these last weeks."

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)

AMBROSINI: 'A special derby'

Massimo Ambrosini talked about the match against Inter on Sunday: 'It's a special derby - the midfielder explained to Studio Sport - 'a game which comes at a very delicate time. We know perfectly it will be one of our last chances to catch the train of Champions League qualification and we know we have to win at all costs.'

JULIO CESAR: 'Kaká the most dangerous one'

In an interview given to Studio Sport, Julio Cesar talks about the derby: 'Kaká is the most dangerous, he can decide a game on his own and already did that last year in the Champions League.' The Inter goalkeeper also talked about Dida: 'Nelson remains an example. I've already learned a lot from him in the national team.' And then there's Pato: 'Everyone is waiting to make the comparison between him and Balotelli.'

MILAN - INTER THE DISCIPLINARY SITUATION

Milan will be without any suspended players for Sunday's game against Inter at 3pm at San Siro, but will have the following six players cautioned: Marcos Cafu, Giuseppe Favalli, Rino Gattuso, Alessandro Nesta, Massimo Oddo, Andrea Pirlo. Even Inter will not have any suspended players, but will have nine players cautioned: Balotelli, Burdisso, Cambiasso, Cordoba, Figo, Jimenez, Julio Cesar, Maicon and Stankovic.

Real Madrid tell AC Milan: £100M for Van Nistelrooy

Real Madrid have warned AC Milan off star striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Reacting to reports that Milan had offered £4 million for the Dutchman, a senior Real director told Marca: "Van Nistelrooy is not for sale and whoever wants sign him will have to pay his buyout clause (£100 million).



"Why are we going to release him if we've just renewed his contract? I'm sure that next season he will again be one of the best goleadores. We rely on him and he is very important for us."

AC Milan ace Kaka pleads with Gattuso to stay

Kaka has pleaded with Rino Gattuso to stay with AC Milan.

"I really cannot imagine Milan without Rino," said the Brazilian.

Asked about the arrival of Ronaldinho from Barcelona, Kaka said: "I think he could do very well here. We can play together and already have done for the Selecao. This is a team that can take many great champions in its line-up, so if more were to arrive that would be even better."

Of Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko, he added: "If Sheva returned then I would be very happy, because he is my friend. For various reasons he has not played consistently for the past two years, but I know he could make his contribution to Milan."

MILAN, 18 YEARS IN THE LEAD

Eighteen years photographed with the magnifying glass of statistics. The Iffhs of Wiesbaden (Germany), recognised by Fifa, make up every month the ranking, with a coefficient comprised of performances, results, and victories, of the top 25s of the whole world. From 1991 to 2007 Milan were on top of the ranking 37 times, in different periods. No team in the world has been judged to be at the top of this sport like Milan in the last 18 years.

The Rossoneri were ranked first by Iffhs Club World Ranking in the following months:

- January 1991
- February 1991
- January 1993
- February 1993
- March 1993
- April 1993
- May 1993
- June 1993
- July 1993
- August 1993
- September 1993
- October 1993
- January 1994
- February 1994
- March 1994
- April 1994
- May 1994
- June 1994
- July 1994
- August 1994
- September 1994
- October 1994
- Entire year 1995
- January 1996
- February 1996
- March 1996
- May 2003
- June 2003
- July 2003
- August 2003
- September 2003
- October 2003
- December 2003
- Entire year 2003
- January 2004
- February 2004
- April 2004

from IFFHS