Milan vs Novara Match Preview
After their derby defeat to Inter, AC Milan will be expected to return to winning ways against lowly Novara in the round of 16 stage of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.

Pato and Ibrahimovic lament narrow loss to Inter
Italian champions AC Milan will be hoping to rebound from their painful defeat to arch-rivals Inter Milan on the weekend, when they take on relegation candidates Novara in the round of 16 stage of the Coppa Italia at the San Siro stadium on Wednesday.
Milan are in much-need of a boosting result against Novara, as not only did they lose the city derby, but they surrendered Serie A league leadership to Juventus.
But the Rossoneri still come into their clash with Novara as the odds on favourites not only because of their history and the depth of their star-studded squad, but because the visitors currently find themselves bottom of the 20-team Italian first division, with as few as twelve points.
Novara, who have failed to win any of their last six games since knocking Catania out of the Coppa Italia with a 3-2 win in late November, know that they face a daunting task against the Italian champions.
The Piedmont-based club only returned to the Italian top-flight this season after a 55-year absence, but marked their return in grand style as in their first home game last September they crushed then-world champions Inter Milan 3-1. Recalling a result of that magnitude could bolster their chances of upsetting the Rossoneri.
Novara travel to Milan without the services of defender Andrea Lisuzzo, who is out injured, but they will be boosted by the return of Carlalberto Lodi, who has recovered from an ankle injury just in time for the game.
Attilio Tesser, the coach of Novara, is expected to employ an extremely defensive 4-4-2 formation against Milan, with Andrea Caracciolo and Riccardo Meggiorini his preferred strike-partnership.
Meanwhile, the hosts will confront the match with neither Alberto Aquilani nor Gennaro Gattuso. However, Clarence Seedorf is expected to return to the starting eleven, after a polished substitute appearance against Inter on Sunday. He is likely to replace fellow Dutch midfielder Urby Emanuelson, who put on a below-par performance against the Nerazzurri.
Despite a rather uninspiring attack in recent weeks, Massimiliano Allegri has once again opted for the Alexandre Pato-Zlatan Ibrahimovic strike-partnership, with Robinho having to wait for his opportunity from the substitute's bench.
Milan vs Novara Match Report
Alexandre Pato's brilliant extra-time winner sends AC Milan into the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia at the expense of hard-working Novara.

Alexandre Pato scored Milan's extra-time winner
Italian champions AC Milan needed an extra-time winner to advance to the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia at the expense of a stubborn Novara at the San Siro stadium on Wednesday.
A first-half strike from youngster Stephan El Shaarawy appeared to be enough for Milan to go through, but with two minutes left in regulation time Ivan Radovanovic drew the visitors level to send the match into extra-time.
However, their joy was short-lived as substitute Alexandre Pato sent Milan into the quarter-finals of the competition with a 100th-minute winner.
Milan were looking to rebound from their devastating defeat to arch-rival Inter on Sunday, and they dominated the early moments of the game with significant territorial control of the ball.
Massimiliano Allegri opted to rest several of his regular starters, including Pato, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Ignazio Abate. While the likes of Filippo Inzaghi, Alexander Merkel and El Shaarawy were presented with rare opportunities from the kick-off.
In fact it was one of these players that put Milan ahead, when in the 24th minute El Shaarawy found the back of the net with a spectacular low shot from 20-metres out.
Eight minutes later the 19-year-old almost doubled Milan's advantage, when he powered into the area from the left flank after a swift counter-attack, but after cutting into the area his shot was somehow deflected over the crossbar by Novara goalkeeper Alberto Fontana.
Novara were actually very lively when moving into Milan's half, but when they reached the area their tame efforts rarely troubled Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia.
In the second period the Rossoneri continued to create clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities, but they were very wasteful when it came down to finishing off their opponents.
While it seemed that Milan would secure a narrow but deserved victory, they were made to rue their missed opportunities, when in the 89th minute they were punished by Radovanovic, whose magnificent free-kick unexpectedly sent the game into extra-time.
Milan started the remaining half hour as the dominant side, and they went on to secure passage into the quarter-finals when in the 100th minute the Brazilian connection of Robinho and Pato combined for their winning goal.
Robinho split two Novara defenders with a superb lob into the path of the onrushing Pato who cleverly chipped the ball over Fontana, before half volleying the ball into an unguarded net.
Milan will go onto face Lazio in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia at the San Siro stadium on January 26.