AC Milan's impressive run of results could mean that if they rack up another three points against Udinese on Sunday, it could possibly allow them to climb above Inter Milan and essentially move into the European qualification zone.
Having won six out of their last seven league games at the San Siro, the Rossoneri will surely rate their chances of overcoming a Udinese…
Come Saturday we will see the clash of Bianconeri's with Udinese traveling to Turin to face Juventus at home.
Team news
Antonio Conte will be missing as many as six players for the home game against Udinese. Claudio Marchisio is a week away from returning to action whilst Asamoah is on international duty. Andre Pirlo is doubtful to play this game. Simone Pepe, Giorgio Chiellini and Nicklas Bendtner are still on the treatment table.
Inter are nine points behind league leaders Juventus and now find themselves four points adrift of second place Lazio after a controversial home win against Cagliari. They travel to face Udinese in the league and Inter needs a good start to the second half of the league if they wish to play in the Champions League next season.
Liverpool face an extremely stiff Europa League challenge, as they must overcome the Italians to progress to the next round of the competition.
Brendan Rodgers' side currently find themselves in second place of Group A with 7 points, three points behind group leaders Anzhi Makhachkala with 10. However, if the Reds fail to win in Udine and Young Boys manage…
The match ended 3-1 in favour of AS Roma at the Stadio Olympico, and since then Roma changed managers and their style of play whilst Udinese are still playing under a 3-5-1 formation. After back-to-back wins in the league, AS Roma are looking for a third win when they face Udinese at home.
Team News
The visiting side will travel without the experienced duo Giovanni Pasquale and Giampiero Pinzi; both are ruled out of the fixture due to injury. They recently extended their contracts till 2016 after it was set to expire in 2012. Udinese will go into the match with seven players unavailable for selection.
Liverpool will be looking for their second consecutive victory in the Europa League when they take on Udinese in what promises to be an entertaining match at Anfield.
May 13, 2012: AC Milan vs Novara
The Rossoneri come into their final game of the season knowing that they came so close to the title, but ended up losing it to what proved to be worthy winners. Having suffered a devastating defeat to arch-rivals Inter Milan last weekend, Massimiliano Allegri's side will…
Team NewsOnce again AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has a selection nightmare, as not only will he be unable to count with the injured quartet of Alexandre Pato, Alessandro Nesta, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Alberto Aquilani, but also without the suspended pair of Mark van Bommel and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swedish striker received his marching orders…
Two goals from striker Alessandro Matri were the difference as Juventus withstood the falling snow to edge Udinese 2-1 to move four points clear at the top of the Serie A standings on Saturday.
Fresh from a 3-0 thrashing of Roma in the Coppa Italia on Tuesday, the Old Lady know that if they manage to claim maximum points against Udinese they would move six points clear of the visitors, and consolidate their position at the top of the Serie A standings.
In arguably the most interesting group, Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur will have to affront Russian giants Rubin Kazan. Group I could however compete against Group A as the most exciting.
Arsenal had their fair share of problems coming into this Champions League play-off match. Both Samir Nasri and newly appointed captain, Robin Van Persie were suspended following a dreadful evening in Barcelona last season. Cesc Fabregas had just departed for Spain.
August 16 and August 17 will present a host of European games. It’s the UEFA Champions League play-off first leg day.
English side Arsenal will affront Italy’s ambitious Udinese at the Emirates on Tuesday whereas Portuguese giants Benfica will play away to Holland’s FC Twente.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s clash against Switzerland’s FC Zurich will be the highlight of Wednesday’s action. Thanks to Rogers Sportsnet and Setanta Sports, football fans will be able to watch exclusive coverage of the UEFA Champions League playoffs.
It all begins tonight and ends in May 2012, when the winner of the competition will be crowned. August 16 and August 17’s schedule info:
20 teams learnt the name of their final obstacle on the journey to the UEFA Champions League group-stages. The Champions Route involved Polish side Wisla Krakow, Israeli Maccabi Haifa, APOEL, Genk, Dinamo Zagreb, FC Kobenhavn, Plzen, BATE Borisov, Malmo…
A stunning performance from the Chilean playmaker was more than enough to push Udinese in the Top Four of the Italian Serie A last season just ahead of fifth place Lazio - thanks to a greater goal difference. His contributions however did not go unnoticed by the world’s current most dangerous team.
A move from Sanchez to Barcelona soon became one of the main summer transfer topics. The 22-year-old forward was giving the green light to skip his country’s preparation period ahead of the on-going Copa America tournament due to promising negotiations between Udinese and the Catalans.
Delays nevertheless saw Sanchez compete in the continental competition with suspense at the back of his mind. But a deal finally took place on Wednesday afternoon, three days after Chile’s surprising disqualification from the contest.
Manchester City have apparently made Alexis Sanchez as their top transfer target after reports emerged that they have already submitted a bid for the Udinese winger. And the Italians outfit's owner Gianpaolo Pozzo has now revealed that City is looking to be the likeliest destination for Sanchez.
Sunday’s posticipo suggested that it wouldn’t be outrageous if Milan were to include Francesco Guidolin’s name in the list of people to thank for their increasingly imminent Scudetto. Sure, their own work in the 3-0 thrashing of Sampdoria heaped pressure on their closest rivals to maintain a viable distance, but it was Guidolin who allowed the Rossoneri to disappear around the bend—six points ahead of Napoli and eight of Inter, who lost 2-0 to Parma.
It is true that nothing is over until it is over and that points get counted at the end of the road in football. However, mathematical possibilities don’t always defeat realism. If Inter fall 5 points behind AC Milan on Saturday with a defeat, it won’t mathematically rule out Leonardo’s team as potential title winners since there will then be 7 more matches to go.
When football players and managers utter platitudes in the press you have to wonder whether they actually hear what they're saying. The most trying are 'we respect them, but we do not fear them,' and 'each side has eleven players, and the ball is round.'