AC MILAN

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Both Milan clubs took a big step towards the Champions League quarter-final in midweek but hopes of European glory will be set aside on Sunday night as the city rivals clash in the derby at the San Siro.

It has been a wonderful week for the red-and-black half of the city with AC Milan returning to the top of Serie A and then winning at Manchester United in their Champions League last 16 first-leg match.

Now they look to round off a superb seven days with victory at the expense of their city rivals and co-tenants at the San Siro, Internazionale, who are the only unbeaten team left in Serie A this term.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti will still be without Andriy Shevchenko as the European footballer of the year is still sidelined with the cheekbone injury that kept him out of the match at Old Trafford.

The goalscoring hero of Manchester, Hernan Crespo, knows that both teams are playing well at the moment and admits it will be difficult to call a winner.


"We are in fine fettle and we only hope that we are not made to pay for the effort we put in in the Champions League. Three days should be enough for us to recover."

The Milan derby, known in the city as the "derby della Madonnina" because of the golden statue of the Virgin Mary on top of the city's magnificent cathedral, is claimed by the Milanese to be the biggest in the world.

They base that claim on the fact that, uniquely in Europe, both teams have won both the European Cup/Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup (World Club Championship).

Their boast may be contested nonetheless by the cities of Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Sao Paulo who have all seen two clubs win both the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup.

As for Inter, their 1-1 draw in the Estadio do Dragao lair of European and World Club champions Porto has given them every chance of progressing to the last eight.

Inter midfielder Dejan Stankovic insists all thoughts of European football have been banished and the derby match is now occupying their thoughts.

"They are a very balanced team and have one of the best defences in Europe. The midfield knows how to play the ball around with patience and wait for the right moment. We have been tactically good recently but on Sunday we must maintain our concentration fully for the 90 minutes."

Stankovic was clearly referring to Inter's annoying habit of drawing matches - a habit which has cost them dearly as they are the only unbeaten team in the division but still trail their city rivals by 11 points due to an incredible 16 draws.

Victory, however, would give them a glimmer of hope of the Scudetto that has eluded them since 1988-9, with 12 matches still to go after Sunday's extravaganza.

Once again Inter coach Roberto Mancini must decide who to omit of his three star forwards Adriano, Christian Vieri and Obafemi Martins, although with Adriano enjoying talismanic status it would appear that it would be a question of choosing between Vieri and Martins for who will partner the burly Brazilian.

The derby della Madonnina takes centre stage this weekend, not only for the obvious rivalry between these two cousins but also for the Scudetto race. If Milan manage to inflict Inter with a defeat, then for the Nerazzurri there will be absolutely no chance of catching up again. On the other hand, a win for Inter might still keep their slim chances of the title alive. The derbies between Milan and Inter usually always end up being entertaining matches; this shouldn’t be otherwise.
 

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