There’s little to write about regarding the scudetto race of the Serie A now. A commanding 3-0 win by AC Milan over Inter has seemingly decided that this season we will have a new champion. The scudetto is now for Milan to lose, and after the solid display the rossoneri put on for the San Siro, they won’t let this five point lead slip.

Going into the derby, not much was mentioned regarding AC Milan and the Brazilian duo which would play up front. Pato and Robinho were almost cast aside, with people doubting their ability to combine and create against this frail Inter defence. Instead, eyes were focussed on the lack of a big Swede, and people were fearlessly talking about how the Serie A would reopen if Inter won.

Before the derby Leonardo said:

“A derby goes beyond any tactical reasoning, there are many feelings especially because the two top teams of the table are facing each other, at a distance of just two points.”

This mentality was Inter’s undoing in the derby. While AC Milan were well organized, marking Sneijder and Eto’o tightly and very calculative in their movement, Inter was unprepared on a tactical level. Leonardo’s calm and romantic style of play wasn’t enough to break down this AC Milan side which defended rigidly and attacked quickly. And while Sneijder was silenced by van Bommel throughout the match, Pato and Robinho were given plenty of time and space to work their Brazilian magic.

From there, Pato scored two goals thanks to poor marking. While Ranocchia was doing his best to keep Inter in the game with some great interventions, when his central partner Chivu was sent off, there wasn’t much the young Italian defender could do. Pato was slipped through thanks to a wonderful pass by Robinho, and Chivu clipped Pato just enough to make him fall. As the last defender, Chivu had to go. The rest of the match was highlighted by brilliant saves by Julio Cesar, and a strange cameo by Cassano in which he scored a penalty, celebrated by taking his shirt off, and then got a second yellow and was sent off.

Ignoring Cassano’s strange ten minutes of play, AC Milan were unparalleled on the field. Mark van Bommel was brilliant in shutting down the Inter midfield, and Robinho and Pato were always dangerous with their quick movement. Massmiliano Allegri must be praised for setting up a well-oiled machine which had little difficulty in defeating the current champions.

The 3-0 derby victory puts AC Milan three points clear of second placed Napoli, and five points ahead of third placed Inter Milan. The possibility that AC Milan drops enough points for Inter to claw their way back to first seems slim, and as long as AC Milan keep focus, the scudetto will be theirs.

Milan remain on top of Serie A yet their hold has become more tenuous than ever with city rivals Inter lurking just two points behind. The Rossoneri have some of the league’s most talented individuals such as Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano, but along with that talents comes a lot of baggage and unpredictability.

Robinho has often missed chances which would make even those again the Rossoneri shake their head in disbelief while Ibrahimovic has often disappeared when needed the most. Zlatan was having a fantastic season and for over two months he was the main reason behind Milan’s rise to the top as his goals were decisive. In recent weeks, the talented Swede has looked like a shadow of the player who tormented Serie A defenders earlier in the campaign.

As for the Nerazzurri, the club parted ways with former coach Rafael Benitez and hired former Milan boss Leonardo as a replacement. Benitez cannot be blamed for all of Inter’s early season problems as injuries, fatigue from having key players such as Wesley Sneijder involved in the latter stages of the World Cup, the departure of Mourinho and the lack of signings contributed to the inconsistency prior to 2011. With players such as Andrea Ranocchia and Giampaolo Pazzini added to the squad along with the change in the coaching staff combined with Sneijder’s return to form, fans and pundits have witnessed Inter’s slow yet methodical surge in the league standings.

With eight rounds remaining, the Rossoneri and Nerazzurri will most likely keep the title in the city of Milan for another season. Third place Napoli are just one point behind Inter yet their schedule includes hosting Lazio, Udinese and Inter as well as trips to face Palermo and Juventus. Napoli’s tricky fixtures could potentially rule them out of the title race unless the two Milan clubs draw in their upcoming clash while Napoli grab all three points against Lazio. This could give the Partenopei the much needed boost as they have struggled when facing the top sides, losing twice to Milan and once to Inter. It is hard to envision Inter losing to Napoli a week prior to the end of the season because the Nerazzurri have a winning mentality and can cope better with pressure.

Going back to the Milan-Inter clash in the next round, this could be decisive in the title race (and you can get tickets for the Milan derby on TixDaq). A victory for the Rossoneri will effectively eliminate Inter from the race. A draw would not change much but would probably favor Inter despite being two points behind their city rivals. The Nerazzurri have momentum on their side, particularly after the stunning comeback win in Germany which ousted Bayern Munich to retain Inter’s hopes of defending the Champions League trophy.

In addition, Inter’s results have improved since the loss to Juventus with the club winning five out of the last six matches. On the other hand, Milan are struggling following a draw with Bari and a defeat to Palermo. The Rossoneri have also been eliminated from the Champions League and their star player Ibrahimovic was sent-off against Bari prompting a three-match ban which sees him miss the clash with Inter.

One other factor playing to Inter’s advantage is the fact Leonardo has experienced coaching a big club before, ironically with Milan, while Massimiliano Allegri is having his first coaching job at the helm of a powerhouse. Leonardo is familiar with some of the Rossoneri’s weaknesses and will be plotting for the downfall of his former team.

Finally, Milan’s new faces such as Cassano and even Robinho have yet to completely get on the same wavelength as the rest of the squad. Inter have the same core players and their new acquisitions have blended well with the squad.

Once again the key to the Scudetto race might be the Milan derby with the Rossoneri having much more to lose since the Inter players are playing with confidence, a fact backed by current form in Serie A and the progress in Europe. For those who argue Inter’s players will be tired from playing two more matches in Europe, the point is negated by the fact these same players have successfully dealt with this issue last season. Moreover, continuing to win in Europe will build confidence as opposed to early elimination.

April 2nd will be a decisive clash for both clubs but more emphasis will be on Milan not losing because playing away at Udinese on the last day could prove to be a daunting task under the pressure of achieving a positive result.

To discuss Milan-Inter clash or Serie A in general, feel free to contact me on Twitter @RamiSoufi

When Francesco Guidolin left Parma to manage Udinese, I was disappointed. Guidolin had united a set of strong individuals, managing Parma all the way up to eighth in the table last season. Udinese finished 15th this past season, yet Guidolin saw something in the club and decided to join them.

After a disappointing start of four losses in their first four matches, Guidolin’s decision to join Udinese seemed ridiculous. Given time, Udinese began to play more attacking football, ultimately cruising their way up to eighth in the table, where they are currently situated. With the highest average of goals per match (2.95 goals per match) in the Serie A, Udinese has become a scintillating team, fearing no opponent with their attacking playing style.

Their latest victory came against Inter Milan, an exciting 3-1 victory at the Stadio Communale Friuli. While Udinese conceded first with Stankovic scoring for Inter in the 17th minute, Guidolin’s team quickly made up the lost ground. Zapata took advantage of Inter’s poor defending, smashing the ball into the roof of the goal. While Castellazzi should have done better, Zapata’s shot was powerful and precise.

Di Natale scored Udinese’s second in the 25th minute, a wonderful free kick which looped over the wall, nestling into the bottom corner of the goal. The comeback was complete, but Udinese didn’t stop there. Inter tried to slow the tempo of the game down, doing their best to keep possession and slowly build from the back. Yet Udinese’s relentless pressure was a constant obstacle. Guidolin taught his men well: give the opponent no time on the ball, and once you have it, strike quickly.

Inter suffered for the rest of the first haf, and well into the second. Udinese eventually found the third goal, with Domizzi anticipating everyone, flicking the ball over Castellazzi with his outstretched toe. Leonardo could do nothing to inspire the Inter Milan players against Udinese. Guidolin on the other hand never had to say much, with his players giving everything for the home win.

It was a fantastic victory for Udinese. When Guidolin first joined the club, I feared that the underrated manager would have trouble, but he has shown his worth. Udinese’s next match is away from home, against Juventus. While Udinese seems very strong right now, their away record doesn’t compliment them. Out of eleven matches, Udinese have only three victories away from home. We’ll see if this exciting team will be able to win away from home, and maybe aim for a European spot for the end of the season.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments, share them below!

It had been a long time that the Serie A wasn’t as interesting as it is now. The vacuum left by Inter’s downfall  was filled with a tempestuous AC Milan which is now beginning to slow down. Along with AC Milan, Juventus have also begun to lose their knack of outscoring their opponents, especially noticeable in their 3-0 loss to Napoli. Roma were also unable to win, and now there are rifts beginning to form between Francesco Totti and Claudio Ranieri. How will it all finish?

1. Di Vaio Never Stops Scoring

Talk about consistency. Marco Di Vaio has had a lengthy career around Europe, and at the age of 34 he still bangs in goals which keep Bologna alive in the Serie A. With his latest goal against Bari he has now reached eleven goals this season, making up about 57% of Bologna’s goals in the Serie A! At the beginning of the season I wondered whether Di Vaio would continue to score so many goals, and he hasn’t slowed down a bit. With Bologna all the way up in 10th place, they shouldn’t have much trouble escaping relegation. Now the question springs into my mind, can Di Vaio continue this record for the rest of the season?

2. AC Milan trudge on after 4-4 draw

This was the most exciting match so far of this season in my opinion. An exciting 4-4 draw at the San Siro, with two goals coming in the final minutes of the match. While AC Milan started well and created opportunities, Udinese scored the first goal with Antonio Di Natale. As the first half drew to a close, Pato equalized with a simple tap-in delivered to him by Ibrahimovic. The second half saw Udinese go 3-1 up with a diving header by Sanchez and a fantastic run with a curling finish by Di Natale. With 12 minutes to go, AC Milan get lucky when Benatia heads a cross past Handanovic and into his own goal. Cassano replaces Seedorf and Denis replaces Di Natale, and both of the substitutes light up the match. Cassano serves Pato a great assist for the equalizer at 3-3, and then Denis scores a tap-in in the 89th minute to make it 4-3. As AC Milan fans filed out of the stadium in disgust, Cassano conjures up another sublime assist, filtering a pass through the Udinese defence for Ibrahimovic to score.

At 4-4, Allegri is happy to escape without a humiliating loss. The late equalizer will help hide the fact that this AC Milan side is unbalanced and concedes goals. If AC Milan concede this many to Udinese at the San Siro, how many will they concede to Tottenham at White Hart Lane? Hopefully Massimiliano Allegri will find a way to balance the side, or else AC Milan could be facing humiliation in the Champions League.

3. Edinson Cavani the hat-trick hero against Juventus

When Cavani joined Napoli from Palermo, I was slightly skeptical about his ability. While I thought that he wouldn’t be able to score as much without the brilliant Javier Pastore providing assists, I was completely wrong. Edinson Cavani has now scored 13 goals in the Serie A, with three in Napoli’s latest game against Juventus. All three goals were headers, showing that although Cavani can dance around defences and score with both feet, he can also use his tall frame to find the back of the net.

After this win, Napoli is now just four points from first placed AC Milan. If AC Milan continue to concede goals like they did against Udinese, and Napoli continue to provide Cavani assists, the title race could be between these two clubs.

4. Leonardo wins again as Inter return to form

Inter Milan’s second victory under Leonardo was a tough one. The nerazurri travelled to Catania where they went a goal down after 70 minutes of suffering. But in just ten minutes Leonardo’s side had turned the result around with two quick goals by Cambiasso. The first was a good finish after being served a sublime assist, and the second was a header which was served on a silver platter by Maicon’s outside of the foot cross. It’s a positive result for Inter who will now have to make up two of their matches which were postponed due to the FIFA Club World Cup. If they do win both of their games in hand, they’ll be just six points from their rossoneri cousins at the top of the table.

5. Both Roman sides lose

Lazio and Roma were unable to take advantage of AC Milan’s slip against Udinese. Lazio were defeated at home 2-1 by Lecce, and Roma lost by the same scoreline to Sampdoria. While Roma started well, with Vucinic skimming through Sampdoria’s defence and pounding the ball into the goal, the game changed when Julio Sergio was sent off ten minutes into the second half. The Brazilian goalkeeper’s rough challenge also gave Sampdoria a penalty which Pozzi smashed into the roof of the net. The winner was Juan’s mistake, he knocked the ball back towards substitute keeper Doni, and Guberti pounced striking the ball into the back of the net for the winner.

Lazio on the other hand were unable to function when their mastermind Hernanes had a bad day. Lecce went ahead first with a shot hitting the post and bouncing off of Muslera’s back and into the goal. An unlucky own goal which was equalized when Mauri awkwardly pushed the ball into the back of Lecce’s goal. But it was not to be for Lazio, Lecce showed great spirit and Grossmuller tapped in the winner, his first goal for Lecce.

What are your thoughts regarding the weekend of action? Will AC Milan pick themselves back up after their draw? Can Napoli continue to win and fight for the title? Share your comments below!

During the winter break Serie A fans got to contemplate many things. How will Cassano do at AC Milan? What new signings will we see in the January transfer window? And how will Leonardo do at Inter Milan? The last question seems to be a little clearer after Leonardo made his debut on Inter Milan’s bench in their 3-1 win against Napoli.

It was a big test for Leonardo, having to face Napoli in his first match. The pressure of the San Siro weighed upon the new coach, the fans unhappy with the previous reign under Rafa Benitez. Yet Leonardo put out an organized and inspired side which scored just minutes into the match. A quick give-and-go between Thiago Motta and Stankovic, with the former spanking the ball diagonally into the bottom corner.

The San Siro went wild as did the players, celebrating after their good start to 2011. Yet Napoli’s response was quick, just minutes later Cavani had a goal disallowed because of an offside in the build-up, and then Napoli managed to score the equalizer. Pazienza snuck behind a distracted Inter defence on a corner, and he headed past a fumbling Castellazzi to make it 1-1.

But this Inter side is different from Benitez’s depressed group of injured players, Leonardo has truly inspired them. Cambiasso pops up with an opportune header in the 37th minute, putting Inter Milan in front. It was Maicon’s cross which was placed expertly on the Argentine’s head, and the Brazilian fullback had a strong game with the right wing his territory.

In the second half there was more of the same, with Inter not allowing Napoli breathing space. Ten minutes into the second half Thiago Motta bests himself with another beautiful goal. A pinpoint header from a corner, the ball perfectly thumped into the top corner for the final goal of the match. Inter held onto the match for their first three points of 2011.

While Inter Milan played well, Napoli allowed Leonardo’s side freedom in the midfield. Mazzari wasn’t happy on the sideline, and he was often found yelling at inanimate objects and colleagues. It’s an important win for Inter, and although they’re still 13 points from AC Milan at the top of the table, they have two games in hand to make up against Cesena and Fiorentina.

Is this a complete revival for Inter Milan? Will Leonardo be able to continue succeeding? Share your comments below!

2010 was a bad year for Italian football. I tried to think of the positives, but very few came to mind. A disastrous World Cup in South Africa, a bad showing in the Europa League, and only a Champions League victory (guided by a Portuguese mastermind) which retains some dignity for Italian football.

While 2010 was a poor year, it now allows all of Italian football to rebuild in 2011. Just looking at the Serie A, a much more competitive league has formed after an exciting summer of transfers. AC Milan have strengthened considerably with the super-signings of Ibrahimovic, Robinho, and Kevin-Prince Boateng. Juventus are rebuilding properly under Luigi Delneri, who is creating a team which plays through the electrifying Milos Krasic. Inter Milan are in a rebuilding phase as well after the disappointment of Benitez’s failure, and now Leonardo trying to make a proper impact with a treble-winning side.

These changes along with a general strengthening of teams like Lazio, Napoli, Palermo, and even Roma all contribute to a much more exciting league.

No more 1-0 wins, ground out with counter-attacking football, now Italian sides seem to have realized that to win, you have to score goals. Juventus score plenty of goals while leaking at the back, Palermo play a fluid style with the humble Javier Pastore orchestrating the side, and AC Milan steamroll through teams with Ibrahimovic’s wrath accompanied by a dancing Robinho. No matter what anyone says, the Serie A has become exciting. AC Milan seem unstoppable, and if Leonardo manages to wake up a drowsy Inter team, we’ll have a proper battle for the scudetto on our hands.

With the Serie A becoming more exciting, we are also seeing this positive change reflected in the Italian national team. Cesare Prandelli is a shining symbol of hope for Italy fans, giving us all the chance to see Cassano back in the Azzurri shirt, along with Mario Balotelli and other exciting young players. The qualification for the European Championships of 2012 doesn’t look to be too difficult, and if Prandelli continues to breed these youngsters into the national team, there’s a chance that Italy will be a contender for the tournament held in Poland-Ukraine.

2011 is ultimately a year of hope for Italian football. A chance to forget about the UEFA co-efficient, the World Cup in South Africa, and a boring Inter Milan dominance in the Serie A. An exciting league has formed, and along with it a stronger national team is moulding itself under Cesare Prandelli’s venturing eyes. What do you hope for Italian football in 2011? Share your comments below!

Milan defeated fallen giants Juventus 3-0 in a match with no consequence to the Serie A title race yet it served as the proper farewell for coach Leonardo who managed to do well despite the lack of depth in the squad and the limited resources.

The Rossoneri only spent on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar who turned out to be a flop and was unimpressive forcing Leonardo to confine the Dutchman to the bench and use Alexandre Pato and Marco Borriello as his starting duo in attack. Unfortunately injuries had a negative effect on Milan’s season with Pato missing a chunk of the season due to injury along with centre-back Alessandro Nesta who has been sorely missed in recent weeks.

The lack of alternatives to both Pato and Nesta meant the Rossoneri had no chance to compete for the Serie A title and this was evident as the club’s progress was halted in recent weeks with defeats against both Sampdoria and Palermo. Defeating Juve is always a positive thing and a welcome sign but the current Bianconeri players are a shadow of the feared side in the mid 1990s and early 2000s.

Leonardo proved he can remain calm and make the right decisions despite the tremendous pressure heaped upon him and the constant criticism from president Silvio Berlusconi. The tifosi gave the Brazilian coach a tremendous farewell as they chanted his name and held banners to thank him for his efforts. Milan’s management has committed a big mistake by letting the Brazilian leave as he has been part of the club for over a decade in multiple roles and has helped bring in some of the brighter Brazilian talent to Milanello. With every Milan defeat one could see how that affected Leonardo who would cheer on with every goal scored by the Rossoneri throughout the season.

Milan will also need to replace not just the outgoing coach but also some of the veterans who are nearing retirement and must address the status of Huntelaar. The Dutchman will be best served if he is sold and that can bring in some much needed funds which can be used to bring another quality attacker who can hopefully adapt to life with the Rossoneri and meet expectations. The Rossoneri are in desperate need of at least one full-back considering Gianluca Zambrotta and Massimo Oddo are no longer capable of properly fulfilling their role in that position.

In midfield Gennaro Gattuso must be replaced and it is clear Frenchman Mathieu Flamini is not the ideal solution so the club ought to bring in a defensive midfielder to reinforce the squad. Finally, the biggest concern will be the status of Brazilian duo Pato and Ronaldinho. Pato has been linked with a move to the England Premier League while Ronaldinho has had his best season in Serie A and was one of the key players behind Milan’s ability to end the season in third place. Ronaldinho will finish the season as Serie A’s top assist man and has managed to find the net four times in two matches against the Bianconeri. He showed flashes of brilliance in several matches this season and while he has yet to return to his Barcelona form, the Brazilian managed to end the season on a high and produced a series of convincing performances during this campaign which merited a recall to the Brazilian squad headed to South Africa 2010.

The summer will be a crucial period for the club to make the necessary adjustments and bring in a qualified coach. The rumours point to either Mauro Tassotti or Filippo Galli taking over and while this means the Rossoneri will look for their former players to lead the line, this move might backfire as not every former player can become a decent coach.

It was recently confirmed that AC Milan and the Brazilian coach Leonardo will part, while in the press conference Leonardo was calm and seemed happy with his decision, it’s strange to see the young manager leave so quickly.

AC Milan have an aging squad, but within the team there are three young stars to build upon: the first is Alexandre Pato, the young Brazilian striker, the second is Thiago Silva, the promising center-back, and the third would be Leonardo. But with recent rumors and news, it seems like AC Milan don’t care about their future. Pato is rumored to leave for Real Madrid and Thiago Silva could go with him, and these rumors are circulating while Leonardo is resigning.

The press conference was strange, Leonardo along with the AC Milan sporting director Adriano Galliani both said it was a consensual decision by both the coach and the team. And as Leonardo leaves the rossoneri bench, he leaves a hole which will be difficult to replace. While Van Basten’s name has been circulating around, the most possible replacement is Filippo Galli, who is already a coach at the club and should be cheap for Berlusconi.

And so the Milan circus continues, no set plan, no promising future, and a penny-pinching president all remain for next season as the club prepares to play Juventus on the final day of Serie A.

It’s been a perculiar, unpredictable season for Milan as the side have endured great levels of torment from humiliating defeats to the likes of Inter and Manchester United, and they have found themselves looking desperately blunt on other occasions, often with dramatic late goals saving them from further embarrassment. Huntelaar’s late double act at Catania and Seedorf’s injury time winner recently against Chievo Verona are just two games that spring to mind.

Despite this, they now find themselves just a single point behind their now-stuttering Milanese neighbours. Leonardo is keen to bring an attacking, expansive style of football to Milan, and who can blame him with the likes of Ronaldinho, Pato and Borriello as well as cultured, if aging midfielders such as Pirlo, Seedorf and up until now, Beckham. Despite that recent humbling 7-2 aggregate defeat to United, Milan aren’t necessarily too far off being able to compete with Europe’s top sides once again. Winning this season’s Serie A would clearly be a tremendous boost for morale and momentum, and it’d make it an awful lot easier to attract more big names to the club, but it shouldn’t be seen as the be-all or end-all.

It’s vital at this stage that Berlusconi gives Leonardo time to learn the errors of his ways and continue to develop the AC project, but it’s also equally important for him to resist the seemingly regular temptations to poke his nose into the tactical developments. Whilst it’s been a Milan tradition to play skillfull, attacking football since the days of Giuseppe Viani in the late 50s, Leonardo needs to be afforded the freedom to find the right level of balance freely and organically.

However, despite any pressure coming from above, Leo really does need to learn the errors of his ways, and fast. Whilst they could actually have found themselves two or three goals up early on against Manchester United, it’s naive to think that you can approach these sorts of games with three forwards who have absolutely no defensive responsibilities, and an aging, more than slightly immobile midfield. A change in formation coupled with perhaps three or four signings next season will see Milan well on their way to achieving the titles they so desperately crave.

Barcelona and Manchester United have shown for the last two or three years that you can still be defensively solid whilst still playing attacking football, whilst Real Madrid and Arsenal look to be following a similar trend this season. The key to all of these sides is a decent sense of balance throughout the respective teams, and also a large degree of discipline despite the often-free flowing playing systems. Firstly, this straight-edged 4-3-3 formation at Milan has to abanonded, in favour of a more modern, multi-dimensional system. What they should be looking to mirror is the increasingly popular fluid 4-2-3-1 system that can just as easily transform into a 4-5-1, 4-4-1-1 or a 4-2-2-2. With some added personnel, it’d be a mouth-watering prospect to see the Rossoneri line up in similar fashion to this next season:

Sirigu
Gallas Nesta Silva Srna
Ambrosini Pirlo
Pato Ronaldinho Vargas
Borriello

Salvatore Sirigu has been hugely impressive in goal for Palermo since displacing Rubinho, and despite recently signing a new contract, would most likely cost under 10 million Euros. He is likely to become Italy’s number one when Buffon eventually hangs up his gloves, and he has the potential to be a permanent fixture for Milan for the next decade, and possibly beyond.

The signings of Gallas and Srna would transform the defence completely. Srna would admittedly be pricey with Shakthar in such a healthy financial position, possibly in the region of 15 million Euros, but William Gallas’ contract with Arsenal expires in the summer, and the opportunity would be there for Milan to pick up a tremendous bargain if they declare their interest now. Obviously his preferred position is centre back, but he offers versatility and experience, and he could be the longer term replacement for Nesta centrally whilst filling in at right back next season to add some much needed solidity to that flank with Pato playing ahead of him.

Juan Manuel Vargas could add an incredible level of energy to the left flank, and could potentially be highly destructive in combination with the forward-thinking Dario Srna. Vargas offers goals, regular assists and also the added bonus of a high work rate – something Ronaldinho certainly does not offer in a fairly similar position right now.

In the bigger games, Leo could consider dropping either Pato or Borriello and playing Mancini on the right, should Milan decide to sign him permanently. Another option if Milan want to add depth on the wings is to approach the highly rated Milos Krasic of CSKA, who is also available on a free transfer at the end of the Russian season. Seedorf still has the ability to operate in this sort of position in small doses, and there’s also always the chance that Beckham could once again return for a third loan spell next season.

Finally, I would be looking to replace Pirlo within the next year or two. Whilst I’ve long been an admirer,  it’s now getting to the point where he’s slowly becoming too much of a luxury player, and almost acting as a burden if they do want to play a more fast-paced, free-flowing game. Marcelo Lippi has it right in the national team by playing him as more of an advanced trequartista, but unfortunately for Pirlo, Milan already have Ronaldinho who can operate in this role far more effectively. If you look at the deep-lying playmakers at the other top clubs using similar systems to the one I propose, such as Michael Carrick and Xabi Alonso, you’ll notice that they actually offer a high level of defensive cover, which Pirlo has never really been able to offer to quite the same extent, and certainly won’t be able to as he drifts into the dreaded thirties. This is obviously a highly specialised position, so the top players will come at a premium price, so it may be wise for Milan to look for a younger, less polished player who can be developed to play in this role for years to come. Stefan Defour, just 21 years old, at Standard Liege is an ideal candidate for this role.

The total price of these players would admittedly be rather significant, but unfortunately it’s a price Berlusconi will have to pay if Milan are to continue playing exciting, attacking football and bring success in doing so. What he has to decide now is if he’s content to continue playing second fiddle to Europe’s other giants, or if he’s genuinely ready to make a financial sacrifice (money which should by all logic be available following the sale of Kaka anyway) in order to help Milan climb from their knees and put on the show we’d all love to see at the Giuseppe Meazza.

The most anticipated match-up of the weekend is the AS Roma-AC Milan contest to decide which club can challenge Inter for the top spot in Serie A.  While the loser still has an outside shot at the scudetto, an Inter victory over Genoa would make it a tough task.

Rather than a traditional post rehashing strengths and weaknesses, here are the quick seven keys to the match:

1. Who will step up for Pato: The loss of the young Brazilian is huge for this match.  Not only was he leading the club in goals, but he has been a key to the resurgence of Ronaldinho.  Milan has Borriello, Huntelaar, and other big names, but when that go-ahead goal is needed will they be able to be the unstoppable threat Milan may need?
2. The Milan Brazilians: Ronaldinho has been dominating the pitch as of late; even in the loss to Manchester United it could be argued that he was the best player on the pitch that day (although Wayne Rooney might argue against that).  Thiago Silva needs to have a good match to prevent scoring chances for Roma.  A major weakness this year has been the inconsistent play of Milan’s defenders.
3. Roma’s Injury Situation: Luca Toni will make his anticipated return for this match.  David Pizarro is available to play.  However, Francesco Totti will not be available.  Can Vucinic provide the scoring threat that Roma may need if Toni is still rusty?
4. Roma’s sudden defensive slip: In the Europa League last Thursday Roma gave up three goals in six minutes to Panathinaikos, leading to their elimination from the competition.  Last weekend they gave up a two goal lead and had to settle for a draw against Napoli.  Were these consecutive defensive mishaps anomalies or the sign of a bigger problem?
5. Leonardo’s game plan: He’s 0-2 versus Inter Milan.  He’s a rookie manager that has come under criticism from management.  The easiest way to ease criticism is to figure out a way to gain three critical points.  Failure to do so will only ratchet up that criticism.
6. The crowd: Stadio Olimpico is already sold out in anticipation of this match.  Roma has not lost a Serie A match at home this season and is 11-0-2 overall.  AC Milan’s away record in Serie A is an impressive 7-4-2, and how they handle the partisan crowd could carry-over to their mid-week match at Manchester United.
7. Milan facing double elimination:  One advantage for Roma is with their Europa League elimination, this match is for their season.  No points means no chance at a title.  The equation is different for Milan, however.  Will they be looking ahead to their match mid-week against Manchester United?  A loss in this match and the Champions League means no titles for this high-profile club.  Which title means more?  Will Milan be going all out, or could they want to save a bit for their United match?