AC Milan – C.F.C. Genoa: We’re Back On

AC MILAN will host C.F.C. GENOA on Wednesday night, as both sides want to start the New Year with full three points and start 2010 positively.

The Christmas is now over and AC Milan go out on the pitch again after a long vacation – and they are coming back with a special addition. The Rossoneri would like to be back on the winning track after lost in the last fixture.

Genoa will be the visitors at Stadio San Siro, but despite suffering from lack in consistency this season and are only 11th in the standing table, they will come to play football and win the game.

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Last season, the match between the sides ended in a 1-1 draw. David Beckham scored first after 33 minutes. Diego Milito, who plays for Inter Milan today, equaled in the 87′ minute.

Holding a record of 12 matches without being beaten, AC Milan went on the pitch of San Siro on December 13 against Palermo – where all of the good work came down to nothing when the Rossoneri suffered a first defeat.

It started quit balanced against Palermo that day, and after a goalless first half, Fabrizio Miccoli found the net in the 49′ minute to make it 0-1, Mark “Marco” Bresciano joined the states with a goal in the 62′ minute.

Milan knew that a fall with happen some whenever, and were clearly not in down after the match, claiming that they knew it wouldn’t be easy, but fought until the end to change the game to their favour.

This kind of defeats are somewhat in Milan favour, as they were on a very high wave back then, t0o much high, that carried a lot of expectations with it, and it turned into a tidal wave against Palermo, which settled Milan.

Milan, however, are enjoying a very bad period of Juventus, a one that kept them in the second place when lost, and even when their match against Fiorentina in week 17 was postponed because of bad weather.

The Rossoneri have 31 points, as they are eight points behind league leaders Inter Milan (face Chievo Verona), but with a missing game. Milan finished 2009 at the roof of the world, but now must evaluate many things.

il Diavolo were happy to welcome back David Beckham on December 28. The Englishman could take a place in the midfield already against Genoa, as Leonardo is still thinking about the favoured formation.

The 34-year-old should be very dangerous from the flank, as from there he can support the balls his likes. Dominic Adiyiah, another January purchase is out for African Cup of Nations with Ghana.

Coach Leonardo has called up these following players: Dida, Storari, Antonini, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta, Abate, Ambrosini, Beckham (n.32), Flamini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Borriello, Di Gennaro, Huntelaar, Inzaghi, Pato, and Ronaldinho. Meanwhile, Bonera was not called up and Abbiati, Oddo, Onyewu, Seedorf are unavailable due to injuries.

Whatever happens on the pitch tomorrow night, it shall be interesting to see Milan back on the grass, and watch David Beckham again at Stadio San Siro.

There are only four points separating Genoa from the fourth place of Serie A. With 24 points in 16 matches, the Grifone are travelling to San Siro to face, apparently the second strongest team in Serie A.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s boys have not been in good form, haven’t won four official games. They have finished the Europa League table in the third place, with seven points, behind French side Lille and Spanish Valencia.

Like Milan match, Genoa fixture against A.S. Bari was postponed due to bad weather. This missing game is only an item of data, but they probably would be higher in the standing than 11 place.

In the last match Genoa played, it finished 2-1 against Valencia to the Spanishes. Bruno Saltor Grau scored first in the 45′ minute, Hernán Crespo equaled in the 50′ minute, but a late David Silva goal won that.

Milan must be careful of Genoa’s new attack – Hernán Crespo and David Suazo. The former Inter players can be dangerous up-front, and despite it is Suazo’s first official match for the Grifone, he has the desire to shine.

Genoa Coach Gasperini called up these following players: Amelia, Russo, Scarpi, Biava, Criscito, Esposito, Fatic, Moretti, Polenta, Tomovic, Juric, Mesto, Milanetto,  Modesto, Rossi, Zapater, Crespo, Palacio, Sculli, Suazo. Not called up are Bocchetti (suspended), Jankovic, Kharja, Palladino and Sokratis.

il Rossoblu are clearly not the favourite team this time, but all that was said also about Palermo. Both teams must be awake and don’t make mistakes, because in football, five minutes can set the result.

By Meytar Zeevi, Rossoneri Blog