Redondo
was visited by Profesor maartens again yesterday and the
outcome was very positive. The player should be able to
play football very soon and is expected to resume training
with the team in two weeks. The players target is mid
November fitness.
Goalkeepers
Milan
have swooped down on the Ancona and U21 Italy international
Amelia. The player's transfer fee is in the region of
7 million Euros. Milan's plan is to let Amelia mature
with Ancona for another year. In the meantime rumours
are rife. Abbiati is being mentioned as heading for Parma
with Flavio Roma heading for Milan from Monaco.
29/10/2002
Maldini gets one match ban
Maldini
got a one match ban after the disciplinary board took
a good look at the video in last Saturday's game against
Chievo. Maldini reacted to a foul by Bierhoff with a slight
kick.
For
all those who had thought that Milan were invincible,
it's time to think again. Today Milan were outplayed and
outpressed, especially in midfield by a very good Chievo.
Milan were tired and off form but still had Chievo fight
till the very last second of the match. The problem today
was the two defensive blunders, even lucky ones. that
gave Chievo their two goal lead. Chievo's first goal came
from a Corini free kick which found Marazzina completely
forgotten in the middle of the area. The Chievo forward
easily put his team ahead. Milan tried to react but lacked
punch. Shevchenko and Inzaghi were getting in each other's
way most of the time and Ancelotti worked hard to try
to keep them apart. Another problem was that since Sheva
was on the pitch Milan missed one other player in midfield,
the role usually taken up by Rivaldo. However, it was
Chievo's hard pressing throughout the pitch for all 95
minutes that did the trick. Milan could not match Chievo's
freshness and showed that the team was tired.
Chievo's
second goal came in the second half. Maldini tried to
clear the ball whcih fell perfectly onto Bierhoff's head.
The German could hardly miss the opoortunity and suddenly
instead of equalising Milan were two nil down. Milan reacted
and a Pirlo cross saw Shevchenko produce a spectacular
flying header to reduce the margin on the 59th minute.
Ancelotti moved his team forward Serginho, Tomasson, Inzaghi,
Rui Costa Pirlo, Seedorf and Shevchenko...all together
!!! Milan had their good chances, more possession and
a total tally of six corners to nil in their favour but
still the ball would not go in. Shots from Serginho and
Seedorf went close but all were downed either by the Chievo
defence or by Lupatelli. Then on a counterattck Maldini
tried in vain to hold Cossato from scoring goal number
three for Chievo, from a header. In the dying moments
of the match Tomasson pulled one back for Milan but it
was to no avail. Milan conceded their first defeat of
the season to Chievo.
23/10/2002
Milan qualify, Inzaghi hits another !!!
A
squad of 21 players has been named by Carlo Ancelotti
ahead of the Champions league clash against Bayern Munich
tomorrow night. Missing from the squad is Rivaldo who
has flown off to Brasil for two days to deal with some
personal matters.
Rivaldo's
injury yesterday against Atalanta is less serious than
was thought. The player will not be chosen for the match
against bayern Munich as a precaution. Ancelotti has chosen
Shevchenko instead.
20/10/2002
Super Milan. First Rivaldo goal.
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15' Rivaldo (M), 30' Sala (A), 41' Tomasson (M), 66' pen.
82' Pirlo (M)
ATALANTA
(3-5-2): Taibi; Natali, Carrera (14’ st Gautieri),
Sala; Zenoni, Berretta, Zauri, Dabo (31’ st Foglio),
Bellini; Pià (22’ st Comandini), Bianchi.
Subs: Calderoni, Zini, Breviario, Liolidis
Manager:
Vavassori
MILAN (4-3-1-2): Dida; Simic (22’ st Helveg), Nesta,
Maldini, Kaladze; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Rui Costa (29’
Ambrosini); Rivaldo (32’ st Serginho), Tomasson.
Subs: Abbiati, Laursen, Borriello, Inzaghi.
Manager:
Ancelotti
Referee:
Paparesta di Bari
Yellow
cards: Zenoni (A), Gautieri (A)
A
super Milan completely outplayed Atalanta today at Begamo
showing that Milan are world class stuff at present. Pirlo
scored twice with Rivaldo and Tomasson scorinf the all
important goals. At the end of the match the statistics
showed an incredible 40:32 of possession for Milan !!!
Ancelotti
fielded the usual lineup with the exception that Inzaghi
was rested due to his injury and Shevchenko is still recovering.
Dida was ingoal with the back four of Simic, Kaladze,
Nesta and captain Maldini. In midfield Pirlo, Seedork,
Gattuso and Rui Costa with Rivaldo and Tomasson spearheading
the attack.
It
was immediate that Milan showed that they wanted to win
the game when in the 10th minute Tomason missed a sitter
when in front of Taibi all alone he saw the keeper save
his shot. Five minutes later Milan were in front. Rivaldo
from a standing position shot an incredible shot from
around 20 metres into the corner of the net, leaving Taibi
stranded. Milan continued to domainate to close the game
but again it was Tomasson who failed to round up and finish
the score. It was at this point that Milan slowed down,
and Ancelotti was clearly furious. Atalanta saw this and
moved forward. Kaladza was clearly fouled on the right
of the field but the referee played on and Sala hit a
scrocher from just outside the area to level the score.
This was on the 30th minute mark.
Milan
upped their tempo once more, this time for good and began
to string incredible one touch football which was clearly
going to produce chance after chance. However, it was
Jon Dahl Tomasson who put Milan ahead just before half
time. From a corner and a Kaladze cross, Rivaldo topped
everyone and headed down to the unmarked Tomasson who
only had to help the ball the last metre into the net.
In
the second half Ancelotti must have been clear. He wanted
Milan to continue to dominate and finish off Atalanta.
The team came out of the dressing room even more determined
and Rui Costa continued his show. On teh 7th minute Rivaldo
gave a delightful ball to Rui Costa who missed incredibly.
Milanc reated more chances but the best run of the match
was on the 20th minute. Rui Costa sailed through the Atalanta
defence beating at least four defenders before being felled
by Zenoni for a clear penalty. Pirlo took the kick. Left
or right ??? No..he let taibi move and cooly slotted the
ball into the centre of the post !!! The match was virtually
over but Milan this time never let down their guard.
Milan
continued to pour forward and Rui Costa again missed a
good opportunity to round up the score. Ancelotti started
to make substitutions. Helveg for Simic and Ambrosini
for Rui Costa who was given a standing ovation, even from
the Atalanta fans. Eight minutes from time it was Pirlo
who scored Milan's number 4. A perfectly weighted free
kick sailed over the wall, hit the bar and just entered
the net with Taini immobile.
A
splendid performance and a superb team display of spectacular
football. Some of the comments made by the commentators
were interesting. One of them was actually off-air during
half time which said that if Inzaghi was there this would
have been another "goleada". This was the extent
of Milan's performance today. Altafini also commented
that Milan played their best match of the season and that
they are surely among the top three teams in the world.
9/10/200
Leonardo is back
Brasilian
star Leonardo, already with Milan, has returned "home".
The player signed a contract today and was presented to
the press this afternoon at 15:30 CET by Galliani. President
Berlusconi wanted the player and it was Ancelotti who
described his role. After a good preparation the player
will be another midfielder with "fantasista"
qualities, but his other major role will be that of helping
Rivaldo settle down at Milan. In the meantime Dalla Bona's
manager Pasqualin stated that Sam Dalla Bona will not
be moving away from Milan this January. He said both parties
are happy as things are.
7/10/2002
Redondo plays...Boban says goodbye
Redondo
played a full 40 minutes in the game organised and played
today to commemorate Zvone Boban's retirement from football.
Boban saluted the game of football in style in a match
played in front of a packed stadium. Among the guests
were Van Basten, Leonardo, Weah, Rui Costa, Papin and
a lot of other Milan players.
6/10/2002
Tennis anyone ??? Another Inzaghi hatrick,
Milan
beat Torino to the tune of 6-0 in a one sided affair at
the San Siro. The score at half time already stood at
3-0 and Milan strolled to victory thanks again to an Inzaghi
hatrick. Ancelotti surprised everyone again with another
experiement. Serginho was played in an attacking role
with Inzaghi !!!
Milan
dominated from the referee's whistle and never let down
their guard tearing apart Torino from all angles. Milan's
first goal came after 20 minutes when Inzaghi was fed
in the middle of the area. As he tried to turn to shot
at goal he was pulled down by Comotto. Pirlo took the
resultant penalty and sent Bucci the wrong way. Milan
continued to pile up more pressure to secure the game
and it was Super Pippo who found the net from close range
from a perfect Serginho assist. Milan were not happy to
loiter witht he ball and hang on to the 2-0 lead. More
pressure on the hapless Torino side saw goal number three
coming just before half time. Serginho took hold of the
ball just outside the area and with his speed penetrated
the Torino rearguard beating Galante challenge and then
Bucci with a nice flick into the net.
Milan
were three nil up and had hardly put up a sweat. The second
half saw a slower Milan dominate the entire pitch still
creating chances. Milan fourth was left late though but
it was again Inzaghi who found the net from a short corner
move from a Rui Costa perfect assist. This all happened
in the 79th minute. Torino were now crumbling to pieces
and it was no wonder when Milan hit their fifth. Rui Costa
tried a cross only to find Fattori spin the ball over
the unlucky Bucci !!! Still Milan had time to score number
six. It was Inzaghi again who headed into the corner of
the net, unmarked froma Kaladze perfect cross.
1/10/2002
Superb Milan, Inzaghi hits another two !!!
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