Residents of Milan and Rome are nervously awaiting the Champions League draw which takes place at 5pm on Thursday afternoon in Monaco.
Lazio ensured that the peninsula’s full complement of four sides made it to the Group stage with a 3-1 away win against Romanian champions Dinamo Bucharest on Tuesday.
No two sides from the same country can meet in this round, but Shakhtar Donetsk’s Cristiano Lucarelli may well be returning to his homeland.
Milan and Inter are top seeds, Roma are in the second pot and Lazio are in the third seeding bracket.
The seedings in full:
Pot One:Milan, Barcelona, Liverpool, Inter, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United
Kaka scored twice as Milan comfortably conquered new boys Genoa on the return to Serie A.
There was a mixed atmosphere at Marassi. On the one hand joy for Genoa's return to the top flight after 12 years, but on the other tension and sadness. The death of Rossoblu fan Vincenzo Spagnolo in clashes outside the stadium in 1995 was the reason for threats against the Milanisti this week, so in the interests of safety all visiting supporters were banned. That was the last time the two teams met in Serie A.
As for the football, the Rossoneri were without the injured Ronaldo and new arrival Emerson, while Genoa launched their new trident attack of N'Diaye Papa Waigo, Marco Di Vaio and Mirco Gasparetto.
Omar Milanetto and Kaka had long-range efforts off target, then there were decisive defensive tackles in the area from Massimo Ambrosini on Gasparetto and Konko on Andrea Pir
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MILANELLO - For the away match at Genoa, Carlo Ancelotti has called up the following players: Goalkeepers: Dida, Kalac, Fiori Defenders: Bonera, Cafu, Digao, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Nesta, Oddo, Simic Midfielders: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Pirlo, Seedorf Attackers: Aubameyang, Gilardino, Kakà, Inzaghi
The European champions begin their assault on the Scudetto at a venue which holds dark memories. The return to Serie A of Genoa after a 12-year absence has been over-shadowed by the reminders of Vincenzo Spagnolo’s murder in 1995 that have been thrown up by the opening day fixtures computer. The young Genoa fan was stabbed prior to a Serie A clash between the two clubs – causing the match to be abandoned when news reached the players.
The two teams haven’t faced each other in Serie A since that fateful day, so perhaps it is best that this meeting is out of the way early in the season. There is also talk of banning away fans, but hopefully it will be the players and not the tifosi who make the headlines.
Unsurprisingly, given their relative lack of summer business, there is unlikely to be any debutants for Milan on Sunday – but possibly surprisingly considering their meagre Serie A performance with the same squ
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according to gazzetta, Maldini celebrated his birthday together with Sandro Nesta and Sheva and their families at a restaurant on South Beach in Miami.
