Milan dare to dream of improbable scudetto
Inter without Balotelli and Stankovic against Lazio
Milan, who travel to Catania tomorrow afternoon, are starting to believe they can pull off mission impossible and overhaul Serie A leaders Inter.
Second-placed Milan have made up seven points on Inter in the last three games to lie seven behind their rivals with five games left.
Inter, who lost their third game of the league season at Napoli on Sunday, looked stone cold certainties for a fourth straight title last month but nerves could again be on show for tonight's home game with Lazio.
Inter coach Jose Mourinho's famous taunt that Milan would win "zero titles" this season could come back to haunt him.
"I would like to think that in a few weeks, Mourinho will regret talking about the zero titles of Milan even if at the time it was difficult for us to dream of the scudetto," Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini told a news conference.
When Milan lost 2-1 to Inter in February they slipped 11 points behind the leaders and seemed all but out of the title race.
Adriano, who recently left Inter because of personal problems, scored a controversial goal with his arm in that derby and Milan fans must now wonder what might have been had the effort been disallowed.
Kaka, fully recovered from a number of niggles, is keeping the faith despite a seven-point gap looking huge at this stage of the season. Inter, though, let an 11-point lead get whittled down to one last season under Roberto Mancini.
"While it is mathematically possible, we have to believe," the Brazil playmaker said earlier this week.
Carlo Ancelotti's side are in stunning form, despite constant speculation about his future, while Inter are beginning to look tired.
The absences of Adriano and the injured Maicon have restricted Mourinho's options and the suspensions of Dejan Stankovic and Mario Balotelli for the Lazio game do not help.
Midfielder Sulley Muntari should recover from injury though.
Stuttering Juventus in third host relegation-threatened Lecce tomorrow with fans allowed to watch from the stands despite a stadium ban after the racial abuse of Balotelli in last month's 1-1 draw with Inter.
The Turin side appealed the decision a second time and on Thursday the Italian Olympic Committee decided to lift the ban temporarily pending further evidence. A hearing is expected on May 14.
Meanwhile, fifth-placed Genoa have a tough examination of their Champions League credentials when they meet city rivals Sampdoria tomorrow night.