Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has set his sights on reeling in Juventus after two straight victories that have lifted spirits among the champions.
A draw against Barcelona in the Champions League aside, Milan had a difficult start to the season, picking up just two points from their opening three league games.
Successive victories against Cesena and Viktoria Plzen mean the Rossoneri can now go into tomorrow’s meeting with the league leaders in Turin with renewed confidence, although Allegri acknowledges that Milan’s task won’t be easy against opponents who have had the week off rather than being involved in Europe.
“We’re only at the beginning but we still have to try to reel in Juventus or at least maintain the gap,” said Allegri, whose side are only three points behind Juve despite sitting in the bottom half of the table.
“But Juve have the great advantage of not playing during the week.”
Milan will still be without Brazilian forwards Pato and Robinho but at least Zlatan Ibrahimovic came through a 90-minute run-out against the Czech champions unscathed.
Allegri said there is also a possibility that Kevin-Prince Boateng will be fit to face the Old Lady of Turin and hence reclaim the role behind the front two that has been filled by Urby Emanuelson and Alberto Aquilani in his absence.
“Of course, it would be better to have all our forwards fit, that way someone could rest,” added Allegri.
“But when you win you recover your energy more quickly.”
Allegri would like to give Antonio Cassano a breather but the Italy forward has been manning the ship while his team-mates have been injured.
The other major clash of the weekend sees Inter host Napoli.
Both earned impressive Champions League victories in midweek and Napoli, just a point off the top, sit three points above their rivals in the league.
But both have worries in attack with Napoli’s Edinson Cavani ruled out while Inter are sweating on the fitness of chief goal-getter Giampaolo Pazzini, who has an ankle problem.
“It’s definitely better than it was at the end of the game in Moscow (a 3-2 success against CSKA) but it still hurts a bit,” Pazzini said.
Pazzini has been rejuvenated under new Inter coach Claudio Ranieri having spent most of Gian Piero Gasperini’s short reign on the bench, and two goals in his last two games are testament to that.
Although they sit in the bottom half, Atalanta have had the best start to the season of anyone. But for their six-point penalty for match-fixing, they would be two points clear at the top.
They travel to an improving Roma but coach Stefano Colantuono is aware that the club’s bright start will not be easy to maintain.
“We’ve started well, better than anyone else I would say. But the surprise effect has worn off,” he said.
“Those who thought we would be deflated by our penalty have now changed their minds and now they will face us in a different way. We know how to play football and we’ll try to do that. But with respect to our opponents we don’t fear anyone.”
In other games, Udinese, who sit behind Juventus only on goals scored, host lowly Bologna.
Rock-bottom Cesena play at home to high-flying Chievo, who are only a point off the top, as they go in search of their first points of the season.
Fixtures
Serie A
Playing Today
Roma vs Atalanta - 18.00
Inter vs Napoli - 20.45
Tomorrow – 15.00
Cesena vs Chievo
Fiorentina vs Lazio
Juventus vs Milan - 20.45
Lecce vs Cagliari
Novara vs Catania - 12.30
Palermo vs Siena
Parma vs Genoa
Udinese vs Bologna
Standings: Juventus, Udinese 8; Genoa, Napoli, Fiorentina, Palermo, Cagliari, Chievo 7; Siena, Lazio, Roma, Milan, Catania 5; Atalanta (-6), Novara, Inter 4; Lecce, Parma 3; Bologna 1; Cesena 0.
Serie B
Played Yesterday
Crotone vs Vicenza 2-2
Sampdoria vs Torino 1-2
Varese vs Sassuolo 0-1
Today – 15.00
Bari vs Livorno
Cittadella vs Nocerina
Empoli vs Padova
Grosseto vs Ascoli
Gubbio vs Verona
Modena vs Brescia
Pescara vs AlbinoLeffe
Reggina vs Juve Stabia
Standings: Torino 17; Sassuolo 15; Padova, Brescia 14; Sampdoria, Grosseto 12; Livorno 11; Reggina, Verona 10; Pescara 9; Bari 8; AlbinoLeffe, Cittadella 7; Empoli, Varese 6; Crotone (-1), Nocerina 5; Modena 4; Juve Stabia (-1) 3; Vicenza, Gubbio 2; Ascoli (-7) 0.