Milan aim to banish their San Siro blues and secure their first home league win this season when they face second-placed Juve tonight.
The European champions are ninth in Serie A with 17 points, 11 behind leaders Inter, largely because of wretched form at home, where they have picked up four draws and two defeats.
Ronaldo is out after suffering a calf problem while warming up as a substitute during Wednesday's 1-1 draw at Benfica in the Champions League.
"I am out, but still believe in me," Ronaldo told reporters yesterday.
The Brazilian made his first appearance of the season last weekend after missing over six months with leg injuries.
Milan hope to welcome back midfielder Massimo Ambrosini, who missed the Benfica match through suspension and was also carrying a slight knock. Czech full-back Marek Jankulovski, who is recovering from knee surgery, is still out but Milan should regain striker Filippo Inzaghi from a bout of fever.
Juventus, who have 25 points from 13 games, are in fine fettle after crushing Palermo 5-0 last weekend.
"We are strong and we know it, but now we have to win a clash with a direct rival (for the title)," French striker David Trezeguet, who has scored 11 goals so far, told Juve's website (www.juventus. com).
"We must play with humility but with the knowledge that we are inferior to no one. We are going to the San Siro to win."
Captain Alessandro Del Piero is pushing for a starting place after coming off the bench to score twice against Palermo.
But Trezeguet seems undroppable at the moment and Italy striker Vincenzo Iaquinta, who has scored six league goals this season, will also be hard to budge.
The first league clash between the two since Juve won back their top-flight status after being relegated to Serie B for match-fixing last year kicks off at 8.30 p.m.
Tomorrow, champions Inter, who have 28 points from 12 games, visit a Fiorentina side saddened by the death of coach Cesare Prandelli's wife on Monday.
Prandelli quit his previous club Roma shortly after taking over when his wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2004.
He is expected to be in the dugout at fifth-placed Fiorentina for the match tomorrow afternoon in Florence.
Midfielder Riccardo Montolivo is suspended for the home side while Inter are still without injured Patrick Vieira and Luis Figo.
Third-placed Roma and fourth-placed Udinese, both on 25 points tied with Juventus, clash in the Italian capital.
Roma captain Francesco Totti is doubtful because of a foot problem that has kept him out for a month while Matteo Ferrari is suspended.
Udinese defender Felipe is banned after his sending off last weekend.
Serie A
Playing Today
Sampdoria vs Reggina 18.00
Milan vs Juventus 20.30
Tomorrow - 15.00
Atalanta vs Napoli
Cagliari vs Livorno
Catania vs Palermo
Fiorentina vs Inter
Parma vs Empoli
Roma vs Udinese
Siena vs Lazio
Torino vs Genoa 20.30
Serie B
Playing Today - 16.00
AlbinoLeffe vs Treviso Tuesday
Bari vs Bologna
Brescia vs Chievo
Cesena vs Spezia
Grosseto vs Ascoli
Mantova vs Frosinone
Messina vs Avellino
Modena vs Triestina
Pisa vs Lecce
Ravenna vs Rimini
Vicenza vs Piacenza