Blow for AC Milan as Shevchenko is ruled out
Shevchenko injured himself in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Serie A title rivals Lazio at the San Siro.
“There is no point in taking any risks with Shevchenko,” said Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.
With Shevchenko sidelined, Filippo Inzaghi, who made a huge impact when he came on against Lazio, will probably start in attack alongside Rivaldo against the Russians.
On Sunday Inzaghi came off the bench with Milan trailing 2-0 and inspired a superb second-half comeback. He halved the deficit in the 62nd minute with a close-range effort before providing the cross from which Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo equalised eight minutes later.
Milan top their second phase group after winning their two opening matches, while Lokomotiv are third behind Germany’s Borussia Dortmund with one point.
There is better news for the Milan giants as captain Paolo Maldini admits he wants to play at least one more year of club football in Italy.
“We have discussed my contract but we haven’t spoken about money yet,” said the 34-year-old defender on the Serie A club’s satellite television channel, Milan TV.
“I’m open to the idea of accepting a new one-year deal.”
The former Italy international said he would even consider taking a pay cut to remain at the San Siro for another 12 months.
Elsewhere in Group C, bottom of table Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund. Remarkably, last season’s Champions League winners have failed to win any of their last six matches in this season’s competition and are badly overdue a victory which would be their 150th in the European Cup/Champions League.
Real have a good home record against German clubs, losing only twice in 16 games, both to Bayern Munich. Their last win over a German team was in last year’s Champions League final when they beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1.
Borussia’s last match against a Spanish team was when they went to Madrid as European champions and lost 2-0 in the 1998 Champions League semi-finals.
Christian Gross is worried his Basel players will lack a killer edge when they take on Deportivo Coruna tonight after two months without a match because of Swiss soccer’s winter break.
The Basel coach said that he was less concerned about physical than mental fitness. “For me the big issue is: will we be fit mentally? Will we be strong enough mentally?” Gross said.
While Gross contemplated his squad’s mental preparations, his opposite number Javier Irureta, said Deportivo were more anxious about the cold weather.
“We are not used to such cold conditions. Our players are not used to going out to play football when it is minus five degrees,” he said.
Basel are propping up Group D with no points after two games.
Elsewhere in Group C, bottom of table Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund. Remarkably, last season’s Champions League winners have failed to win any of their last six matches in this season’s competition and are badly overdue a victory which would be their 150th in the European Cup/Champions League.
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