Milan will play Real at their own game

AC MILAN coach Carlo Ancelotti insists his team will take the game to European champions Real Madrid when the two meet in their mouth-watering Group C opener at the San Siro tonight.

The Italians have played some of the most adventurous football seen for some time in Italy this season and Ancelotti says he is not about to change his approach against the Spaniards.

“We are not going to go out there to try to limit the qualities of Real. We know they are the European champions but we want to show what we can do and to impose our game,” Ancelotti said.

Real are without injured midfielder Claude Makelele and a ’flu bug means that Brazilian Ronaldo will miss the chance to return to the San Siro, where he played with Inter.

But Ancelotti says those absences will hardly weaken the nine-times European champions. “They will miss important players including Ronaldo and Makelele. They won’t be at their best considering their injury list, but Flavio Conceicao and Guti are not to be underrated as replacements,” he said.

Milan will be without central defender Alessandro Nesta, with Alessandro Costacurta deputising alongside captain Paolo Maldini in the heart of the defence.

Ancelotti said that while much of the media attention had been focused on players such as Real’s Zinedine Zidane and Milan’s Rivaldo, the Spaniards also deserved credit for their teamwork.

“Real are a great team with their own identity that play in an organised manner. Even though they have so many top quality players, that is not their only winning weapon - they are a team,” said the Milan coach.

Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who had a spell with Real earlier in his career, says the match between two clubs with 14 European titles between them is sure to be an occasion to remember.

“For such games we don’t have to focus on motivation it comes by itself,” said Seedorf. “It will be an attractive, fascinating game between the two sides who have won more than anyone in Europe and can count on so many stars in their squads. A show is almost granted.

“The second stage of the Champions League is difficult in every group and if you want to win, you have to defeat all your rivals - even if they are Real Madrid.”

Zinedine Zidane should not play the full 90 minutes of the game, according to the Spanish club’s doctor. The French midfielder was unable to train for a full week after coming on as a substitute in a league game at home to Real Sociedad on November 17.

He has now recovered from the back pain that prevented him playing for France in a friendly international last week and against Barcelona on Saturday but the club should still take a prudent approach to his return, Dr Juan Carlos Hernandez said.

“Zidane missed a week of training and even though the pain in his back has gone it wouldn't be good for him to play the full 90 minutes,” Dr Hernandez said.

“That’s not because of his back, which is a problem that has been solved, but because of the time he’s spent without training.”

Meanwhile, Spanish newspapers heavily criticised Barcelona president Joan Gaspart yesterday after he accused Madrid midfielder Luis Figo of provoking disgraceful scenes in the Nou Camp.

Gaspart even faced flak from Catalan newspapers based in Barcelona. El Periodico reported that Gaspart had been warned by the Spanish government representative in Catalonia that his accusations against former Barcelona player Figo were inflammatory and the paper called for him to “show more moderation”.

The match had to be suspended midway through the second half when Figo, who left Barcelona to join arch rivals Real in a then world record transfer in July 2000, was pelted by fans with objects including a whisky bottle and a pig’s head while he was trying to take a corner.

The teams later returned to the pitch and the match finished 0-0.

Madrid-based daily AS launched a wide-ranging attack on Gaspart for defending his club’s fans. “Gaspart has no proper idea of what the institution of president represents,” said the paper. He never has grasped what this involves and now he is overstepping the ethical limits. He refused to eat with the Real Madrid president because he said he had to have lunch with his mother, he refused to release any players for Real Madrid’s centenary match... and he said Figo was the guilty party for provoking the fans.”