Ancelotti confident ahead of Barca showdown

AC MILAN coach Carlo Ancelotti believes his team’s greater experience in Europe will give them the edge in tonight’s Champions League clash against Barcelona.

"This is our third Champions League semi-final in four years," said Ancelotti. "We are used to these type of games while Barcelona are not."

Both sides have shown their worth in the competition this season.

"At the moment, Barcelona and Milan are the two teams in Europe that express the best football," Ancelotti said. "I think the two games against Barcelona are going to be beautiful, there will be no lack of quality."

Milan are peaking at the right time. They go into the game on the back of Friday's 1-0 Milan derby triumph against Internazionale a result that gives them an outside chance of stealing the Scudetto as they now stand just five points behind leaders Juventus with four Serie A games remaining.

"We are in very good shape right now," said Ancelotti. "I hope the team wins and if we don't concede a goal it would be even better."

Ancelotti revealed that Barca's Ronaldinho will not be man-marked during the game, something which his former team-mate at Milan, Barca boss Frank Rijkaard, will be happy to hear.

"We've never played man-mark tactics," said Ancelotti. "We will try to control Ronaldinho in the zone where he will play, but he will not have a specific marker."

Ancelotti believes that Barcelona will not be hindered by the absence of Portuguese midfielder Deco, who serves a one-match ban tonight.

"Deco is a very strong player," he said. "He is very important for Barcelona but I don't believe his absence will change the entire approach of the team."

However, the Spaniards will be relieved that Milan's pivotal striker Filippo Inzaghi is out of action with the flu. Ancelotti will most likely turn to Alberto Gilardino who, despite having yet to find the net in European competition, is one of the biggest talents in Italy. There is also the awesome talent of the team's top scorer, Andriy Shevchenko.

"The absence of one player shouldn't hinder a team," he said. "We will not have Inzaghi but we have other great players that are sturdy replacements."

He added: "This game is not Shevchenko versus Ronaldinho. The most important thing is the group, the spirit of the group. We have an experienced team and are ready for everything."

The good news for Ancelotti is the recovery of central defender Jaap Stam who missed the Milan derby through injury. Stam will partner Alessandro Nesta at the heart of the Rossoneri defence.

MILAN (probable): Dida; Cafu/Stam, Nesta, Kaladze, Maldini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Kaka; Shevchenko, Gilardino.

BARCELONA (probable): Valdes; Oleguer, Puyol, Marquez, van Bronckhorst; van Bommel, Edmilson, Motta; Giuly, Ronaldinho, Eto'o.

Referee: Alain Sars (France)