Ancelotti: Milan will take game to Inter

AC MILAN coach Carlo Ancelotti agrees that tonight’s Champions League semi-final return match with Inter Milan will be another tight affair. But then in the next breath, he explains his belief that his side will be rewarded for their more positive footbaling style.

Milan had the better of the 0-0 draw at the San Siro stadium last week and Ancelotti says his team will again try to take the game to Inter.

"We won't play a waiting game, we will take the same approach as in the first leg and the other derbies this year, We have looked to play good football and we will try to do that again," he said at the club's training camp north of Milan yesterday. Milan won both derby meetings in Serie A this season but those results will count for little if Ancelotti's side fail to get past their rivals and reach the Champions League final at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium on May 28.

As if that pressure is not enough, Ancelotti is also keen to ensure that Milan progress in style. Ever since Milan president and Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi declared before the season that he wanted to see spectacular football from his team, Ancelotti has faced the same questions from journalists is the performance or the result his priority? Every time the former Juventus coach has given the same answer "both."

Ancelotti is considering a change in attack with Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo touted as an alternative to out-of-sorts Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko. But Rivaldo looked well short of form and fitness in Milan's 1-0 defeat to Brescia in Serie A on Saturday and it would be no surprise if Ancelotti stuck with the Shevchenko-Filippo Inzaghi pairing in attack.

The odds are slightly in the favour of Milan who are the 'away' team at the San Siro stadium the two clubs share. Inter's failure to pick up a goal in the first-leg means that a scoring draw would send Milan through on 'away goals'.

But despite their impressive record this season against their cross town rivals, Italy international Nesta says Inter are a team that can strike at the most unexpected moments. "They are a very unpredictable team who can score against you even when you seem to have them under the control of your game plan," said Milan defender Alessandro Nesta.

However Inter will be without Christian Vieri ruled out with a knee injury.

Inter's options however are increased for the second-leg with midfielder Cristiano Zanetti returning from suspension and Frenchman Stephane Dalmat back to fitness.

Meanwhile Real Madrid midfielder Claude Makelele will miss tomorrow's Champions League semi-final, second leg against Juventus, while injured striker Ronaldo has little chance of recovering in time to play. Striker

Raul will also be available after making a quicker than expected recovering from an appendix operation.

Probable teams: Inter: F Toldo; F Cannavaro, M Materazzi, I Cordoba; J Zanetti, L Di Biagio, C Zanetti, B Emre, F Coco; H Crespo, A Recoba

Milan: Dida; A Costacurta, A Nesta, P Maldini, K Kaladze; C Brocchi, G Gattuso, C Seedorf; R Costa; A Shevchenko, F Inzaghi.

Referee: G Veissiere (France)