Analysis:

Both of these two sides had a week they will want to forget as they enter into this match. Milan were beaten in two games in a row while Serse Cosmi had his resignation rejected.

A.C Milan had been the form team in Italy over the last two months, wining eight of their last nine Serie A games and losing just one of the previous 18 official fixtures. That all changed after the meeting with neighbours Inter Milan however. The 2-0 defeat against an Inter side playing with 10 men for over an hour hit their Scudetto hopes very hard it must be said.

Worse was to come when in midweek Milan were also knocked out of the Coppa Italia after Udinese shocked them to a 1-0 defeat in the quarter-finals at the San Siro.

After their high confidence suddenly dropped drastically, Leonardo even remarked that his team was “moving the ball around too slowly.” His choices are already limited with Alexandre Pato, Alessandro Nesta, Massimo Oddo and Oguchi Onyewu out of this match. The biggest absence will no doubt be Nesta. Their only defeat in their last 20 official games came when Nesta-Thiago Silva central defensive partnership was divided.

Gianluca Zambrotta played in the Coppa Italia and should be fit enough for this fixture. He is likely to replace either Ignazio Abate at right-back or Luca Antonini on the left, as the two youngsters have shown their inexperience in matches recently. Giuseppe Favalli is again set for the centre-back role, while Clarence Seedorf requires a late fitness test before kickoff.

The visitors Livorno have also had a week to forget since Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Napoli. Coach Cosmi then announced his resignation after that game, although he had already planned it since the previous Thursday due to a row with President Aldo Spinelli. However, a couple of days later Spinelli rejected the resignation and urged Cosmi to stay on.

Livorno are dropping towards the relegation zone and go into this match without several key players. Mozart and goalkeeper Alfonso De Lucia are suspended, while Leonardo Miglionico, Fabio Galante and Diniz are out injured. Francesco Tavano or Claudio Bellucci will start upfront with Cristiano Lucarelli saw his penalty saved in midweek so that does not do his confidence much good here.

Livorno’s only victory at San Siro was in 1941-42, but it should be noted they emerged unscathed in their last trip, a 1-1 in February 2008.

But A.C Milan should rise to the occassion here and get the win.

Cheers and good luck,
Cruiser

The Statistics :

The Pick :

A.C Milan 3-0

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Take A.C Milan to win here.

HANDICAP BETTING :

Take A.C Milan and give the 1 1/2 ball.