Milan visits Juventus in crucial battle
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AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 13, 2008 00:00
ROME - AC Milan and Juventus have been trying to play down the significance of their must-win clash at Turin's Stadio Olimpico this weekend.
Both sides sit six points behind champions and runaway Serie A leader Inter Milan.
Should Jose Mourinho's star-studded team win that match, a draw or defeat for either Milan or Juve would leave them eight or nine points off the pace -- a daunting prospect for any team with title aspirations.
But both Juve and Milan have been trying to calm expectations ahead of Sunday night.
"It's a great challenge but it's not a final (an all or nothing match)," insisted Juve coach Claudio Ranieri. "There's a lot riding on it but it won't be decisive."
AC Milan's veteran center back Paolo Maldini also believes that a defeat would not be the end of the world for either team.
"I believe that both teams, regardless of the result on Sunday, will be able to catch Inter," he said. "We're not trying to challenge them we're both already challengers to Inter."
Maldini is looking forward to a battle between two modern greats of the game, Juve's Del Piero and Milan's Ronaldinho.
Maldinibelieves his own Brazilian teammate is capable of making the difference. "Most of all he's got unbelievable technique," he added. "They way he's stood up to challenges in training that are certainly harder than what he's been used to in the past"
Should Jose Mourinho's star-studded team win that match, a draw or defeat for either Milan or Juve would leave them eight or nine points off the pace -- a daunting prospect for any team with title aspirations.
But both Juve and Milan have been trying to calm expectations ahead of Sunday night.
"It's a great challenge but it's not a final (an all or nothing match)," insisted Juve coach Claudio Ranieri. "There's a lot riding on it but it won't be decisive."
AC Milan's veteran center back Paolo Maldini also believes that a defeat would not be the end of the world for either team.
"I believe that both teams, regardless of the result on Sunday, will be able to catch Inter," he said. "We're not trying to challenge them we're both already challengers to Inter."
Maldini is looking forward to a battle between two modern greats of the game, Juve's Del Piero and Milan's Ronaldinho.
Maldinibelieves his own Brazilian teammate is capable of making the difference. "Most of all he's got unbelievable technique," he added. "They way he's stood up to challenges in training that are certainly harder than what he's been used to in the past"