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LCB: Milan looking to end San Siro hoodoo against Juve

"Juventus are physically strong, they're high up in the standings and it's going to be a full-on clash and one of the best matches of the season."

Clarence Seedorf, AC Milan midfielder

AC Milan's Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf is hoping the visit of title rivals Juventus today will help them banish their disastrous home form.

The European champions have played six league games at the San Siro this season, and each time Milan have headed to the dressing room shaking their heads after being held to four frustrating draws and two embarrassing defeats.

Despite flourishing on their travels, Milan are struggling to score at home having hit the net only three times in six matches.

But Seedorf believes that unenviable statistic could be put to bed by the fact they are playing one of their title rivals rather than a team they are expected to beat.

"Juventus are physically strong, they're high up in the standings and it's going to be a full-on clash and one of the best matches of the season," he said.

"Milan are also playing well and we need to see a great Milan performance so we can beat Juventus and get that first home victory," Seedorf said.

"Regarding the other games played at the San Siro it will be different because the small teams come to keep things tight but against Juve I think we'll have more space because they are a team with many champions and many individuals," he said.

Juventus's away fans have been barred from the San Siro in a measure that has become commonplace in Serie A following recent crowd violence, which has at times led to fatalities.

But Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is more concerned about not being the first team to come away from the San Siro with a defeat to Milan.

"I know they really want to break that series but we don't want to be their sacrificial lamb," Buffon said.

"Milan are European champions and will soon head off to the Club World Championship, so it's obvious we have a tough challenge ahead of us," the Italy keeper said.

Juventus come into the match second in the table and in fine form following their 5-0 demolition of Palermo a week ago, a result that cost Stefano Colantuono his job as coach of the Sicilians.

Palermo have now turned to twice former coach Francesco Guidolin to guide them and his first task will be the Sicilian derby at Catania.

The away fans have also been banned from that match following the death of a policeman in rioting after the last derby between the sides back in February.

Palermo defender Alberto Fontana said he is hoping tomorrow's game will be remarkable only for matters on the pitch.

"I hope it will be a derby played with lots of passion but in the right way," he said. "Right now the hooligans are doing no good for the league nor for Sicily."

He also pledged that the players would perform better for Guidolin, having let down Colantuono.

"We're all happy to work with the boss again but the players must feel guilty because if you change the coach it's because the players have not been performing the way they should have," he said.

Champions and league leaders Inter Milan face a tough trip to Fiorentina tomorrow, although their hosts have struggled recently, dropping to fifth place in the league and in danger of seeing their early season promise fade away.

Roma, in third, host fourth-placed Udinese in a match that could go some way to showing whether or not either side can last the distance in the title race.

Defeat for either could confine them to the battle for a Champions League place next season.
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