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AC Milan resumes the chase of its first UEFA Cup title with the club back at the top of the Italian league.
After missing out on the more prestigious Champions League, a competition it has won seven times, Carlo Ancelotti’s team has recovered from a shaky start and now hopes to go three points clear at the top of its UEFA Cup group by beating Portugal’s Braga on Thursday.
Milan’s fans considered the UEFA Cup poor consolation for finishing a disappointing fifth in the Italian league last season.
While a UEFA Cup final triumph in Istanbul next May would be welcome, another Serie A title takes precedence, however, and Ancelotti is likely to rest Brazilian star Kaka for the game at the San Siro.
Both teams won their opening group matches – Milan 3-1 over Dutch club Heerenveen and Braga 3-0 over English FA Cup winner Portsmouth – and the winner will open a healthy lead early in the group stage. The top three teams from each group of five advance to the next round.
Milan-Braga is one of 16 games being played in Thursday’s second round of group matches and, so far, Italian clubs are doing well.
Udinese, which is also going strongly in Serie A, won its opening Group D game at Tottenham and now goes to Spartak Moscow, which is playing its first game. Sampdoria also started off with a victory but sits out Thursday’s Group C matches.
Sevilla tops that group and goes to Standard Liege hoping for a victory which would take it three points clear.
Of the other Spanish clubs in action, Valencia kicks off its Group G challenge with a home game against last-placed FC Copenhagen, and Racing Santander hopes to recover from an opening-day loss by beating Germany’s Schalke at home. Deportivo La Coruna, which lost 3-0 at CSKA Moscow two weeks ago, does not play this week.
The four English clubs have also had mixed results so far.
Tottenham is last in the Premier League and in Group D and, despite signs of a return to form in the domestic competition, needs to recover in the UEFA Cup from a 2-0 loss in Udinese with a home victory over Dynamo Zagreb.
“I think the key is belief at the moment,” Spurs’ Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes said.
“The team is playing with more confidence now and we have picked up three very good (Premier League) results. We went through a difficult period but worked hard in training to put things right, so now this is a good time for the team.”
Spurs fired Juande Ramos after the Udinese defeat and replaced the former Sevilla coach with Harry Redknapp.
The veteran Redknapp was in charge of Portsmouth during the first round of games and was furious that the team lost 3-0 at Braga.
Portsmouth, which now has former England captain Tony Adams in charge, sits out Thursday’s round of games.
Aston Villa is going strong in Group F after a 2-1 victory over Ajax and Martin O’Neill’s team hopes to follow that by winning at Slavia Prague. However, Villa’s impressive Premier League form was halted with a 2-0 loss at Newcastle on Monday.
Manchester City, for whom Brazilian striker Robinho has scored six league goals this season, begins its Group A challenge with a home game against Dutch club FC Twente. City’s Premier League form is faltering after losses at Middlesbrough and Bolton.
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