Champions League/Group C: Preview/AC Milan v Real Madrid: Even as they packed their bags for tonight's Champions League clash with Italian league leaders AC Milan at the San Siro, the reigning European champions, Real Madrid, were still absorbing the after-shocks of their turbulent, 0-0 encounter with arch rivals Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Saturday night.
Mutual accusations have been flashing across the Iberian Peninsula as both Barca and Real have tried to blame the other for the violent scenes which forced referee Luis Medina Cantalejo to suspend the game for 10 minutes.
The referee, mind you, had been left with little choice after the Real players retreated to the halfway line following a barrage of objects (including a pig's head, a chicken's head, a whiskey bottle, a Coca Cola bottle and an assortment of knives) aimed at Luis Figo, once of Barcelona but now of Real.
Figo had been trying to take the second of two consecutive corners when the Barca fans launched their air-to-ground missile attacks.
According to Barca's coach, Luis van Gaal, Figo had stirred it all up by deliberately taking his time as he removed a bottle before taking the flag kick. Figo and Real, needless to add, did not agree.
"I'm surprised that van Gaal talked about me, given that in the two-and-a-half years we worked together at Barcelona, he never mentioned me, even though I saved his ass on a number of occasions," replied a not totally parliamentary, but certainly crystal clear Figo. The possibility of sanctions awaits and theCatalans must be fearing the worst - being forced to play a number of home games elsewhere.
Figo and Real will probably be glad to leave the troubles of the Nou Camp far behind when they line up at the 74,000 capacity San Siro tonight. In truth, too, the European champions should be more worried about their recent loss of form than Saturday night's disturbances.
While AC Milan come into the game on the back of a thrilling 1-0 win in a typically tense and dramatic derby with Inter Milan on Saturday night, Real come into the match on the back of a poor run that has seen them win only two of their last 13 Champions League and Primera Liga games.
For all that, the potential for a night of sparkling champagne football is clearly there since the two sides field half of the current Who's Who of famous footballers - Figo, Zidane, Raul and Roberto Carlos for Real; Rivaldo, Shevchenko, Rui Costa and Maldini for Milan.
While Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti will be without only one first-choice selection in Alessandro Nesta (due to be replaced by veteran Alessandro Costacurta), Real will be without at least three players in defender Fernando Hierro, French midfielder Claude Makelele (victim of a vicious tackle by Barcelona's Motta on Saturday night) and, of course, Ronaldo.
Officially, Ronaldo is out due to influenza. Unofficially, that might be no bad thing since the European champions' recent poor run (after a bright seasonal start) corresponds with Ronaldo's arrival in the team.
Some indication of the state of play between Ronaldo and his Real team-mates came last week when, after scoring two goals for Brazil in a last-gasp, 3-2 midweek friendly win against South Korea, Ronaldo suggested that his new colleagues do not know "how to set me up to score" like his Brazilian team-mates. If Figo, Zidane or Raul do not know how to lay on the final pass, who does?
With the Nou Camp trauma still fresh in the mind this game hardly comes at an ideal moment for Real. In contrast, for Milan there is no better time than in the wake of a derby win over Inter.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
AC MILAN: Dida; Simic, Costacurta, Maldini, Kaladze; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Rui Costa; Rivaldo, Shevchenko.
REAL MADRID: Casillas; Salgado, Helguera, Pavon, Carlos; Figo, Cambiasso, Solari, Zidane; Guti, Raul.
Referee: Urs Meier (Switzerland)
AC Milan v Real Madrid Kick-off, 7.45
