Ronaldinho doubtful for new Monday game
Reuters - Friday 22 October 2010, 08:37
MILAN - Brief news from Serie A ahead of
this weekend's fixtures.
AC Milan's Ronaldinho has suffered a slight thigh strain,
the club said in a statement, making the Brazilian a doubt for
Monday's trip to fourth-placed Napoli.
The game is the first to be played on a Monday as part of
moves to better market Serie A. Other measures include a Sunday
lunchtime kick-off, television cameras in the dressing room and
halftime interviews.
Reports say Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose side
are second, is planning changes irrespective of Ronaldinho's
injury following Tuesday's 2-0 loss at Real Madrid in the
Champions League.
Juventus forward Alessandro Del Piero will break
Giampiero Boniperti's record of 178 Serie A goals for the club
if he scores in Sunday's match at struggling Bologna.
The 35-year-old played all of Thursday's 1-1 Europa League
draw at Salzburg, where in-form winger Milos Krasic again came
to the rescue.
Full-back Zdenek Grygera suffered a knee injury in Austria
and reports say he could be out for several weeks.
Midfielder Dejan Stankovic looks set to miss third-placed
Inter Milan's home game with Sampdoria on Sunday after
coming off in Wednesday's 4-3 Champions League win over
Tottenham with a calf injury, which could keep him out for
around two weeks.
Fiorentina director Andrea Della Valle has backed coach
Sinisa Mihajlovic despite the injury-hit Florence club slumping
to the bottom of the table ahead of Saturday's visit of Bari.
"His position is absolutely not under discussion. He is not
the problem," Della Valle told reporters.
Striker Adrian Mutu returns from a long drugs ban at the
end of the month.
League leaders Lazio have been given the go ahead from
authorities to continue flying their eagle mascot Olimpia
around the Stadio Olimpico before Sunday's game with Cagliari.
Animal rights activists had complained but the club
announced the bird would be staying as 3,000 fans, still
stunned by the team's form this term, turned up for a training
ground friendly on Thursday.