Newsgroup: it.sport.calcio.milan
Titolo: [Boston] - Chelsea, Milan pay the price

Chelsea, Milan pay the price
Tonight's opponents are rich in talent
By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff  |  July 24, 2005
Chelsea FC has been able to acquire nearly any top-level player not bound to
a contract.
''Except," noted AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti yesterday, ''the one they
wanted."
Chelsea's offer for Andriy Shevchenko, reigning winner of the Ballon d'Or as
the European player of the year, was refused both by Milan and the Ukrainian
striker. Other prominent players (Ronaldinho, Hernan Crespo, who was unable
to defy a contractual obligation) have turned down Chelsea. But this was
probably the highest bid to ever be refused by both a club and player --
48.9 million British pounds (more than $80 million), plus a five-year
contract worth 35 million pounds (nearly $60 million) -- an indication of
the popularity, power, and prowess of AC Milan.
Shevchenko remains with Milan, but he will not be available for its
exhibition game against Chelsea tonight at Gillette Stadium. Shevchenko is
skipping this tour to have plates removed from his cheekbone, which was
broken in a Serie A game last season. Newly acquired striker Alberto
Gilardino and veterans Filippo Inzaghi and Paolo Maldini (attending his
brother's wedding) will not be available until Milan visits the Chicago Fire
Wednesday and for the return match with Chelsea at Giants Stadium July 31.
Brazilians Dida and Kaka are skipping this tour to recuperate from virtually
a year-round schedule.
The two clubs, whose paths have seldom crossed, appear to be developing a
rivalry that has little to do with on-field competition. The clashes between
Chelsea and Milan start at the top. Chelsea is controlled by Russian
oligarch Roman Abramovich, while media mogul Silvio Berlusconi, who also
happens to be Italy's prime minister, oversees Milan. Abramovich and
Berlusconi, both ultrarich entrepreneurs, are accustomed to being able to
acquire nearly anything they desire.
Chelsea and Milan were eliminated from the Champions League by Liverpool in
May, but the odds are good for a meeting in the upcoming final.
''These are two of the best teams in Europe and this could be a preview of
next year's final in Paris," Ancelotti said. ''This is an important part of
the preparation for the season and we will be playing against a difficult
and prestigious opponent in Chelsea."
Without Gilardino and Shevchenko, plus Crespo, who played for Milan on loan
from Chelsea, the Rossoneri will likely go with Christian Vieri as a lone
striker, according to Ancelotti. Vieri, who made a controversial move from
city rivals Inter, was among the most dynamic performers in Milan's morning
practice at Boston College yesterday.
Chelsea should be at nearly full strength. The Blues dominated the
Premiership last season, losing only one game, but faltered near the end of
the season without wingers Damien Duff and Arjen Robben. Now, Chelsea has
four potential starters for two wing positions -- Duff, Robben, plus Joe
Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips, a $36.7 million acquisition from Manchester
City.
''This is a friendly match but we never like to lose," Milan midfielder Rui
Costa said. ''All games are really important for us and this one especially,
since they could be our opponents in the Champions League. We will have a
chance to try some new things with this team and to measure how good soccer
is in the US [against Chicago].
''We just played three days ago and even if we are not 100 percent fit yet,
these are great games to play because everyone is fighting for jobs and
places on the team."
Milan's last competitive match was marked by the surrendering of a
three-goal lead and a penalty kick loss to Liverpool in the Champions League
final in Istanbul, among the most shocking results in the history of the
event. Milan also finished second to Juventus in Serie A.
Ancelotti believes future Champions Leagues will become more exclusive.
''There are 10 or so teams able to win it," Ancelotti said. ''But it is not
always the best club that wins in soccer."
The day after the loss to Liverpool, Milan announced the addition of
midfielder Johann Vogel (PSV Eindhoven), then signed Greek goalkeeper
Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos, Vieri, and last week paid 24 million euros for
Gilardino (Parma). The Milan roster is so deep that Massimo Ambrosini, who
converted the deciding goal in the semifinals against PSV, did not play in
the final match.
Milan will not be near its peak on this tour, but players are preparing for
a long season, plus the World Cup finals next June and July.
''Soccer has changed and this is how it is in modern soccer," Ancelotti
said. ''Players are in condition to play year-round, not like it used to be.
''We have to do without some players sometimes but we have replacements who
are equally strong. We have three players missing and during the season that
sometimes happens because of injuries."
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Carolina72

 the popularity, power, and prowess of AC Milan.
:-)))))))))))
Carolina72