Pato included in Milan squad for Barcelona clash

The Brazil international has been deemed match fit again after a spell on the sidelines due to injury, and has made the roster for Tuesday's encounter

AC Milan have announced on their official website that Alexandre Pato has been included in the 23-man squad for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona at Camp Nou. The Brazil international has spent the past few weeks on the sidelines due to muscular problems, and recently travelled to the USA to determine the cause of his ongoing injury worries. Pato returned to Italy on Saturday though, and has now been deemed fit enough to feature in Tuesday's encounter in Catalunya. Milan will be looking to book their ticket for the semi-finals after recording a scoreless draw in the first leg at San Siro. Tuesday's match kicks off at 20.45CET.

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AC Milan medics mystified by Pato's persistent injury problems

The Brazil international has made just 11 appearances in Serie A this season and it is not yet known when he will be in a position to return to competitive action

 

AC Milan's health team coordinator Jean Pierre Meersseman has admitted that he and his colleagues are unsure what is exactly wrong with sidelined striker Alexandre Pato.

The Brazilian has been plagued by thigh injuries this season and is flying to the United States on Monday to meet with Professor Frederick Carrick at the University of Marietta in the hope that the famed doctor can cure the player's persistent muscular problems. Meersseman insists that the move is not an act of desperation but concedes that the Rossoneri's medics are in dire need of assistance.

"We're not looking for a miracle," he claimed in La Repubblica. "We just want to see if there is something we have not understood. Some answers we have, others absolutely not. "I don't know if this visit will help us, but for Milan's medical team it [Pato's problem] is a mystery.  "Certainly, something has happened but exactly what, I have not the faintest idea."

Pato has made just 11 appearances in Serie A this season and has not featured since being forced off at half-time in Milan's 1-1 draw with Juventus at San Siro last month.  - http://www.goal.com

 

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Udinese Vs SSC Napoli football liga match preview

ITALY SERIE A: 12BET odds Udinese Vs SSC Napoli 3/19 3:45AM GMT+8

Udinese have won three of their last four clashes with the visitors. The hosts have won 10 of their 14 home games this season. However they have failed to win any of their last three ties at the Stadio Fruili. Antonio Di Natale has scored 18 Serie A goals so far this season, second to only Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has netted one more.

Napoli have won each of their last five league games. The Azzurri have lost only one of their last 12 league meetings. The visitors have only managed to win five of their 13 away games in Serie A this term. Napoli have lost just once on the road this season while mid-table Udinese remain unbeaten at the Friuli stadium since September 19.

 

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Parma Vs AC Milan match preview

ITALY SERIE A: 12BET odds Parma Vs AC Milan 3/18 1AM GMT+8

Parma have not picked up a victory in their last six Serie A matches, earning four draws and suffering two defeats in that span. Current Parma coach Donadoni played for Milan from 1986 to 1996 and 1997 to 1999. The Gialloblu have scored 22 times on home soil this season in 13 matches.

AC Milan have not lost a Serie A match when Ibrahimovic has scored since a 2-1 defeat against Juventus in November 2010. Allegri's men have won four of their last five domestic league matches, drawing the other 1-1 against title-challengers Juventus. The Rossoneri defeated Parma 4-1 at San Siro back in October with a hat-trick from Antonio Nocerino.

 

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Torino Vs Helas Verona match preview

ITALY SERIE B: 12BET odds Torino Vs Helas Verona 3:45AM GMT+8

On own field FC Torino won in last four matches with 1-0, 2-1 and 3-1 results in front of teams Vicenza Calcio, Ascoli Calcio, Sampdoria and Nocerina while Hellas Verona has four defeats in last five away matches in front of teams such as Lazio Roma, Pescara Calcio, Sassuolo Calcio and Sampdoria Genoa. FC Torino is only 2 points behind first place occupied by Pescara team but for sure they could not miss the chance to promote this season after they played so good until now.

Three victories for FC Torino in last three games with Hellas Verona with 1-0, 2-1 and 3-1 results and now with home court advantage on their side certainly FC Torino will get the fourth victory. Forwards Mirko Antenucci and Rolando Bianchi scored most of FC Torino goals in this season and tomorrow their responsibility will be to score goals and to bring victory for their team. Only victories for home team in last matches and i bet with confidence that FC Torino will win again tomorrow.

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Chievo vs Inter Milan match preview

ITALY SERIE A : 12BET odds Chievo vs Inter Milan 3/10 3:45AM GMT+8

Inter Milan coach Rafael Benitez has been given the full backing of club president Massimo Moratti against Chievo. Inter have collected just one win in six league games and lie level on 20 points with Juventus 12 games into the season. Defeats at Chievo and against Twente in Wednesday's Champions League game could prove costly for Benitez, according to reports in Italy.

Moreover, the Nerazzurri are without nine injured players, including midfielder Philippe Coutinho and goalkeeper Julio Cesar. Both sustained muscular injuries in training this week and will miss Sunday's trip. Chievo coach Stefano Pioli isn't so sure, however. Chievo, who were held to a goalless draw at Sampdoria in the last round, have not scored in their last four league games.

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Bologna Vs Juventus match preview

ITALY SERIE A: 12BET Bologna Vs Juventus 3/8 1:30AM GMT+8

Bologna have won just one of their last 20 Serie A meetings with Juventus. However, they have won three of their last four league encounters, and have lost only once in nine matches. The Rossoblu have failed to beat Juventus in their last nine attempts. Stefano Pioli's men have kept clean sheets in four of their last Serie A fixtures at home.

Juventus have recorded the most wins at the Dall'Ara in the top-flight, with 26 victories.
Despite their status as the only side still unbeaten amongst the 'top-five' European leagues, the Old Lady have drawn four of their last five in Serie A. Furthermore, the Bianconeri have drawn five of their last seven away days in the league. Juventus have conceded just 16 top-flight goals this season, fewer than any other side.

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Parma and SSC Napoli match for Italy SeriesA later tonight

ITALY SERIE A: 12BET odds Parma Vs SSC Napoli 3/4 7:30PM GMT+8 

Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri will have to watch their match at Parma from the Ennio Tardini stands. Mazzarri was sent off for protesting on the sidelines during last weekend's controversial goalless draw against Brescia.Napoli felt hardone by last weekend's refereing after Christian Maggio's penalty appeal was turned down. The result followed the 3-0 defeat at AC Milan and dropped Napoli to third in the standings, eight points behind league leaders Milan and just two points clear of fourth-placed Lazio.Despite their recent results, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has taken the pressure off his team ahead of Sunday's encounter.

Parma, meanwhile, have different priorities, and talk within the camp is firmly of avoiding relegation.Pasquale Marino's side currently lie 15th, two places and one point clear of the drop zone.Last weekend's goalless result at Chievo was their third straight draw and Parma president Tommaso Ghirardi has promised his side will go all out for victory on Sunday.The Gialloblu have not won since beating Catania 2-0 on January 22.Parma will also be hoping to call on striker Amauri, who is doubtful with a knee injury. However, they will be without Gabriel Paletta and Massimo Gobbi, who serve one-match bans.

 

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Varese will face Vicenza tomorrow for Italy Series

ITALY SERIE B: 12BET odds Varese Vs Vicenza 3/3 3:45AM GMT+8

Varese not lost any game in last seven matches even they meet strong teams and now is ranked 6th with 45 points.  In last two matches Varese won with 1-0 result with team Gubbio with a goal scored by player Rivas in the 6th minute of game and also draw with 0-0 result on Sassuolo Calcio field. For Varese team is a good season with 34 goals scored and 25 goals received in 28 games played so far with 12 wins, 9 draws and 7 defeats.

Vicenza who has with only 5 points more than Empoli who is last place who relegate is ranked in this season on 15th place with 29 points. Vicenza Calcio have two draws with the same 1-1 results in last two matches with Livorno Calcio and FC Crotone. Vicenza lost 11 matches, draw in 11 games and won in the other 6 matches scoring 31 goals and receiving 39 goals.

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Siena Vs Catania 2/23 1:30AM GMT+8

ITALY SERIE A: 12BET tips Siena Vs Catania 2/23 1:30AM GMT+8.

Sannino was left angry and disappointed with his side's 4-1 defeat at Lecce on Sunday.
The result dropped Siena to 17th place, just two points clear of the relegation zone and Sannino has reminded his players of the importance of Wednesday's rescheduled encounter.

Catania, meanwhile, went down 3-1 at Juventus on Saturday, having previously beaten Genoa 4-0. The Sicilians, who are two places and four points ahead of Siena, have not won on the road since beating Lecce 1-0 in November. Since then Vincenzo Montella's men have taken two points from a possible 15 away from home. Catania will be without suspended defender Marco Motta, while striker Paulo Barrientos is doubtful with a knee injury.

 

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Bologna Vs Fiorentina 2/22 1:30AM GMT+8

ITALY SERIE A: 12BET odds Bologna Vs Fiorentina 2/22 1:30AM GMT+8

The Italy international had been strongly linked with a move to Juventus this month. However, Fiorentina have confirmed they will not sell the player, who is under contract with La Viola until June 2013. "The club intends to focus on the objective of growing and investing to improve the actual squad." Gilardino, 28, is Fiorentina's top scorer with five goals his season. His side head into the encounter at the Renato Dall' Ara stadium looking to spark their season into life. Sinisa Mihajlovic's men have won just one of their last four games and a 2-1 defeat at Udinese before the winter break was their seventh loss of the campaign.
They lie 15th in the standings.

The Viola have not won on the road since last March and face a Bologna side that has looked solid at home so far. Alberto Malesani's men have lost just once in Bologna this season, a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Serie A leaders AC Milan last month. Bologna lie one point clear of Fiorentina heading into the match. Malesani will have all of his players available with striker Marco Di Vaio having recovered from a foot injury.The visitors will be without suspended midfielder Marco Donadel and injured trio Mario Santana, Stevan Jovetic and Sebastien Frey.

 

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