Abate flags penalty doubts

31 October 2012 15:17

AC Milan defender Ignazio Abate has questioned referee Nicola Rizzoli's decision to award Palermo a penalty in the teams' 2-2 draw.

Rizzoli pointed to the spot in the dying seconds of the first half on Tuesday, after Abate touched the ball with his hand inside the area, and the Italy international feels the official's decision was a harsh one.

"The penalty was dubious," Abate was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

"It indeed hit my hand, but there was no movement of my arm towards the ball. I think it was a bit generous."

The decision came just a matter of days after Rizzoli caused controversy by disallowing a Catania goal in their defeat to Juventus on Sunday.

Abate was quick to move on from the incident and stressed Milan must keep on working hard as they look to resurrect their season.

"We're all on the same page and we have to keep on going like this," he said.

"We must focus on the match against Chievo now."

Milan sit ninth on the Serie A table, with 11 points from 10 games played.

Allegri content with point

31 October 2012 02:45

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri praised his side's never-say-die attitude as they recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Palermo.

Goals from Riccardo Montolivo and Stephan El Shaarawy cancelled out strikes from Palermo's Fabrizio Miccoli and Franco Brienza as Milan salvaged a point in Tuesday's Serie A clash.

"Yes, I'm satisfied with the result," Allegri said. "At the end of the game, we had the chance to turn the draw into a victory.

"The players were great in believing we could make it and pulling back two goals, and they played an excellent second half."

Allegri reserved praise for a number of influential players, including in-form striker El Shaarawy who netted his seventh league goal of the season.

"Montolivo, El Shaarawy, Bojan (Krkic) and (Urby) Emanuelson, you can see on the pitch that they have quality. When you play every three days, the changes are necessary.

"I'm sorry for the players that they didn't win but the draw is acceptable here tonight," he said.

Despite his side's second-half heroics, the pressure will firmly remain on Allegri with Milan performing below expectations and sitting in mid-table after just three wins from their opening 10 league games.

Serie A: Palermo 2 Milan 2

30 October 2012 23:43

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri may have earned a stay of execution after his side fought from behind for a 2-2 draw with Palermo.

The embattled coach has been under severe pressure after a lacklustre start to his side's Serie A campaign and the Italian giants appeared headed for more misery after trailing 2-0 in Tuesday's clash with Palermo at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

The hosts scored through a Fabrizio Miccoli penalty and Franco Brienza's goal either side of half-time.

However, Milan fought back late in the second half, earning a hard-fought draw through late goals from Riccardo Montolivo and in-form youngster Stephan El Shaarawy.

Although Palermo enjoyed most of the early possession the opening-half was a dour, defensive affair as both sides tested each other out.

But just as it appeared they would head to half-time without a goal being scored, Ignazio Abate was penalised for his handball in the area, allowing Miccoli to fire his side into the lead from the spot.

Within 90 seconds of the re-start, Brienza doubled the advantage, stunning AC Milan with a long-range strike from 25 metres.

But Allegri's decision to bring Bojan Krkic off the bench proved a masterstroke as he tested Palermo stopper Samir Ujkani in the 58th minute before teeing up Montolivo for Milan's first goal 11 minutes later.

With 10 minutes remaining in the match, El Shaarawy saved Milan's blushes with a classy turn and strike for goal from 10 metres, the ball creeping in to score, possibly saving Allegri's position for one more week.

The result sees AC Milan climb to eighth on the table as Palermo remain 16th.

Pato predicts bright future for El Shaarawy

30 October 2012 09:54

Alexandre Pato has praised Stephan El Shaarawy and believes the Italy international has what it takes to become an AC Milan great.

The 20-year-old has been in sublime form for the Rossoneri in the opening months of the 2012-13 campaign, netting six goals in nine Serie A appearances.

And Pato hopes his team-mate can keep up his fine form.

"El Shaarawy is still growing and he is a great player. He is on the right track and I hope he can do very well at Milan," Pato told Sportmediaset.

Reflecting on the weekend's win over Genoa, the Brazilian attacker admitted that Milan did not have an easy game.

"We struggled against Genoa, but the most important thing was to bag the full three points after some disappointing results," he said.

"We must forget about our previous results and focus on the future. We have to keep working hard in training, and try and get a good result against Palermo (on Tuesday)."

Milan currently sit 11th in the Serie A table with 10 points from nine games.

Serie A preview: AC Milan aim for consecutive wins

29 October 2012 07:25

AC Milan could secure back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they make the trip to Palermo on Tuesday.

Milan ended their run of three successive defeats in all competitions and gave under-fire manager Massimiliano Allegri some much needed breathing space following their 1-0 triumph against Genoa.

Exciting prospect Stephan El Shaarawy continued his stellar start to the season with the only goal of the match, making him the Serie A's joint leading scorer with six goals alongside Edinson Cavani and Miroslav Klose.

The 18-time Italian champions have become dependent on El Shaarawy's exploits in front of goal, with Giampaolo Pazzini yet to score since his hat-trick for Milan on September 2 and they will be counting on him to fire against a Palermo outfit unbeaten in four league games.

Since kicking off the season in dour fashion, which saw Palermo fail to win any of their five opening fixtures, Gian Piero Gasperini's men have mounted a charge up the table, although they've been held to two successive scoreless draws.

Inter Milan will look to claim a sixth victory in succession against a freefalling Sampdoria outfit.

Rivals Milan and Fiorentina have been some of Inter's scalps in recent weeks as the club surged up the table and into third, four points adrift of reigning champions and league leaders Juventus, who play host to lowly Bologna.

And with promoted Sampdoria enduring a torrid time, having lost four league games on the bounce, a successful night at the Giuseppe Meazza is expected for Andrea Stramaccioni's team.

Napoli travels to Atalanta and they will need to improve on their finishing in the attacking third or risk surrendering second spot.

Gokhan Inler and Goran Pandev were guilty of fluffing a number of opportunities against Chievo before Marek Hamsik netted the all-important goal.

In other fixtures on Wednesday, fourth-placed Lazio will be aiming to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat at Fiorentina when they do battle with Torino, while Cagliari host basement boys Siena at the Stadio Nereo Rocco.

Roma let a two-goal lead slip at home to Udinese as they fell to a woeful 3-2 loss and they face another difficult task against Parma, with just two points separating the two sides.

Relegation candidates Pescara and Chievo do battle for the first time since 2001, when both clubs were fighting for promotion in the Serie B and Francesco Guidolin's Udinese, fresh from their stunning comeback against Roma, entertain Catania.

Meanwhile, Thursday's only match pits fifth-placed Fiorentina against Genoa.