AC Milan vs Parma preview - Valdes urging vast improvement from Ducali
Posted Wednesday, October 26, 2011 by PA
Parma midfielder Jaime Valdes knows his side face the daunting task of trying to tame defending champions AC Milan at the San Siro on Wednesday.
Milan remain unbeaten at home this season and have won three of their last four games, including Sunday's 4-3 triumph at Lecce.
Given their current form, this run looks unlikely to be broken and Valdes is aware his side will have to be at their best if they are to take anything from the match.
"We will need to be focused from start to finish," Valdes said.
"Milan are very strong and to win a game like this we must be at 100% and they not at their best, but nothing can be discounted as all matches start goalless."
Valdes scored his team's only goal against Atalanta in Sunday's 2-1 defeat.
Franco Colomba's men will have to show a vast improvement with respect to that game as they conceded two goals in the space of three minutes to suffer their fourth loss of the campaign and drop to 14th place in the table.
Milan, meanwhile, go into the encounter inspired by their second-half comeback against Lecce.
The Rossoneri trailed 3-0 at half-time before Kevin-Prince Boateng came off the bench to score a hat-trick and inspire his team to a 4-3 triumph.
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was not impressed with his team's first-half display but preferred to focus on the positives.
"We gave away many goals and played terrible the opening half," he said. "But what matters is the win.
"For us the next two weeks are important and we must have the right approach.
"We need to reduce our deficit with the league leaders."
Milan are seventh, four points behind Serie A leaders Udinese.
The hosts are without injured trio Thiago Silva, Clarence Seedorf and Gennaro Gattuso.
With striker Sergio Floccari out injured, Parma are hoping to top scorer Sebastian Giovinco will recover from flu in time for the game.
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