Looking ahead to tonight’s Champions League match …

Kick-off: 19-45 at the San Siro, Milan.

Team News and Preview
The Milan derby is one of the most high-profile derbies in the world of football, some would argue the greatest, and with a place in the semi-finals of the Champions league, tonight’s encounter promises to be special.

Milan will call upon their first choice side, with coach Carlo Ancelloti having this privilage seeing as Andrei Shevchenko has recovered from a fractured cheekbone. The Ulkranian is back, ready and willing to cause damage. It will be interesting to see what formation Ancelloti goes with tonight; the formidable Kaka will probably play behind a Shevchenko and either the in-form Crespo or prolific Inzaghi. Either way the Rossoneri of Milan will have a strong team to choose from.

Inter have major injury concerns over the veteran Christian Vieri and Brazillian ace Adriano, who are both suffering from minor knocks. It looks like coach Roberto Mancini may opt for Obefemi Martins in a lone striker’s role, although he also has the possibility of calling upon Julio Ricardo Cruz.

Mancini could call upon both forwards, which would probably see Killy Gonzalez dropping to the substitutes bench. Another major doubt is Ivan Cordoba, while Edgar Davids and Alvaro Recoba are definite absentees.

Milan forward Kaka admitted he was feeling nervous about facing inter-city rivals.

“I haven’t felt this kind of tension since that day in Yokohama before the World Cup final in 2002,” he revealed.

“But back then I knew I wasn’t going to start the match and that won’t be the case on Wednesday.

“The build-up to this match has been intense and I expect it to be a real tough battle.”

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini added: “We know we’ll have to play a great match.

“I’d pay a lot to be able to play this game, there’s nothing better than a derby, a Champions League quarter-final derby.

“Inter are a solid team and can do well if they manage to stay calm.

Team news:
Inter (from): Toldo, Javier Zanetti, Cordoba, Materazzi, Mihajlovic, Favalli, Veron, Cristiano Zanetti, Cambiasso, Stankovic, Cruz, Martins, Adriano.

Milan (from): Dida, Cafu, Maldini, Nesta, Stam, Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf, Kaka, Crespo, Shevchenko, Inzaghi.