PROBABLE LINE-UPS
AC Milan (4-3-1-2):
Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta; Gattuso, Ambrosini, Seedorf; Boateng; Pato, Ibrahimovic
Massimiliano Allegri will be without a host of players when the champions host Lazio on Friday. Mark van Bommel, Robinho and summer signings Taye Taiwo and Philippe Mexes are sidelined with injuries, while Mathieu Flamini has been ruled out for five months after rupturing ligaments in his knee. Newcomers Alberto Aquilani and Antonio Nocerino could make their Milan debuts but are likely to start from the bench at San Siro.
Lazio (4-2-3-1):
Bizzarri; Konko, Biava, Dias, Radu; Ledesma, Brocchi; Mauri, Hernanes, Cisse; Klose
Giuseppe Sculli and Marius Stankevicius will miss the trip to Milan due to injuries while Federico Marchetti is suspended. Summer acquisitions Djibril Cisse and Miroslav Klose will feature up front for the visitors.
DID YOU KNOW?
AC Milan have succumbed to only one league defeat during the 2011 calendar year.
The San Siro outfit have lost only one Serie A opener in the last 28 seasons.
Massimiliano Allegri's men beat city rivals Inter 2-1 in Beijing to lift the Supercoppa Italiana last month.
The Rossoneri conceded the least amount of goals in Serie A last season (24).
Milan finished the 2010-11 campaign with an eight-game unbeaten streak in the league.
Lazio have held Milan to draws in their last three encounters.
Edy Reja's side kept 14 clean sheets in Serie A last season.
The Stadio Olimpico outfit did not have a player in the top 10 of the goalscoring charts last term.
Stefano Mauri finished joint-fourth for assists in the Italian top flight with nine to his name.
Prediction
Milan will begin the defence of their Scudetto with a slender win courtesy of goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexandre Pato.
Editor's Prediction
AC Milan 2-1 Lazio 
