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| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
PARMA  Mirante Zaccardo, Paletta, LucarelliBiabiany, Valiani, Musacci, Mariga, Modesto Floccari, Giovinco | AC MILAN  Abbiati Zambrotta, Bonera, Thiago Silva, Mesbah Nocerino, Ambrosini, Muntari Emanuelson Ibrahimovic, El Shaarawy |
After a promising start under Roberto Donadoni following his appointment in early January, Parma have slowed down significantly, but some positive news for the coach is he will be able to count on recovered first-choice goalkeeper Antonio Mirante and striker Sergio Floccari from the starting whistle.
Young midfielder Gianluca Musacci should be in the first XI also after shaking off a thigh problem while Daniele Galloppa and left-back Massimo Gobbi are expected to be fit enough to make the bench. However former Juventus winger Raffaele Palladino continues to work on a separate training programme and is unlikely to feature.
Meanwhile, AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri will have to deal with the loss of right-back Ignazio Abate, who will be sidelined for 15 days due to a thigh problem, so veteran Gianluca Zambrotta should step in as Daniele Bonera will play in the centre alongside Thiago Silva due to the absences of Alessandro Nesta, who is injured, and Philippe Mexes, who is serving the final match of his suspension for a punch on Marco Borriello.
In midfield, the returning Clarence Seedorf and Alberto Aquilani, the latter having made a couple substitute appearances in Serie A and the Champions League recently, are in contention to start while Mark van Bommel could be given a rest.
Further forward on the pitch, strikers Maxi Lopez and Robinho (the Brazilian picked up a minor knock in training) will be evaluated by the medical staff but both are unlikely to be risked with the second leg of their Coppa Italia tie with Juventus coming up, meaning Stephan El Shaarawy should line up beside the in-form Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- 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.
Prediction
Given these are team heading in opposite directions at the moment, with the hosts' form stuttering and the visitors going strong, a Rossoneri win seems the most likely outcome also keeping in mind that Milan have put four past Parma in each of the last two occasions they have faced one another in league play.
Editor's Prediction
Parma 1-3 Milan 
