A tale of two moods in Milan
Whisper it but whisper it anyway, Andriy Shevchenko can score.
He did it on Thursday when the Ukrainian finally found the net again for the only goal of the game in AC MilanâÂÂs UEFA Cup win at FC Zurich.
Maybe now we can start to lay off with the jokes that the only thing he could hit was a golf ball and that he liked nothing better than giving footballs away by kicking them into the stands.
HeâÂÂs from Ukraine where apparently they arenâÂÂt big on laughing out loud, but even he cracked a smile when someone hollered âÂÂforeâ as he was about to shoot during a recent training session.
Sheva scores... no really
It was all smiles again in Switzerland and plenty of relief too for the 32-year-old who had already missed an absolute sitter in the first two minutes.
âÂÂEvery time there seemed to be something stopping me from scoring,â he said afterwards without a trace of irony.
Yeah, your feet, Andriy. Okay, we are going to stop with the cheap shots. Oops, there we go again.
Suddenly itâÂÂs all going swimmingly for Carlo Ancelotti: Sheva back on target, Pato finally living up to his reputation - the coach is spoilt for choice in attack.
Then, there is that little love-in developing between Ronaldinho and Clarence Seedorf.
Strutting around like the football dandies they are, in the derby and then in Zurich, the pair have been playing âÂÂletâÂÂs keep the ball to ourselves.âÂÂ
Seedorf and Ronnie: Yet to set a date...
Ricky Kaka has been trying to join in but being of a more puritan bent, he would like everyone to benefit from the fruits of their hard labour â and even passed the ball to Rino Gattuso.
Wild times ahead then for the Rossoneri and even better news at the back where that darling of the Italian female, Alessandro Nesta, is finally back in training and should be available after the international break.
Not so smiley-happy in the Inter camp though. If Milan are a Hollywood feel-good movie then the champs are a homage to film noir with Jose Mourinho the perfect anti-hero.
The long faces around the camp wonâÂÂt look out of place in an early Bergman flick either. On the bright side itâÂÂs certainly cheered the rest of us up.
Get ready for the âÂÂBring back Mancioâ banners if the San Siro public are treated to another bore at the weekend against Bologna.
Honeymood period already over for Jose's Inter
Only Napoli failed to make it a clean sweep in the UEFA Cup although Udinese needed penalties to see off Dortmund.
Puzzling to say the least that Edy Reja should take off his most dangerous striker Ezequiel Lavezzi when Napoli were 1-0 down at Benfica with still half-an-hour to play.
The little Argentine looked full of running and well capable of producing something out of the blue.
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As it stands the Neapolitans will have to pick themselves up for a tough old encounter at Genoa to maintain their unbeaten record: mark that one down as a home win.
In the pick of other games over the weekend, Lazio to remain on top with three points and three goals at home to Lecce.
Milan to defeat Cagliari by a couple, AS Roma to implode at Siena, 1-0 to Inter against Bologna plus jeers, another draw for Juventus at home to Palermo and Fiorentina to remain goal-shy at Chievo in a draw.
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