Milan vs Atalanta Serie A
Serie A returns after its winter break on Monday afternoon and AC Milan will be hoping that 2014 is far more prosperous than the previous 12 months.
They play host to Atalanta at the San Siro, with just one point and two places separating the sides in the table.
Milan are 13th, having amassed just 19 points from their first 17 fixtures. Consequently, the seven-time European champions are just five points above the relegation zone.
They won't have new signing Keisuke Honda available for the clash because the Asian Player of the Year's registration has not yet been finalised, while loanee addition Adil Rami is expected to start among the substitutes.
As for Atalanta, they have been tipped to begin the encounter with German Denis as a lone centre-forward.
When these two teams last met in Milan back in September 2012, the visitors claimed all three points thanks to a 1-0 victory.
Allegri verified ahead of Monday's game against Atalanta that this will be his last time of the year in charge of the Rossoneri.Allegri, who connected Milan in the summer of 2010 from Cagliari, has endured a tough crusade with the San Siro outfit.Milan have won just four times in 17 Serie A games and begin 2014 in 13th place, 27 points behind association managers Juventus.
Of course this is my last Christmas at AC Milan,'' he notified AC Milan.com. ``I seem very fortunate to have had the chance to direct an important association like Milan.We are very acrid with our present location in the association standings and now we need to give our best in alignment to ascend up in the table.There are still a allotment of sport left to play.''
The Rossoneri are still living in the Champions association, where they will face Atletico Madrid in the last 16 next month.furthermore, the Rossoneri face Spezia in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia on January 15 and that looks to be their best likelihood to identify for European affray next time of the year.
In the meantime, Milan take on Atalanta looking to turn their fortunes round with Allegri's brim having won just one of their last nine league sport and heading into the game on the back of a 1-0 turn around at the hands of arch competitors Inter Milan.Atalanta could leapfrog Milan in the standings as they are just two locations and one issue behind the Rossoneri going into the meet.
Atalanta lost 4-1 to Juventus in the last aaround and have mustered just one win on the street this season, but Stefano Colantuono's men stay optimistic of earning a positive conclusion arrive Monday.