Ageing AC Milan look for one last heave after reprieve

MILAN, Sep 7 (Reuters) Beaten semi-finalists last season and runners-up in 2005, Carlo Ancelotti's AC Milan were expected to make some major changes this close-season but it will be a largely familiar side that begins the Champions League campaign.

In many ways Milan are fortunate to have a Champions League campaign at all. Implicated and punished for their part in the Serie A match-fixing scandal, UEFA made no secret of the fact they would have banned Milan from the competition if they could have done so.

After a review of the case they reluctantly allowed Milan to take part, and after beating Red Star Belgrade 3-1 in the third qualifying round, Milan will face Lille, AEK Athens and Anderlecht in the Group phase.

Milan have not been as active in the transfer market as the pundits predicted and their fans expected and in particular there has been little done to deal with the problem of their ageing defence.

Most surprisingly of all Milan have not replaced Andriy Shevchenko, their top scorer over the last seven years who was allowed to move to Chelsea.

There is still plenty of quality and experience in Ancelotti's squad but if they are to go all in the way in Europe this season it will be a case of ''one last heave'' rather than the dawn of a new era.

The main worry is whether Milan's experienced defence is now over the hill.

Dutchman Jaap Stam has departed leaving fewer options in the centre of the defence.

Alessandro Nesta has been plagued by injuries while Georgian Kakha Kaladze has also struggled with fitness of late.

Right-back Cafu is 36, captain Paolo Maldini is 38 years old and Alessandro Costacurta is 40.

Two new faces have been brought into to add cover to the defence.

Eyebrows were raised at the signing of 34-year-old former Lazio full back Giuseppe Favalli from Inter but the capture of 25-year-old Daniele Bonera was better appreciated.

The first choice midfield will remain the same. The tigerish Gennaro Gattuso and the classy Andrea Pirlo showed their qualities during Italy's successful World Cup campaign in Germany.

Alongside them Brazilian Kaka and Dutchman Clarence Seedorf will be charged with providing the ammunition for the front pairing of Italy internationals Filippo Inzaghi and Alberto Gilardino.

The new arrival in midfield is highly rated young French midfielder Joann Gourcuff who arrived from Rennes in the close-season and has impressed in several friendlies.

Milan were linked with several big name strikers following Shevchenko's departure but in the end they opted for the Brazilian Ricardo Oliveira from Real Betis.

Oliveira may not have the box office pull of Ronaldo or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, two of their strikers Milan had been linked with, but he was one of the Primera Liga's top scorers in 2005 with 22 goals.

REUTERS PDS ND1846