Milan-Fiorentina showdown for Champions League berth

| Mon, 05/25/2009 - 09:24

AC Milan and Fiorentina will clash in their last match of the season next Sunday and the outcome will determine which side will automatically qualify for the Champions League.
The team what does not qualify will have to take part in a preliminary qualification tournament.
AC Milan had a solid hold on second place before Sunday's home match against AS Roma where it suffered a humiliating 2-3 defeat.
Meanwhile, Juventus of Turin came home from Siena with a 3-0 victory which put it level with Milan but automatically in the Champions League thanks to doing better in their two one-on-one encounters.
In order to avoid a pre-season Champions League play-off, Milan must avoid losing at Fiorentina by two goals or more.
Despite playing before a home crowd on Sunday, Milan found itself contested by its own fans who even raised banners against the team's captain Paolo Maldini, in his last home game before retiring, and club owner Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who fans blame for not spending enough and spending badly.
According to a faction of unhappy fans, while Maldini had been a champion on the field, he failed to show them respect they felt they deserved as supporters.
Speaking after the match, his 901st with the Milan jersey, Maldini played down the criticism and said ''I'm proud not to be like them''.
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti voiced his support for the veteran Milan captain and said the disgruntled fans ''aren't people who love soccer, they just use it''.
Roma's victory over Milan allowed it to join Genoa and Lazio in the future Europa League, which replaces the UEFA Cup.
Lazio, Roma's cross-town rivals, qualified after winning the Italian Cup while Genoa is comfortably in fifth place.
A draw at home against Fiorentina on Sunday put Lecce in Serie B, where it joined Reggina, while the third team to be relegated will be either Torino or Bologna, depending on the outcome of next Sunday's games.
Bologna will host Catania, which on Sunday hammered Napoli 3-1 at home but saw its coach Walter Zenga hand in his resignation, while Torino travels to AS Roma with the hope that their qualification for the Europa League will make them generous.
According to press reports, Zenga will take the helm at Lazio next season.

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