We´re back on track, says Milan boss Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti insisted Saturday that AC Milan are back on track after a run of five wins and a draw in six games in all competitions since losing their opening two league games of the season.

Milan are eighth in the Serie A table on 10 points but are just three points off the summit despite their nightmare start that saw them lose to Bologna and Genoa.

They also welcome back a trio of injured players for Sunday's visit of Sampdoria with centre-back Alessandro Nesta and forwards Filippo Inzaghi and Marco Borriello all back to full fitness.

On top of that, Ronaldinho, who was left out of the Brazil squad for the recent internationals, had a chance to work on his conditioning.

“Now we're back on track. We've got some important players back and Ronaldinho has benefitted from the international break to imporve his fitness,” said Ancelotti.

“Nesta will start on the bench but he's getting better, he'll probably come on during the course of the match.

“I'm not going to reveal my line-up but I can tell you that in defence we will start with (Luca) Antonini, (Daniele) Bonera, (Paolo) Maldini and (Marek) Jankulovski.”

That means no place in the side for Italy's Gianluca Zambrotta and Georgia's Kakha Kaladze, the latter is injured and the former suspended.

Milan are up against one of this season's most under-performing sides, though, as Sampdoria have yet to register a league victory, despite firing on all cylinders in the UEFA Cup.

But Ancelotti is not reading too much into current form.

“I don't take any team lightly, even less so a team which is having difficulties because they could bounce back at any time,” he added.

“Sampdoria are very well organised and have always played well.”

Ancelotti also said he would be open to the possibility of former England captain David Beckham training at Milan during the MLS off-season.

Beckham trained at Chelsea last time his club LA Galaxy were on their holidays as he bid to keep in shape to represent his country.

“If Beckham wants to train with us that wouldn't be a problem for me. I can confirm that during one summer we tried to bring him to Milan but we didn't succeed,” said Ancelotti.