Roma set to test Milan's European ambitions

ROME, Mar 29 (Reuters) AC Milan's ambitions of competing in next season's Champions League will be put to the test when they travel south to play AS Roma on Saturday (kickoff 1930 GMT).

The six-times European champions lie fifth in Serie A on 43 points, four points behind fourth-placed Palermo, who occupy the final Champions League berth. Roma are second on 58 points, 18 behind leaders Inter Milan.

Hampered by an eight-point penalty for match-fixing, Milan made a slow start to the season, but have forced their way up the division thanks to a good run in which they have won six of their last eight games, and lost just once -- a 2-1 defeat by Inter.

Their captain Paolo Maldini predicted the game at the Olympic Stadium -- along with their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich on Tuesday -- would prove crucial in deciding whether their season was a success.

''There are two faces to Milan's season. We're out of the championship, but remain strong contenders in the Champions League,'' the 38-year-old defender told the club's television station Milan Channel.

''This is the moment when we have to show our best. We can't afford to be complacent. We have to lift our game to a higher level than we've done so far.

''In Serie A fourth place is there, just four points away, and it's the minimum target for this team, bearing in mind the penalty points and the way we rushed our pre-season training.'' A recurrent knee problem means Maldini might miss the game against Roma, with Dario Simic ready to step in.

One Milan player who will be especially eager to come away from the Olympic Stadium with a good result is Ronaldo.

During his time at Inter Milan, the Brazilian striker experienced two of the lowest points of his career at the ground, suffering a career-threatening knee injury in an Italian Cup match in 2000 and going down 4-2 to Lazio in the 2001-02 season to lose the Serie A title.

''In the last few days my friends have been keeping me going, because in Rome I either score or I fall to bits,'' he said.

''Now all I want to do is get a goal there, because the Olympic Stadium is a great venue and Roma is a great team. It will be a fantastic match.'' A draw between Milan and Roma would play into the hands of Inter, who host Parma without suspended leading scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Parma lie 19th out of 20 teams, though they managed to drag themselves off the bottom when they beat Siena 1-0 in the last round of matches, their first win in six games under coach Claudio Ranieri.

Third-placed Lazio, meanwhile, will be aiming to notch up their seventh successive Serie A victory by beating Udinese.

Stuttering Palermo, who have earned just nine points in their last 10 matches, take on mid-table Torino.

Reuters SAM GC1014