Milan target Champions League spot next season

MILAN, May 3 (Reuters) AC Milan would rather qualify for next season's Champions League as winners but they have a chance of securing a spot via Serie A on Sunday.

With champions Inter, who visit Messina, having wrapped up the title last month their city rivals take centre stage.

Carlo Ancelotti's Milan, who beat Manchester United 5-3 on aggregate on Wednesday to reach another Champions League final with Liverpool, host Fiorentina as they try to bring themselves back down to earth.

A win for third-placed Milan combined with defeats for fifth-placed Palermo and Empoli in seventh would complete an extraordinary comeback for a side docked eight points at the start of season because of Italy's match-fixing scandal.

''It's the dream of every coach to train a team like this,'' Ancelotti told reporters after Wednesday's emphatic 3-0 semi-final, second leg win.

Fiorentina in sixth are also fighting for a place at Europe's top table and will look to take advantage of a weary Milan team who could again be without Paolo Maldini, who missed the Manchester United clash with a knee injury.

Palermo, who have fallen away after a superb start to the season, are poised for a Milan slip-up and will be hopeful of a good result against a second-placed AS Roma side who have already qualified for one of the four Champions League places.

Surprise package Empoli, who host Catania, also have an outside chance of catching Milan or Lazio in fourth spot.

Lazio, one point behind Milan with 12 more to play for, entertain Livorno and will be boosted by the news that goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi will play until the end of the season despite saying he had quit football after Sunday's derby draw with Roma.

At the bottom, Ascoli will be relegated if they fail to win at fellow strugglers Torino. A 3-3 draw at Catania on Wednesday virtually condemned Ascoli, who must win their four remaining games, hope other results go their way and bag a sack of goals.

The bottom three go down but even Atalanta in ninth are not mathematically safe with four rounds of matches to go. All this weekend's games kick off on Sunday at 1300 GMT.

REUTERS BJR PM1455