As the summer draws to a close and the season gets closer I will post a season preview as well as a Serie A preview. I would also like to preview Allegri's plan's but at the moment they have yet to take any real shape so we will keep holding on that note. In the meantime here is the fixture list for the upcoming season:
Round 1 - Sunday 29 August, MILAN-LECCE (return 16/01/11)
Sunday 5 September - No matches: European Championships 2012 Qualifiying Round
Round 2 - Sunday 12 September: CESENA-MILAN (return 23/01/11)
15-16 September - First Round Champions League 2010/2011 Group Phase
Round 3 - 19 September: MILAN-CATANIA (return 30/01/11)
Round 4 - 22 September (First midweek round): LAZIO-MILAN (return 02/02/11)
Round 5 - 26 September : MILAN-GENOA (return 06/02/11)
28-29 September - Second Round Champions League 2010/2011 Group Phase
Round 6 - 3 October: PARMA-MILAN (return 13/02/11)
Sunday 10 October - No matches: European Championships 2012 Qualifiying Round
Round 7 - 17 October: MILAN-CHIEVO (return 20/02/11)
19-20 Ottobre - Third Round Champions League 2010/2011 Group Phase
Round 8 - 24 October: NAPOLI-MILAN (return 27/02/11)
Round 9 - 31 October: MILAN-JUVENTUS (return 06/03/11)
3-4 November - Fourth Round Champions League 2010/2011 Group Phase
Round 10 - 7 November BARI-MILAN (return 13/03/11)
Round 11 - 10 November (Second midweek round): MILAN-PALERMO (return 20/03/11)
Round 12 -14 November: INTER-MILAN (return 03/04/11)
Round 13 - 21 November: MILAN-FIORENTINA (return 10/04/11)
23-24 November - Fifth Round Champions League 2010/2011 Group Phase
Round 14 - 28 November: SAMPDORIA-MILAN (return 17/04/11)
Round 15 - 5 December: MILAN-BRESCIA (return 23/04/11)
7-8 December - Sixth Round Champions League 2010/2011 Group Phase
Round 16 - 12 December: BOLOGNA-MILAN (return 01/05/11)
Round 17 - 19 December: MILAN-ROMA (return 08/05/11)
Sunday 26 December and Sunday 2 January - Winter Break
Round 18 - Thursday 6 January 2011 (Third midweek round): CAGLIARI-MILAN (return 15/05/11)
Round 19 - 9 January 2011: MILAN-UDINESE (return 22/05/11)
Our four big games are in bold, but our last three games are not exactly welcoming fixtures with a trip to Rome and Udinese. If you are an optimist and believe Milan will have chance, the season will most likely be won early in the year with the idea of taking at least taking 15 points from the first six games. Look at the bright we have some time to get things sorted before the derby! The past two seasons Milan have started horrendously slow, here is to hoping Allegri can get this team kick started before Week 3.
It is funny that no matter how frustrated I get through the transfer season or with players in the summer, when the fixture list comes out I already start to get that sense of nervousness and maybe even a glimmer of hope. With the first game comes a new beginning for a Coach, a team, and a season. Excited yet?