Cold comfort for winter champions

'Campioni d'inverno'. This is what they are calling AC Milan after they reached the midway point of the Serie A season top of the table following their victory over Piacenza FC yesterday.

Points matter more
That 2-1 win, combined with city rivals Internazionale FC's slip-up at AC Perugia, allowed them to take a three-point advantage after 17 matches, along with the nominal honour of being Italy's winter champion. For Milan's coach, Carlo Ancelotti, it is the points that matter more at this stage of the season.

'A good base'
"I'm more interested in the 39 points we've collected so far than the title, which is neither here nor there," he said. "In these first six months of the season we couldn't have done better, both in Italy and in Europe. Now we've got to do it again but we're starting from a good base and I'm very happy."

Record books augur well
It has been a fine season to date for Milan, who also cruised through the first group stage of the UEFA Champions League and now lead their second-phase group with maximum points. And a look through the record books suggests they have a good chance of staying at the top. In seven of the last ten seasons, the side crowned winter champions went on to win the Scudetto. Since the 1929/30 season, the leaders at this stage have stayed the course 44 times out of 70.

'Fight until the end'
More pertinent may be the statistics that Milan have the best goals-for and goals-against records. Still there is no chance of Ancelotti's men counting their chickens. Only four points separate the top four clubs and Rivaldo, who scored the winner against Piacenza, said: "What is more vital is to be in front at the end of the season. The fight for the Scudetto will be fought until the end."

Close in France
A tight finish is also expected in France, where Olympique de Marseille were crowned 'champion d'automne' in December. Over the last 20 years the midwinter leaders have lasted the course ten times but already Marseille have surrendered top spot, albeit on goal difference from OGC Nice. Not that this means very much in a Ligue 1 table where there are just ten points separating the first 14 teams.

Bayern in pole position
Predictions could prove a little easier in Germany where FC Bayern München entered the winter break as 'herbstmeister', or autumn champion. Bayern, who have no European distractions, sit six points clear of reigning champions BV Borussia Dortmund and SV Werder Bremen.

Positive omens
The omens are positive for Ottmar Hitzfeld's men, whose 1. Bundesliga campaign resumes next weekend. Only once in 39 years has the 'herbstmeister' failed to finish in the top three; moreover, in 27 of those 39 seasons the leaders have gone on to win the title.

Real surprise
Spain's 'campeón de invierno' will be decided next weekend, meanwhile, when Real Sociedad will be guaranteed the honour provided they avoid defeat away by Atlético de Madrid. Real have surprised everybody this season and remain unbeaten with 40 points, three clear of Real Madrid CF and eight ahead of Valencia CF and RC Deportivo La Coruña.

Job only half-done
Only twice in the last ten seasons have the winter champions lost their lead - most recently last season when Madrid were overtaken by Valencia. Unlike their title rivals, Real have no European distractions, though it remains to be seen how they will react to their first setback of the season, when it finally comes. So regardless of what happens next weekend, they, like their counterparts across Europe, will know the job is only half done.