Milan pair have point to prove

AC Milan forwards Filippo Inzaghi and Andriy Shevchenko are out to prove that they can play together, starting with tonight's UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg against AFC Ajax.

Onus on front two
Milan take on Ajax at the San Siro needing to seize the initiative in the tie after a goalless draw in Amsterdam and so the onus is firmly on the recently established front two, paired together for the past six weeks following Rivaldo's loss of form.

Under fire
Both are international-class strikers, yet they have been accused of being too alike to play in tandem. Inzaghi, for one, insists the criticism is unfair and is hoping to prove everyone wrong against Ajax. "It is not true that Shevchenko and I can't play together, that we are incompatible," he said. "We can form a very potent partnership and we hope to show that against Ajax."

'We can play together'
Shevchenko, for his part, said: "We can play different roles and, therefore, play together. It is important that we don't interfere with each other's space and if that means that I have to drop a bit deeper or to the side then I will have to do that. I am enjoying learning new things and I am also pleased if I am doing something that is helping the team."

Goals scarce
Carlo Ancelotti's men have scored just five times in their last seven European games, however, and Shevchenko and Inzaghi have managed just a goal apiece since the beginning of the second group stage in November.

Stop-start season
Shevchenko, in particular, has had a stop-start season which only began in October after knee ligament surgery. He has scored just twice in this season's Champions League, including the only goal in the home win over Real Madrid CF. Instead it has fallen to Inzaghi to contribute the lion's share of Milan's goals - 26 in all competitions including nine in the Champions League, but none in Europe since December.

Domestic disappointment
After falling nine points off the Serie A summit with Saturday's 1-0 defeat against Empoli FC, Inzaghi is desperate to prevent further disappointment in Europe. "We are extremely angry after the defeat by Empoli at the weekend and we just want to get out there and play against Ajax now.

Injury list
"We can take comfort from the fact that we have always played well in the big games, against the big teams, so far this season and the game against Ajax is just that because they are a young, but very good team." Inzaghi cannot explain why Milan have failed against the 'smaller' teams, but stresses there will be no slip-up tonight, despite a growing injury list which deprives them of Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, and probably Serginho.

'Something special'
"There is something special about the Champions League and when you play in a quarter-final there is no way you are going to feel tired or sore," he said. "Playing in this competition is unique and we want to carry on playing in this year's edition for as long as we can." A goal or two from Inzaghi or Shevchenko would go a long way to ensuring they do just that.