Donadoni's Livorno dare to dream

Milan memories
Tonight, AC Milan, the club Donadoni graced with such distinction for ten years of his playing career, winning five league titles and three European Champion Clubs' Cups, travel to the Armando Picchi stadium. Livorno are unbeaten in nine games, have won the last three, and will try to repeat last term's 1-0 victory over the Rossoneri to join their opponents on 34 points.

'Special place in my heart'
"The match against Milan is always special for me," said Donadoni. "I spent some fantastic years there and Milan will always have a special place in my heart. We know it will be very difficult for us but we will try to beat them as we did last season. Milan are a great side and [Donadoni's former team-mate Carlo] Ancelotti is a very good coach. I don't believe Milan are already out of the Scudetto race, even if they are nine points behind Juventus."

Spinelli praise
Meanwhile, Livorno president Aldo Spinelli has only words of praise for Donadoni following their brilliant start to the campaign: "I think he has something of [Arrigo] Sacchi and something of [Fabio] Capello, his coaches as a player. But he doesn't have to join a big club too quickly, though sooner or later he will follow the footsteps of Ancelotti, Sacchi and Capello - he is a great coach like them."

Coco comeback
Donadoni is not the only Milan old boy to make his mark at Livorno. Left-back Francesco Coco, considered the new Paolo Maldini when he made his Serie A debut with the Rossoneri aged 18, is finally playing regularly at this level after two dark seasons at FC Internazionale Milano in which he appeared only six times. "I want to thank Livorno and Donadoni because they have allowed me to prove many people wrong," said the 28-year-old, who has been capped 17 times by Italy. "I'm just aiming to return to how I was before my back injury and get back into the national team."

Protti honoured
Before tonight's game, the Livorno fans will celebrate a former hero, Igor Protti, who scored 119 league goals for the club before hanging up his boots last summer. Livorno have retired the No10 shirt in his honour. "My former team-mates are doing something extraordinary," the 38-year-old Protti said. "I have no regrets at leaving football just ahead of this fantastic season - I'm only happy for the team and I believe the dream of playing in Europe can soon become a reality."