Rome: While Juventus have boosted their attack with the arrival of Marco Borriello, Serie A co-leaders AC Milan are full of questions as the Italian league starts up again this weekend after a 16-day winter break.
As negotiations drag on with Manchester City for the possible transfer of Carlos Tevez, Milan are now doing their best to deflect speculation that Alexandre Pato wants to rejoin Carlo Ancelotti at Paris Saint-Germain.
"There's nothing definitive on Pato, apart from the fact that he'll stay with Milan - at least until the end of the season - I think," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said after none other than Pato scored in a 1-0 win over PSG in a friendly in Dubai on Wednesday.
Juve and Milan are each two points in front of unsung Udinese, while Lazio are fourth, four points off the lead.
Juventus visit last-placed Lecce this weekend while Milan play at Atalanta, who are at the center of Italy's latest match-fixing scandal.
A week later, Milan face Inter in the Milan derby.
"Tevez is a great player but I miss (Antonio) Cassano," Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic said, referring to the Italy forward who is out long-term following minor heart surgery.
While they haven't made any acquisitions on the transfer market yet, Milan have welcomed back midfielder Gennaro Gattuso after four months out with a nerve problem with his left eye.
And despite all the transfer speculation, there was optimism at Milan's winter training camp in Dubai.
"This is going to be our year, although it's going to be a close duel with Juventus for the title," Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng said in the United Arab Emirates. "There's a great climate here and we've worked hard to prepare for the second part of the season."
Juventus also traveled to Dubai and upon their return to Italy were joined by Borriello on loan from Roma.
Borriello scored 17 goals in all competitions for Roma last season but fell out of favor under new Roma coach Luis Enrique, with no goals in seven appearances this season. At Juventus, Borriello joins an already-potent attack, with his strike partner from last season at Roma, Mirko Vucinic, plus Alessandro Matri, Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Del Piero.
"Having a lot of players isn't a problem," Juve coach Antonio Conte said. "At least it shouldn't be in a club that is thinking large. Competition should create motivation."
Juventus are also reportedly interested in signing midfielder David Pizarro from Roma and defender Martin Caceres from Sevilla before the transfer window closes.
"The fight for the title isn't just between us and Milan," Conte said. "Napoli, Lazio, Inter and Udinese are also in the running. It's going to be a long, tough battle."
Inter had a miserable start to the season that saw manager Giampiero Gasperini quickly replaced by Claudio Ranieri, but the Nerazzurri won their final three matches of 2011 and lie fifth, eight points back.
Inter are hoping Wesley Sneijder returns for the derby, with the Netherlands playmaker out since straining a muscle in his right leg during the pre-match warm-up for Inter's 2-1 win over Cagliari on November 19.
Another Inter player who missed most of this season so far, striker Diego Forlan, injured his left ankle in training on Wednesday and could miss a match against Parma at the San Siro on Saturday.
Udinese host Cesena this weekend, Lazio visit Siena and Napoli play at Palermo.
While Napoli's success in the Champions League has contrasted with struggles in the league, the southern club is hoping for more balance following the signing of Chile forward Eduardo Vargas from Universidad de Chile.
The 22-year-old Vargas scored 32 goals in 77 matches in all competitions for Universidad over the past two seasons and also scored twice for Chile in a 3-2 loss to World Cup holder Spain in a friendly in September.
Roma, meanwhile, lost their leading scorer this season, Pablo Osvaldo, to a suspected right thigh muscle tear in training on Wednesday, and fear the Argentine-born Italy striker could be out long-term. Osvaldo's injury came days after Roma agreed to loan forward Borriello to Juventus.
Another forward switching clubs during the break was Alberto Gilardino, who transferred from Fiorentina to Genoa.
Genoa also have a new coach, with Pasquale Marino replacing Alberto Malesani at the start of the break to mark the 10th coaching change in Serie A since August.
Also this weekend, it's - Bologna vs Catania; Cagliari vs Genoa; Novara vs Fiorentina; and Roma vs Chievo Verona.
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