The Rossoneri are unbeaten in the last seven and have won four of the last five, but lie seven points off the pace set by city rivals and defending champions Inter Milan.

The run has been punctuated by the international break, which saw Italy draw 0-0 with Holland and beat Sweden 1-0, while Italy's rugby team hosted New Zealand at the San Siro in front of 77,000 fans.

Football returns to the fabled arena on Sunday, with Milan eager to carry the momentum from their 2-1 defeat of Lazio in their most recent Serie A fixture.

"The club teams are coming back on the pitch and we want to continue the positive run after our last matches," defender Gianluca Zambrotta told the club's official website.

Zambrotta insists Milan's attacking approach, which has yielded 10 goals in the last five games, will continue.

He added: "We are playing in a system that allows us to create a lot, we attack with more men.

"Attacking play has always been Milan's philosophy.

"For us wingers, also, it's very important having reference points on the same flank, like it often happens for me with Ronaldinho."

Gennaro Gattuso is battling a thigh problem, while Alessandro Nesta is suspended.

However, Kakha Kaladze has declared himself available for selection following injury to boost a defence which is already without Daniele Bonera and Oguchi Onyewu.

Kaladze said: "I think it's important to always be ready. I'm coming off a serious injury, an operation, I also recovered a bit late compared to the start of the team's official cycle of games.

"Now I'm doing well, I'm available to the coach, he's the one who has to make choices on who plays.

"It wasn't easy for me to come in against Napoli, Nesta's injury was unexpected, but in that circumstance I think I did quite well, as I did against Parma three days later.

"Now for both me and the team it's important to play well, continue the positive series, on Sunday we have to win and earn the three points."

Zambrotta expects Cagliari to provide a stiff challenge to Milan's title aspirations.

"Cagliari are having a good time at the moment, we know it won't be easy on Sunday," he said.

Kaladze added: "We'll have to be careful on Sunday, it won't be easy but we will do everything to win."

Alessandro Matri admits it will be "special" to play the Rossoneri, but he and his Cagliari team-mates will not be fazed by the occasion.

"It's a special game for everyone, not just for me. One can not remain indifferent to Milan," the striker, who began his career at Milan, told his club's official website, www.cagliaricalcio.net.

"How can emerge unscathed from San Siro? We will play our game, without awe. We want to do well."