MILAN - Seven-time winner AC Milan is in the unfamiliar position of being the overwhelming underdog when it hosts Atletico Madrid in the first leg of its Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday. Ian Cole Jersey . Atleticos best finish in the competition is runner-up 40 years ago but it is top of the Spanish league along with Barcelona and Real Madrid, and qualified from its group with an almost perfect record — slipping in a 1-1 draw at Zenit St. Petersburg. Milan is going through another transitional year and is under the guidance of inexperienced coach Clarence Seedorf. The Italian team is further hampered by injuries and suspensions. Despite its difficulties, Milan is the only Italian team to progress to the knockout stages. Can it pull off a shock? Here are five things to know about the match: KAKA CONCERN: Talismanic AC Milan playmaker Kaka expects to be fully fit in time. Kaka recovered from the flu to play in Fridays 1-0 victory over Bologna but had to be replaced 10 minutes from time after injuring his right ankle. The Brazilian returned to training on Monday. "After Fridays win, were confident and ready for Wednesday," said Kaka, who scored against Celtic in the group stage. AC Milan is without Sulley Muntari and captain Riccardo Montolivo, who are both suspended, and Stephan El Shaarawy, Valter Birsa, Robinho and Bryan Cristante, who are all injured. Cristian Zapata is also doubtful with injury. New signing Keisuke Honda is cup tied, having played in the Champions League this season for CSKA Moscow. MILAN MISERY: AC Milan looks to the Champions League as a welcome distraction from its domestic woes. Milan lies ninth in the Serie A after the exact same number of wins, draws and defeats — eight. Its mediocre form got coach Massimiliano Allegri sacked at the beginning of the year, and former player Clarence Seedorf replaced him. It is the 37-year-olds first managerial experience. However, Seedorf knows the tournament better than most. The Dutchman lifted the trophy the last time Milan won the competition, in 2007, and is the only player to have won the league with three different clubs — Ajax, Real Madrid and Milan twice. "They are favourites in every area, but the Champions League is something different," Seedorf said. "I am confident but it will be difficult. We need to have a very great game. "The 2007 Champions League represents the characteristics of this tournament. You can give so much more if you are all together. That year we werent at the highest level, but we changed in the Champions League. We have to do so again now." SAN SIRO STAGEFRIGHT? Atletico will be relieved goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will play after a recent dip while the Belgium goalie was sidelined by injury. Courtois has been instrumental in helping Atletico share the lead in the Spanish league and for finishing the league group stage undefeated. The first leg away will not daunt Atletico, their goalkeeper insists. "We wont be intimidated by (the San Siro). Weve already managed good results at difficult stadiums such as Sevilla, or Bilbao," Courtois said. "We also went into the group stage with little experience and succeeded. If we maintain the same intensity as we have in the league all season we shouldnt have any problems." Courtois expects his teammates to keep Mario Balotelli from breaking out: "Im not sure how well defend against him, Im sure the coach knows, however." ATLETICOS TWO DIEGOS: While David Villa has returned from injury to be available, Atletico will be leaning on a pair of Brazilian Diegos at San Siro. Striker Diego Costa and midfielder Diego Ribas are expected to be key players. Diego Costa recovered his scoring touch in a 3-0 win over Valladolid on Saturday, while Diego Ribas is showing the form of two seasons ago when he helped Atletico win the Europa League. "I like important games like this. Atletico is a big club and we should be playing these types of games," Diego Costa said. "They certainly motivate you, so going to play at the San Siro will be memorable. We can get a result there." SIMEONES MILAN LINK: Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone knows San Siro well. He spent two seasons there as a player with Inter Milan from 1997-99. In that period Inter drew three times against Milan in the league, winning once. It also suffered a hefty 5-0 defeat in the Italian Cup. Also, Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati spent the 2007-08 season on loan at Atletico. Gabriel Landeskog Avalanche Jersey . There will be no Down Under four-peat for Djokovic, as the eighth-seeded Swiss slugger Wawrinka outlasted the second seed 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 at Melbourne Parks Rod Laver Arena in yet another five-set thriller in their burgeoning rivalry. John Wensink Avalanche Jersey . His apology came before a pregame ceremony in which the team honoured its 2004 team that won Bostons first World Series championship since 1918. "I realize that I behaved bad in Boston," Ramirez said. http://www.hockeyavalanche.com/authentic-cale-makar-avalanche-jersey/ .C. Lions. The clubs former starting quarterback, assistant and head coach returned Thursday as its receivers coach.TUKWILA, Wash. - When the collapse began last fall, the Seattle Sounders went from MLS favourites to a crumbling club that obviously needed change. Its the byproduct of having an unrivaled fan base and expectations that anything less than a league title is unacceptable for management. "To be honest it was time. Every couple of years a team is going to have to go through changes to grow and you get a certain amount of time with a certain group of players, and if you dont win you change it," Seattle midfielder Brad Evans said. "Most of the time its your star players you try and change and bring them in with other well-known players around the league and thats just the nature of the game and thats the business part of it. It kind of is what it is and we did lose some big names and some very good players but I think weve brought in some great players to fill in the shoes. And I think the group is a little bit stronger." Seattle will go into the 2014 season with the same belief that anything less than an MLS title is not success. But theyll do it with a completely overhauled roster, the result of the slide at the end of 2013. The question of whether changes were needed stretched from the bottom of the roster all the way up to coach Sigi Schmid. Eventually, general manager Adrian Hanauer and majority owner Joe Roth decided keeping Schmid and remodeling the team was the path Seattle would travel. It wasnt a complete overhaul. Evans is still around. So is Lamar Neagle, Obafemi Martins and rising homegrown star DeAndre Yedlin. Midfielder Osvaldo Alsonso was rewarded with a designated player contract and Seattle is about to get its first full season with Clint Dempsey on the roster. But the names that are gone are notable. U.S. national team striker Eddie Johnson is now with D.C. United. Defensive centre backs Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Patrick Ianni are gone. Midfielder Mauro Rosales is now with Chivas USA. Goalkeeper Michael Gspurning is back in Europe. Its a completely new look for Seattle and only success on the field wwill determine whether the right choices were made. Samuel Girard Jersey. "Its not really up to me what changes we make on the roster but the new guys have been great and very positive," Yedlin said. "They are good players and Im excited to see what they can bring to the team." The additions made by Seattle arent on the same level as the move last summer to bring Dempsey back from Europe. But they could end up being more important. Up front, Seattle brought in veteran striker Kenny Cooper, along with Chad Barrett and Tristan Bowen. In the midfield, Seattle acquired Marco Pappa through allocation when he decided to return to MLS from Europe. Chad Marshall, who played for Schmid in Columbus, was acquired in a trade to anchor the middle of Seattles defence. And former Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei was brought in to compete with 41-year-old Marcus Hahnemann for the starting job. "It is pretty obvious the mentality they are going for," Neagle said. "They want to be more aggressive and a lot more pressure and I think the guys theyve brought in have that same mentality, so its nice. Its easy to get on the same page when you have similar guys on the field." While all the roster changes mean some sort of acclimation period, how Dempsey fits during his second season will be watched closely early in the year. His first few months with Seattle late last season were a disappointment as the American star recorded just one goal and one assist in his nine games. Getting fully entrenched as Seattles leader will be difficult this season as well with Dempsey likely getting called away for U.S. national team duties even before training camp for the World Cup in Brazil starts in May. Dempsey may not even be available for Saturdays opener after being called into national team duty for an exhibition match against Ukraine. "Were still getting to know each other. Were still getting to know what the tendencies are of each player, but I like the spirit of the team, I like their attitude," Schmid said. ' ' '