Barcelona fans are salivating at the prospect of a dream team of attackers after Thierry Henry flew in to join Samuel Eto’o, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp.
 
But Italian newspapers are desperate to show that it is impossible for all four to play together and that one of the original three will have to leave, with AC Milan an obvious destination.
 
Elaborate diagrams showing how Eto’o and Henry would collide with each other and how there would be no defensive cover have been printed in a bid to convince Barca to sell.
 
 ”Milan in the lead for Eto’o,” wrote Gazzetta dello Sport. “After Henry’s arrival, it is too crowded in Barca’s forward line and a bid for Ronaldinho could also be attempted.”
 
Despite Milan’s European Cup success, the Italian press are paranoid that corruption scandals mean Serie A is no longer as highly-regarded as La Liga and the English Premier League.
 
Ronaldo’s move to Milan from Real Madrid last January fuelled fears that top players are now coming to Italy when they are past their best. Henry’s decision to go to Barcelona rather than consider Milan and speculation Kaka might be tempted to go to Real have further undermined confidence.
 
A few squiggles in a newspaper are unlikely to affect Frank Rijkaard’s tactics, and he may rest one of four each week in any case, but Italy is ready for the dream team to become a nightmare.

Mark Meadows, Milan