Milan feels the pressure ahead of Anderlecht match

Budget-thinned AC Milan is feeling the pressure ahead of Tuesday's Champions League opener against Belgian side Anderlecht at the San Siro.

Milan slumped to a 1-0 loss to Serie A minnow Atalanta on Saturday - the first time the club has lost its opening two home games in 82 years.

However, despite losing to newly-promoted side Sampdoria and a team which usually fights against relegation, the club's Vice President Adriano Galliani says coach Massimiliano Allegri's job is not in danger.

"Allegri is not in discussion, he should stay calm," Galliani said, after spending Sunday at the club's training ground talking to the coach and the players. "We have to think about getting back our injured players and returning to getting good results, starting already in the Champions League.

"Club president Silvio Berlusconi asked me to stay close to the squad and calm them at this time."

Both of Milan's Brazil forwards Alexandre Pato and Robinho are working their way back from leg muscle injuries and Allegri will want the duo back as soon as possible, with the attack struggling after the sale of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Milan has scored just three goals so far this season. All three came in the away match at Bologna and were scored by Giampaolo Pazzini.

Midfielder Riccardo Montolivo and defender Philippe Mexes are set to return from injury and that could serve as a boost to a team sorely lacking in confidence.

"We have to find ourselves again, it seems as if we don't believe in ourselves. And that we're waiting for events to kick-start us," defender Ignazio Abate said. "With all respect for Atalanta and Samp, it seems that anyone can get a result against us at this time.

"You can't talk about desire. The squad has that. We ran from the first minute to the 95th. It's more a mental problem than a technical one. We have to believe in ourselves more. It's not possible that the departure of two champions should send us into a depression."

Anderlecht knows that this is the best possible time to be facing the seven-time European champion.

"Of course we can get to the knockout stages, why not?" Anderlecht midfielder Ronald Vargas said. "Zenit is a very hard opponent, while Milan doesn't seem so difficult. It's not the same as it was five years ago.

Anderlecht is having its own troubles after more poor finishing saw it held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Lierse at the weekend, failing to close the gap on league leader FC Brugge.

Zenit St. Petersburg has been pinpointed as the main threat in Group C, but the Russian champions is also going through a blip and fell to its second straight loss on Friday, a 2-0 home defeat to title rival Terek Grozny.

It faces Champions League debutants Malaga.

Italian defender Domenico Criscito and Portuguese midfielder Miguel Danny are doubtful for the game after missing Friday's match with injury, while veteran midfielder Sergei Semak is also a doubt.

"I'm confident in my team," Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti said. "Zenit will be completely focused and we will be at the Champions league match at almost full strength.

"Our newcomers Hulk and (Axel) Witsel came in as substitutes on Friday. One should not think that they alone will be able to decide a match but they definitely will help our team."

Despite a tumultuous offseason marked by the sale of key players like Santi Cazorla, Malaga has regrouped and made an excellent start to the Spanish league. The Costa del Sol side beat Levante 3-1 on Saturday to remain undefeated through four rounds with three wins and a draw, leaving it just two points adrift of leader Barcelona.

Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini believes his team can carry over its play into its maiden Champions League game.

"We went on to the pitch full of confidence. I said in the pre-match press conference that our performance today will give us a good indication of what we can achieve on Tuesday," said the Chilean coach. "We're up against a tough team, but we'll try and dominate the match with our game play against Zenit and get through to the next round."