Brief news ahead of this weekend's matches in Serie A:

* Third-placed Milan will be without centre back Alessandro Nesta, who has been in fine form this season after recovering from a career-threatening back injury, in Sunday's home game against Cagliari due to suspension.

Kakha Kaladze is tipped to take his place in the defence as Milan seek to continue their strong form after a poor start, with Daniele Bonera and Oguchi Onyewu injured.

Midfielder Gennaro Gattuso is battling to recover from a thigh problem.

* Cagliari, who are eighth after winning their last four games, visit the San Siro without suspended midfielder Andrea Cossu.

* Dejan Stankovic may move to a more advanced position for Inter Milan at Bologna tomorrow to fill in for injured playmaker Wesley Sneijder.

Teenage full back Davide Santon will be out for at least 40 days, media reported, after having surgery on a knee injury he suffered in Italy's 4-0 win over Luxembourg in a European Under-21 championships qualifier on Tuesday.

* Amauri will be available after a suspension for second-placed Juventus, who trail Inter by five points, for Sunday's clash with Udinese in Turin.

He could be used as the lone striker in Juve's new 4-2-3-1 formation with fit-again captain Alessandro Del Piero on the wing.

* Udinese travel to Turin with problems in attack, as Serie A's top scorer Antonio Di Natale is suspended and Alexis Sanchez and Simone Pepe are unlikely to be fit.

* Roma's Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi has been dismissed from hospital after treatment for kidney stones, the 13th-placed club said, but he is unlikely to take part in Sunday's home game against Bari.