Beckham and Toni eye openers in Italy

High-profile new arrivals David Beckham and Luca Toni will be aiming to be in the thick of the action for AC Milan and AS Roma respectively when the Italian league restarts after the winter break on Wednesday.

England midfielder Beckham is expected to start on the bench and come on at some point for second-placed Milan in their home game against Genoa after returning to the club on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy following a successful stint at the San Siro last season.

Beckham is in Italy until the end of the campaign to get the top level football needed to push for a place in Fabio Capello's England World Cup squad.

Since he left last year, Milan have changed coach and system of play, and some pundits are unsure how he will fit into new boss Leonardo's 4-2-1-3 formation. There has even been speculation he could be used at full-back with Massimo Oddo out through injury, a prospect that does not scare the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man.

"The system has changed. It will take some time to understand this new system, but not much," he told a press conference last week.

"I'd be happy to play in any role, even in goal. I'm a versatile midfielder and this will help me in any position."

The 34-year-old will have been boosted by the praise of Milan's medical staff for his fitness after concerns that he might still be hampered by the ankle problem that troubled him in the run-up to the Galaxy's defeat to Real Salt Lake in November's Major League Soccer Cup final.

ROME, AFP