AC Milan's season hangs on Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final, second leg against Olympique Lyon after defeat in Serie A on Saturday effectively ended their Italian title hopes.
A largely second-string Milan lost 1-0 to Lecce, leaving them trailing leaders Juventus by nine points with six matches to play, and now the focus is entirely on their bid to reach their third Champions League final in four seasons.
The six-times European champions won the competition in 2003 and were beaten by Liverpool on penalties in last year's dramatic final.
Last week's first leg in Lyon ended goalless leaving Milan needing a victory as a scoring draw would send the French side through on the 'away goals' rule.
At Lecce, Milan were unable to convert a series of chances in the first half, replicating their poor finishing from the first leg against Lyon, but Ancelotti is refusing to read too much into those two goalless performances.
"We are just in a moment when things aren't going for us. On Tuesday we will be fired up for the return game with Lyon and the team will be quite different," added Ancelotti.
Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko and Italy international Filippo Inzaghi were both rested for the Lecce game and are likely to start against Gerard Houllier's side with Brazilian Kaka, who also sat out the defeat, playing just behind the front two.
Ancelotti's injury problems in defence have eased with Brazilian Cafu and captain Paolo Maldini both featuring at Lecce and in contention for Tuesday's match at the San Siro.
Dutch defender Jaap Stam, who has been struggling with a calf injury, is also back in training and is hopeful he could be fit in time to start at right back.
Lyon, who have never made the last four in the Europe's main club competition, secured a direct Champions League spot for next season when a Tiago header earned them a 1-0 win at strugglers Troyes in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
MORE CONFIDENT
Houllier also rotated his squad with striker Sylvain Wiltord and defenders Cris, Eric Abidal and Francois Clerc all rested.
Once again, France goalkeeper Gregory Coupet, who foiled Milan in the first leg, was in outstanding form but Tiago is suspended for the return after a stoppage-time foul on Kaka at the Stade Gerland.
Key Brazilian midfielder Juninho will return from suspension however.
Lyon are unbeaten away from home for the past 13 months in the French league and have not been beaten on the road in the Champions League since a defeat by Manchester United in November 2004.
"We have to be confident. When away from Gerland, we've always scored (in this season's Champions League)," said Houllier.
But Lyon have struggled for goals recently having only netted twice in their last three games and Brazilian striker Fred could be handed his second start in this season's Champions League, pushing Norway's John Carew on to the bench.
"I've heard my players saying they were more confident after than before the first leg. There is a hope, for sure," added club chairman Jean-Michel Aulas.
Probable teams:
AC Milan: 1-Dida; 31-Jaap Stam, 13-Alessandro Nesta, 4-Kakha Kaladze, 27-Serginho; 8-Gennaro Gattuso, 21-Andrea Pirlo, 20-Clarence Seedorf; 22-Kaka; 7-Andriy Shevchenko, 9-Filippo Inzaghi.
Olympique Lyon: 1-Gregory Coupet; 2-Francois Clerc, 3-Cris, 5-Claudio Cacapa, 20-Eric Abidal; 26-Benoit Pedretti, 8-Juninho, 7-Mahamadou Diarra, 10-Florent Malouda; 22-Sylvain Wiltord, 11-Fred.
Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway)
(Additional reporting by Julien Pretot in Paris)
