Defending Italian soccer champions AC Milan begin a crucial phase of their season when they travel to third-placed Udinese this weekend.

Star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic starts a three-match ban on Saturday in a period when second-placed Milan must play the other two top-three teams.

Following their trip to Udine, Milan will host Cesena and leaders Juve in successive league games at the San Siro.

It is a crucial period to be missing their best player and top scorer, especially with fellow forwards Pato and Antonio Cassano also on the sidelines.

It means extra pressure being piled on the shoulders of misfiring Brazilian Robinho, veteran Filippo Inzaghi, youngster Stephan El Shaarawy and new signing Maxi Lopez.

Milan captain Massimo Ambrosini acknowledges that the big Swede, who with 15 in the league has scored more than double the number of goals as all Milan’s other strikers put together, will be sorely missed.

“Ibrahimovic is a fundamental player and it will be important to understand how the team will react to his absence,” he said.

“However, last year, we had some good performances without him.”

The other issue is that Milan host Arsenal in a first leg of the Champions League second round on Wednesday but Amrosini insists they won’t be taking their eyes off Udinese.

Milan are in a mini-slump with two defeats and a draw in their past three games in all competitions.

“What I’m concerned about is the game against Udinese. It’s decisive because we need something different to change things around,” said the captain.

Milan trail Juve by a point in the league, but have played a game more.

Udinese are three points further back but many in Italy believe the title will come down to a shoot-out between the two traditional giants.

And Juve, who travel to Bologna on Sunday, have a psychological advantage having beaten the champions twice already this season, including Wednesday’s 2-1 Italian Cup semi-final first leg success.

Juve captain Alessandro Del Piero believes that game demonstrates his side are ready to go all the way this season, following successive seventh-placed finishes.

“If we still needed proof that we should believe in ourselves and aim to go all the way in all our objectives this season, then the night at the San Siro gives us even more knowledge of our capabilities,” he said on his personal website.

In other games, Inter Milan will be looking to end a three-game winless streak at home to rock-bottom Novara, who have not won in 10 games.