Pato Confirmed Out Against Juve

AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti's selection problems have worsened ahead of the vital match against Juventus on Saturday, as Brazilian shooting star Alexandre Pato will definitely have to miss out on the trip to Turin.

The 18-year-old was already forced to sit out last week’s 3-1 win over Cagliari, and has now been completely omitted from the squad-list for a match that could very well decide whether the San Siro giants will be part of the Champions League next year.

“He has not trained at all since last Thursday,” revealed the Rossoneri coach, who will already have to due without the suspended Alessandro Nesta and Kakha Kaladze, as well as Marek Jankulovski, Massimo Oddo and former Juventus midfielder Emerson.

Juventus currently occupy third, six points ahead of Milan, who simply cannot afford any more dropped points in their bid to secure Champions League football next season.

Milan Puzzled By Pato Injury Mystery

Alexandre Pato is no closer to returning to action, and his current injury has left the doctors at Milan puzzled.

The teenager has made a stunning start to his career at San Siro, and has scored seven goals in just 14 Serie A appearances.

However he has been sidelined with a mysterious muscular injury in his adductor muscle, and has missed the games against Cagliari and Juventus.

Milan doctors have undergone tests on the striker, but have been unable to find anything wrong with him.

Pato is still unable to train with the first team, and cannot run, or kick the ball without feeling pain.

This is all a matter of concern to Milan, who will be hoping that there isn’t a repeat of the whole Ronaldo scenario.

Before suffering his serious injury in February, El Fenomeno was also sidelined by a similarly mysterious injury which did not show up in tests.

Pippo Inzaghi will continue to deputise for Pato against Reggina this weekend, and will be hoping to continue his hot-streak, having scored four goals in his last two games.

Pato Returns To Training

Fears over Alexandre Pato’s “mysterious” injury seem to have been allayed for the time being after the young sensation returned to training.

The 18-year-old has been sidelined with a mysterious muscular injury in his adductor muscle, and has been forced to miss the recent games against Cagliari and Juventus.

Milan doctors had undergone tests on the striker, but had been unable to find anything wrong with him.

This was a cause of real concern for the Rossoneri, and some people were inevitably comparing the situation with that of Ronaldo, who earlier this season had also been sidelined by a inexplicable injury which did not show up in medical tests.

However Pato has returned to training for Milan, and the reports are that he is now at 100 per cent fitness.

Filippo Inzaghi was expected to start as Milan’s lone frontman against Reggina this weekend, but Coach Carlo Ancelotti may now have a rethink if Pato is able to play.

The Brazilian signed for the Rossoneri from Internacional last summer, and has made an explosive start to his career in Serie A, scoring seven goals in just 14 appearances.

MILAN-REGGINA

GOALKEEPERS: Dida, Fiori, Kalac, Offredi;

DEFENDERS: Cafu, Digao, Favalli, Kaladze, Nesta, Serginho, Simic;

MIDFIELDERS: Brocchi, Emerson, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Kakà, Pirlo, Seedorf;

STRIKERS: Gilardino, Inzaghi, Pato, Paloschi.

AC Milan 5:1 Reggina - match report

Scorers: Kaka pens 8 and 33, 68 (M), Barreto 40 ®, Inzaghi 73 (M), Pato 89 (M)

Kaka proved he is fully recovered with a magnificent performance and hat-trick in this drubbing of Reggina.

There was no room for error as the Rossoneri needed a win to avoid falling seven points behind Fiorentina. Last week's 3-2 defeat at Juventus was a blow, but even worse was their dismal home form, winning just five times at San Siro. Reggina were on a high after beating Sampdoria 1-0, though they remained in the bottom three and had scored just once in their previous six away games. Curiously, this fixture hadn't ended in a draw for nine editions, since the 2-2 in December 1999.

Alexandre Pato returned from a mysterious muscular injury to sit on the bench, though Daniele Bonera and Massimo Ambrosini were banned with Paolo Maldini, Ronaldo, Marek Jankulovski and Emerson sidelined. Reggina made the trip without Emanuele Cascione, Maurizio Lanzaro and Montiel.

In the opening minute Salvatore Aronica and Francesco Modesto collided, allowing Cristian Brocchi to fire a right-foot shot on the bounce on to the side-netting.

The referee pointed to the spot when Modesto tackled Kaka in the box as he was lining up the shot. The Brazilian got back up to send Andrea Campagnolo the wrong way and bury the powerful penalty.

Reggina fought back with a Valdez header testing Zeljko Kalac, but Campagnolo palmed Kaka's cross-shot out from under the bar and parried a Kakha Kaladze angled drive with his feet.

Kaka has now recovered from his injury problems and it showed, as he was swarming around the Amaranto defence. Pippo Inzaghi's backheel set up Kaka for a fierce strike that Campagnolo parried.

The referee awarded a second penalty for a Luca Vigiani trip on Clarence Seedorf and this time Kaka took a different approach, rolling it gently into the other angle.

However, Reggina got back into it with an absolute screamer from Barreto. He controlled a clearance just outside the D and smashed the rocket into the top corner past a helpless Kalac.

A Seedorf rocket skimmed the bar, but after the restart Barreto went off in agony after an accidental clash of knees with Seedorf.

Inzaghi's diving header whistled wide and Campagnolo pushed an Andrea Pirlo piledriver out from under the crossbar.

Kaka's acrobatic backheel sent Inzaghi clear on goal, but the Italian was closed down as he was lining up the shot by some desperate defending. However, some chaotic play at the back almost gifted Reggina an equaliser, as Kaladze had to come sliding in to stop a tap-in from six yards.

Kaka was comfortably man of the match and completed his hat-trick. Brocchi's cross was chested down for a precise low first time finish into the far bottom corner.

There were penalty appeals from Reggina for a Kaladze handling offence on Franco Brienza's cross, but the referee waved play on.

Alexandre Pato made his comeback and created the fourth goal almost immediately. His shot was deflected on to the upright by Campagnolo and Inzaghi was ready to pounce on the loose ball.

Pato got his name on the scoresheet eventually with a powerful header on Yoan Gourcuff's cross from the right.

Milan: Kalac; Cafu (Simic 76), Nesta, Kaladze, Favalli; Gattuso (Gourcuff 80), Pirlo, Brocchi; Kaka, Seedorf (Pato 69); Inzaghi

Reggina: Campagnolo; Valdez (Alvarez 69), Cirillo, Aronica; Vigiani, Barreto (Misiroli 48), Tognozzi, Modesto (Costa 82); Cozza, Brienza; Amoruso

Ref: Farina

yum!

Player Ratings: Milan 5-1 Reggina

Carlo Garganese rates the players on show at San Siro this afternoon…

Kalac – 5.5: A few nervy moments, and one of these almost allowed Vigiani to equalize when the score was 2-1. Was completely blameless on Barreto’s goal.

Cafu - 7: One of Cafu’s best games in a Milan shirt this season. Bombed up-and-down the right flank all afternoon.

Nesta – 6.5: Nullified the threat of Reggina’s lone frontman Amoruso, even if he made one mistake at 2-1 that could have resulted in a leveller for Cozza.

Kaladze – 6: A sound game from the Georgian, even if he did have the odd lapse of concentration. Almost scored down the other end in the first half.

Favalli – 6.5: It is so easy to be critical of Favalli, but today he offered a steady, if not spectacular, performance.

Gattuso – 7: Still failing to convince me that he will ever return to his old levels. But having said this he definitely won the midfield battle today.

Pirlo - 8: A welcome return to form. Some of his through-passes were simply out of this world. A genius when he is in the mood.

Brocchi – 6.5: Lots of quantity from the veteran, who as usual never stopped running and fighting. Had a few efforts at goal as well.

Kaka – 9: Simply unplayable. Went on countless mazy runs, one of which led to the first penalty. Stuck away both spot-kicks with aplomb, before completing is hat-trick in the second period. The Kaka of last season is back!

Seedorf – 6.5: Blew hot and cold. Won the second penalty and had a fantastic long shot that just went wide, but also misplaced a few passes.

Inzaghi – 8.5: His link-up play with Kaka was telepathic at times. Scored one, but could have had a hat-trick also. Looks really sharp at the moment, and is certainly giving Italy coach Roberto Donadoni something to think about ahead of Euro 2008.

Subs: Pato 8, Simic 6, Gourcuff 6.5

ALEXANDRE PATO: "I want to win with Milan"

MILAN - These are the declarations of the young Rossoneri's attacker, Alexandre Pato, in an interview with the Brazilian radio station 'Lance' with regards to his objectives for his career: "I want to win with Milan, win the World Cup with Brazil and become the best player in the world."

Pato: I Want To Go To Olympics

AC Milan's newest golden boy Alexandre Pato has announced that it would be fulfilling a dream of his to represent Brazil in the Beijing Olympics this summer.

The teenage sensation has been an absolute smash since joining the Rossoneri from Internacional last summer, and he is hoping to perform similar heroics for his country on Chinese soil.

“I want to go to the Olympics,” revealed the hyper-talented 18-year-old. “I dream of winning a gold medal for Brazil, but it depends on Milan.”

“In the future I am counting on winning lots of trophies in Rossonero and a World Cup with the Selecao. I also want to become the best player in the world.”

The powers that be at Milan will not have been too enthused to learn of Pato's olympic desires, just as they were resistant to the same claims made by Kaka last month.

Although the Olympics conclude before the start of the 08/09 Serie A season, the Rossoneri are still hoping to secure fourth place this season which would necissitate them to secure qualification to the Champions League proper by undergoing a pre-season preliminary phase.

LIVORNO-MILAN

GOALKEEPERS: Fiori, Kalac, Offredi;

DEFENDERS: Oddo, Bonera, Digao, Favalli, Kaladze, Nesta, Jankulovski;

MIDFIELDERS: Brocchi, Ambrosini, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Kaka, Pirlo, Seedorf;

STRIKERS: Gilardino, Inzaghi, Pato, Paloschi.

Julio Cesar: Pato Ahead Of Balotelli, For Now

Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar believes that Alexandre Pato may be slightly ahead of fellow teenage sensation Mario Balotelli, but only because he is more experienced.

Both Pato and Balotelli have burst onto the scene this season, with many people describing them as two of the best teenage talents in the whole world.

Pato has scored eight goals in 15 Serie A matches since debuting in January, while Balotelli has struck twice in eight matches, as well as excelling in the Coppa Italia.

"Pato is great and will become even greater. He shoots well, and has the same coordination with both his right and left foot.

“I am not saying that he is better than Mario, but he has already lived some more important experiences. He is a little more experience, but Balotelli is growing a great deal.

“Now he must work on his quality, but he has two big advantages; he has class, so much class and also the power of serenity."

The two teenagers will come up against each other this Sunday at San Siro in the Milan derby.

I Hope To Play And Score Against Inter - Pato

Young AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato hopes to make his return against Inter next weekend and get on the scoresheet as well.

In recent weeks he's been on the sidelines much more often than when he first became eligible for Milan - mostly due to the great form of Filippo Inzaghi - but now Alexandre Pato is ready to take back his place in the Rossoneri's attack. The 18-year-old wunder-kid has always shown impressive things when he was given the chance to play, and has scored a number of goals in important matches.

Of course, they don't come much more important than this weekend's derby against Inter, as Pato agrees: "The derby is a big game. I think I will play, and if I do I always hope to score, helping Milan to win, and then celebrate with the heart gesture."

Asked how he is doing at the moment, the striker said: "I'm happy, but I'll be happier if we finish fourth and earn a place in the Champions League.

"My dream? That is to become a great player, win the Golden Ball and become a great champion with Milan.

"My idol is still Ronaldo, he's a great friend. He's calm now. Now he only has to think about curing his knee, he has to improve and go back to playing football."

Sheva Praises Pato

Unsettled Chelsea hitman Andriy Shevchenko has praised Milan’s teenage sensation Alexandre Pato.

From 1999 to 2006, Shevchenko delighted Calcio fans in the Milan number 7 shirt, scoring a whopping 127 goals from just 208 games.

Last summer the Rossoneri snapped up 18-year-old wonderkid Alexandre Pato from Internacional, who has exploded onto the Serie A scene since making his debut this January.

Pato, wearing Shevchenko’s old number 7, has already hit the back of the net eight times in 15 league games, and he is being tipped by many for greatness.

"He's doing very well, he's young and has a lot of quality,” said Shevchenko, who has had a miserable time of things in the Premiership, since signing for Chelsea in 2006.

"When I have spoken to my former team-mates they have all told me that he is very strong and has a lot of quality.

"I think he has chosen the right squad to grow in." Shevchenko himself has been heavily linked in recent months with a move back to AC Milan.

The Rossoneri hierarchy are keen for the Ukrainian to return, but there has been a snag in negotiations, with Chelsea demanding a transfer fee, but Milan wanting a loan deal.

Oh wow, just look at those muscles Thanks again LuNo

You're welcome double blush

Milan: Kalac, Bonera, Nesta, Kaladze, Favalli (Jankulovski - 41'), Gattuso (Brocchi - 67'), Pirlo, Ambrosini, Kak