Alexandre Pato

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FIORENTINA - MILAN

GOALKEEPERS: Dida, Kalac, Fiori

DEFENDERS: Bonera, Cafu, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Oddo

MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Emerson, Gourcuff, Kaka, Pirlo, Seedorf

ATTACKERS: Gilardino, Pato

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Fiorentina 0:1 AC Milan - match report

Scorer: Pato 77 (M)

Alexandre Pato gave Milan a crucial victory away to Fiorentina, but the youngster was stretchered off with a potentially serious injury.

This was essentially a play-off for fourth place between two teams finally finding their form. Fresh from a rescheduled midweek 1-0 away win at Reggina, the Rossoneri were without Ronaldo and Gennaro Gattuso, so former Viola man Cristian Brocchi had a rare start. Fiorentina's Marco Donadel sat out a ban and Fabio Liverani was sidelined, but they were coming off four straight wins.

Milan have traditionally struggled at the Stadio Franchi, held 2-2 last season and with just one win here in their last five visits. Having said that, the last time they failed to score was a 4-0 thrashing in January 2001. There was a minute's silence before kick-off and Milan wore black armbands out of respect for President Silvio Berlusconi's mother, who died this weekend aged 97.

Giampaolo Pazzini had the first shot on goal in the opening minute smothered by Zeljko Kalac, who was given the gloves despite Nelson Dida's return to fitness.

There was chaos in the Viola box on seven minute as the Rossoneri had several chances in one move to score. Alberto Gilardino flicked the ball over Sebastien Frey and Manuel Pasqual's goalline clearance was almost an own goal, ricocheting off the inside of the far post! The move continued and Massimo Ambrosini's effort was charged down.

Adrian Mutu went close as well soon after, his first header clattering against the near post, the follow-up looping but not enough to beat Kalac in a splendid save.

Clarence Seedorf flashed a shot over and Martin Jorgensen's goalline clearance kept out Kakha Kaladze's header from a corner kick.

Kaka pounced on a Per Kroldrup error and Gilardino fired a snapshot across the face of goal, but at the other end Mario Alberto Santana just failed to get a decisive touch from close range thanks to Paolo Maldini's protection.

Gilardino was clear on goal from the D, but completely scuffed his right-foot shot so that it went well wide. A Massimo Oddo error sent Riccardo Montolivo on the counter, but Pazzini's finish was charged down inside the box.

Moments later Pazzini chested down the ball to hold off Alessandro Nesta and spun round, the rising strike skimming the crossbar.

Kaka and Seedorf combined for a classic counter-attack, but Frey did well to smother the Brazilian's finish.

Straight after the restart Nesta was extremely fortunate to avoid a straight red card. He was dispossessed by Mutu and chasing the Fiorentina striker twice held him back by his jersey, but because Kaladze was between them and the goalkeeper, it was not considered a clear scoring opportunity and so only a booking.

From the resulting free kick Nesta rode his luck again, the ball deflected out for a corner over his shoulder. Oddo dived in to prevent Pazzini getting a header from six yards on Mutu's cross.

Alexandre Pato replaced Seedorf, who was struggling with an ankle problem since the first half, but the Dutchman was visibly angry and walked off the field distant from the bench.

Maldini charged down a Tomas Ujfalusi attempt, but Kaka skipped past three tackles to fire wide of the near post.

It was a very open game and Kalac did brilliantly to parry Mutu's volley at the back post from point-blank range.

Emerson came off the bench and beat two Fiorentina players with nutmegs before unleashing a curler just over the bar in a wonderful solo move. Moments later Pato was inches away from getting the decisive touch on an Oddo cross that zipped across the face of goal.

Santana wasted a golden opportunity and it proved disastrous. Santana's unnecessary backheel for Montolivo wrecked a great chance and on the counter Milan took the lead. Pato chested down Kaka's cross, controlled it and fired past Frey with his left foot between a crowd of defenders. It was the 18-year-old's fourth goal of the season.

Former Milan flop Christian Vieri replaced Montolivo, but Kroldrup needed a desperate sliding tackle to stop Pato getting a second.

The Brazilian badly sprained his left ankle as he put his foot down awkwardly and was stretchered off in visible pain. Milan had completed their substitutions, so had to play five minutes of stoppages with 10 men. In the final seconds a corner had both teams packed into the box and it fell to Alessandro Gamberini's header from six yards, but Kalac performed a stunning point-blank reaction save!

Fiorentina: Frey; Ujfalusi, Kroldrup, Gamberini, Pasqual; Kuzmanovic, Jorgensen (Gobbi 81), Montolivo (Vieri 78); Santana, Pazzini, Mutu

Milan: Kalac; Oddo, Nesta, Kaladze, Maldini; Brocchi (Emerson 72), Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf (Pato 66), Kaka (Favalli 80); Gilardino

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AC Milan rocked by injury to matchwinner Pato

AC Milan have been rocked by a serious injury suffered by matchwinner Alexandre Pato in last night's 1-0 victory over Fiorentina.

The 18-year-old was stretchered off in the final minutes of the match after turning his left ankle on the turf.

"He sustained up a pretty serious sprain. We need 48 hours to evaluate the extent of the injury," said Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.

It remains to be seen how long he will be out for, but the Brazilian is a real risk for the first leg of the Champions League clash with Arsenal on February 20.

Ancelotti added: "We are back in an emergency situation. With Gilardino suspended, we hope that Pippo Inzaghi or Ronaldo can recover for next Sunday.

"Pato's goal was very well constructed. Kaka did a great job in attacking the space left by Gilardino and putting it straight into the centre for Pato, who had a marvellous control and finish."

[double blush]

Poor Duckie! Those pics break my heart get well soon <3

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Kaka & Pato Both Set To Miss Arsenal Clash

AC Milan have been hit by a potential hammer blow, as it is looking increasingly likely that both Kaka and Alexandre Pato will miss the Champions League last 16 first leg clash with Arsenal.

The Rossoneri travel to the Emirates Stadium in London two weeks today in arguably the tie of the round.

However Milan are now facing the prospect of meeting the outstanding Premiership league-leaders with a huge injury crisis, particularly in the forward positions.

Teenage wonderkid Pato has been instrumental in turning around Milan’s domestic season, however he picked up an ankle injury in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Fiorentina.

According to the Corriere dello Sport, the game with Arsenal will come too soon for the Brazilian, but he should be back in time for the second leg at San Siro on March 4.

As for Kaka, serious concerns are starting to build-up over the condition of his troublesome knee.

It was reported in the Italian press yesterday that the European and World footballer of the year was suffering from chronic knee pain and may have to rest for four months to clear up the problem.

Kaka’s spokesman Diogo Kot­scho told Globesporte yesterday that the player will probably not be able to play against Arsenal.

"Kakà had treated this knee pain with physiotherapy and anti-inflammatories,” said Kotscho.

“It is not appropriate to intervene surgically, but he probably will not be fielded against Arsenal.”

This news comes as a potential hammer blow to Milan’s chances against Arsenal, as Ronaldo and Filippo Inzaghi are also injury doubts, thus leaving Alberto Gilardino as the only senior forward available.

Midfield bulldog Gennaro Gattuso is also out of the match in London, so the Rossoneri will have to count on all their famed European experience in order to come away with a positive result.

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AC Milan forward Pato out two weeks

MILAN, Italy (AP) -- AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato will likely return from a sprained ankle in time for a Champions League match against Arsenal on Feb. 20.

The 18-year-old Brazilian, who has scored four goals in his first six Serie A matches, sprained his ankle in Sunday's game soon after he had come off the bench to score the winning goal.

"Pato is doing much better today,'' Milan medical coordinator Jean Pierre Meersseman said Wednesday on the team's television channel.

"Up to yesterday he was walking on crutches, but now he can walk without pain,'' Meersseman said. "Until yesterday we thought that he would need two to three weeks to recuperate, but now I think that it will take less than two weeks and he'll be available for the game against Arsenal.''

Brazil forward Kaka will miss Milan's league game against Siena due to a lingering knee injury, but will be available for the Arsenal game, Meersseman said.

Ronaldo, the third piece of Milan's Brazilian attack, will play Sunday after sitting out last week's match with a muscle injury.

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A GOLDEN AGREEMENT

Tonight at the ‘Metropol, Galliani, Ancelotti and Pato held a press conference about the new ‘Gold Sponsor’ agreement, which will see D&G more present next to the Milan trade mark until 2010.

MILAN – These are the declarations of Adriano Galliani, Carlo Ancelotti, Pato and Domenico Dolce during the press conference which was held tonight at the historic Milanese cinematography ‘Metropol’ for the announcement of the new ‘Gold Sponsor’ agreement which will see the Dolce & Gabbana trade mark always present along the Milan trade mark until 2010.

ADRIANO GALLIANI:

“We’re here to present the 2008 Dolce & Gabbana calendar. After three years as official supplier, this brand becomes ‘Gold Sponsor’, that is after the sponsors present on the shirt, it is the most important one. I’m very happy because Milan and Dolce and Gabbana are two number one brands in the world, two companies from Milan and Dolce and Gabbana started from here and have conquered the world. It’s a trade mark which will do well at Milan and we shall try to do well to them. Once the ‘Seat Pagine Gialle’ contract ended, I asked Laura Masi who could be the new Gold Sponsor and the name of Dolce and Gabbana came out, we met, lunched together and from there we started. It was a less difficult contract than the one of Pato because every line of the player’s contract was negotiated with International di Porto Alegre.

“Television has changed the image of the footballer: today Pato has more visibility than Gullit and there’s less talk than twenty years ago. The players must always be positive examples also because they are seen both on and off the pitch.

“With Dida we have gone through the best years of our life. This morning I called him up and I reassured him. I thank Frey for the nice words, but we shall go forward next year with those two.”

CARLO ANCELOTTI:

“Television has put the players at the centre of attention, therefore now they have a different responsibility. Television has in fact brought football to everybody’s house, the players must know that they can help the young to grow well.

“Kalac is doing well. He took advantage of Dida’s injury. He never said that he is the number one goalkeeper, no one ever said it. Nelson remains a great player and he accepted this choice with great serenity.”

PATO:

“My ankle is better. I hope to recover in time for Arsenal. I will do everything I can to be there.”

DOMENICO DOLCE:

“We are happy to be working with Milan for the last three years. When this possibility was born, we accepted it straight away. Milan has the image sense of fashion. The new calendar proves how we see the footballers. Football today influences fashion because players are nice and healthy. For a long time we have collaborated with Beckham, and even more now we do it with Milan.

“Today we are also here to announce that there will be the new ‘Dolce and Gabbana Junior’ line.”

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[Laudy Bonera]

Thanks Luno!

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You're welcome & thanks for the pics

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young hottie thanks!