Alberto Gilardino

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with Alice

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Gilardino On Lyon's Shortlist - Report

'France Football' has revealed that the French champions want to lure the Milan striker away from Italy.

Alberto Gilardino could be on his way out of Milan according to 'France Football' as the important French magazine stated that the player could join Olympique Lyon this summer.

"Gilardino is on his way out even though his contract expires in 2010. The player will surely be less expensive than his price of arrival (24 million Euros)," revealed the popular magazine.

Lyon have 200 million Euros in balance and President Aulas wants to invest most of it in the transfer market to strengthen his side further, to be able to compete for Champions League next year.

The only problem could be Gilardino's wage demands considering that the Italian striker gains 250k Euros per month. If this transfer does not go through, Lyon's secondary objectives are Trezeguet, Tevez, Saha and Makaay.

[LuNo]

Gilardino "not leaving Milan"

Alberto Gilardino's agent has said the striker will not be leaving Milan, calling him the club's "most complete attacker". The 24-year-old has struggled for club since joining from Parma in 2005, especially in the Champions League where he has scored just twice in 20 games.

However, his agent Giuseppe Bonetto has dismissed speculation he could be moved aside to make way for a superstar arrival such as Ronaldinho or Thierry Henry.

"Alberto is not leaving Milan, he is the most complete attacker they have," he said.

Bonetto also claimed that World Cup-winning full-back Gianluca Zambrotta would be staying at Barcelona despite a difficult first season in Catalonia.

Meanwhile, Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini has extended his contract until the end of 2010.

The club vice-captain is far from a regular for the Rossoneri in Serie A but has made 11 Champions League appearances this season.

He has played 188 times for Milan since joining the club in 1995, and will be bidding for his second Champions League title when Milan take on Liverpool in Athens on May 23rd.

[LuNo]

GILA WINS BEST GOAL

Alberto Gilardino also received an award at the Siro Gentleman A.C.Milan Award gala, as voted by visitors to their site and subscribers to Milan Channel. The award was presented at a ceremony in Milan on Monday evening for the best goal of the season, scored against Udinese. Gila's team-mate Cristian Brocchi picked up the award for him.

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aah, gila is really cute

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I agree with you

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Inzaghi - Gilardino duel

Pippo Inzaghi and Alberto Gilardino are duelling to start against Liverpool in Athens, but both hope to be decisive for a Milan triumph.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted in yesterday’s Press conference that he is still not sure which of the two strikers will be picked for the Champions League Final on May 23, supported by Kaka and Clarence Seedorf.

“It is true that I have played many European games without scoring as much as I would have liked,” Gilardino told UEFA.com.

So far the former Parma man has netted just twice in eight appearances this season and failed to score in the entirety of last year’s Champions League.

“However, I’ve played an important role in the side in other ways and believe I will be a decisive factor in the Final.”

With Ronaldo cup-tied and Ricardo Oliveira failing to settle, these two Italians have been the only options in attack and often traded places.

“If the Coach wants us to pass the baton, it’s not a problem. There is healthy competition between Pippo and myself.

“In a side like Milan there is always competition for every role, but we are all ready to give our contribution. That is one of our main strengths and I hope it will be again in Athens.”

The current favourite considering form, experience and his record in the competition is Inzaghi, who in his time has scored 36 goals in 65 Champions League appearances, without considering the preliminary rounds.

“Of course I’d like to play from the start because I feel in great shape,” said the veteran hitman.

“Ancelotti is the one who picks the team and the only thing that counts at the end of the day is that Milan lift the trophy, regardless of who plays upfront.”

Neither of them were on the field in Istanbul when Liverpool beat the Rossoneri on penalties in 2005, as Gilardino was still playing for Parma and Inzaghi was injured.

“I wasn’t well and had to watch that Final from the stands. It was a Cup we could already feel in our grasp and Liverpool snatched it away. It will not happen again.”

[LuNo]

[LuNo]

Gilardino sees luck change in time for final

Alberto Gilardino, the AC Milan forward, is determined to help his team to heal the scars of Istanbul in Athens tomorrow evening.

The 24-year-old was not part of the team who fell apart against Liverpool two years ago, making his £18 million move from Parma to the San Siro a month later. Instead, he watched from the comfort of his own home as Liverpool came back from 3-0 down at half-time in the 2005 Champions League final.

“That match has become a kind of scar for AC Milan,” Gilardino said. “Now it is the time to heal it, to erase it. I watched the game on TV and I couldn’t believe my eyes. What happened on the pitch that night – the way that Liverpool got back into the game – was something paranormal.”

The Italy forward boasts an impressive scoring record in the Italian top flight. He has scored 79 goals in 158 appearances for Parma and AC Milan and, while he has yet to transplant that form into European competition, nine goals in 23 matches for his country are testament to his quality.

While Milan have made their relentless march on Athens, many of the plaudits have gone to Kaká, their play-making maestro, but Gilardino rejects suggestions that Milan are overreliant on the Brazil player.

“We have shown regularly that we have a great collective here, one that is made up of great players, starting with Dida in goal and ending with the last man on the bench,” he said. “Kaká is a phenomenon, the best in the world in my opinion, but I wouldn’t say that we depend on him.”

The statistics suggest otherwise. Goals by Kaká, who is the top scorer in the Champions League with ten, have helped to paper over the cracks left up front since Andriy Shevchenko and Hernán Crespo moved on.

Gilardino admits that he has struggled with nerves in the Champions League but, after scoring against Manchester United in the semi-finals, he believes that he is coming to terms with the mental demands of the highest level.

“I had some bad luck in the first few matches in the Champions League and this made me nervous,” Gilardino said. “For a forward, the psychological component is always very important. But the goal that I scored against United in Milan has changed everything: I am now ready to score in Athens.”

Milan’s hopes of regaining the scudetto were never realistic after they were docked eight points as part of the match-fixing scandal, but Gilardino is convinced that victory in the Champions League final would more than compensate for the disappointment.

“They are both important competitions, but if I have to choose, I’ll say the Champions League because to win it you have to beat all of the best European teams, including the Italian ones,” Gilardino said. “But, of course, even better would be to win them both. That is what we will be trying to do next season.”

Casting an eye over tomorrow evening’s opposition, the Italian points to the obvious threat of Peter Crouch, who has scored six goals in the competition this season. However, he is equally wary of Liverpool’s ability to conjure goals from midfield.

“Crouch is always very dangerous, especially if he receives good crosses,” he said. “And we will need to pay special attention to [steven] Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and [John Arne] Riise in midfield as they all have a great shot and can all score from distance.

“The Champions League doesn’t lie. If you get to the final, it’s because you deserve to be there.

“Maybe, if you go by the names alone, there are better teams than Liverpool, but they still have a very good squad– perfectly balanced – and without any weak points as far as I can see.”

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