AC MILAN, Galliani:"We believe in Pato"

Ahead of Uefa's decision on the Dida case, what can you say to us about that?
"President Berlusconi and I were in agreement when we spoke just after the match in Glasgow and decided not to make any appeal. If someone feels dizzy, in any case, it's right to substitute him. But I'm not a doctor, so I can't say anything for sure so I won't."

Will we see Pato in action in Friday's friendly against Athletic Bilbao?
"I think it's appropriate that Pato plays on Friday. They tell me extraordinary things about him, the players as well as the coach and I read the same things on the newspapers. But he's only 18, let's not give him too much responsibility.
His purchase was a very precise political decision from our part, we always believed in this player and we knew we had to wait four months for him when he was bought. In January we will see whether we made the right choice."

How is Ronaldo?
"The doctors tell me he's doing well, as do Maldini, Serginho, Kaladze, and Digao. Unfortunately we have five players out at the moment, but they are all recovering."

What will be the next big transfer?
"At the moment the market is closed and when it re-opens in January, we already have our new purchase, which is Pato.
Concerning goalkeepers, Milan have three at home and three on loan: Storari, Abbiati, and Coppola, we are full of goalkeepers. At most we will renew a few contracts, but no one new will come at Milan."

Ambro proud to lead

Massimo Ambrosini has maintained that he is enjoying wearing the captain's armband for AC Milan despite the club's indifferent form of late.

The Rossoneri have only won twice in the league so far this season but in Game Day 7 showed that they were still a force to be reckoned with, in a 5-1 demolition of Lazio.

The midfielder said: "I think that things have been exaggerated as we are playing better than in previous years. Despite what has been said, we haven't had our fill of success and we are still hungry for more."

The 30-year-old, who has been with the club for 12 years, is certainly under no illusions that when Paolo Maldini recovers from his knee injury, he will no longer be leading the team out.

The Italy international added: "I'm very proud, but I don’t have any aspirations of living up to worldwide idols like Maldini and Franco Baresi. I have to try and make the best contribution I can because trying to follow in their footsteps is like climbing a mountain."

AC Milan vs Empoli - 21/09/2007

SERIE A: THE REFEREES OF THE 8TH MATCHDAY
These are the referee designations for the 8th matchday of Serie A:

Marco: Atalanta-Torino; Ayroldi N.: Cagliari-Catania; Damato: Fiorentina-Siena; Banti: Juventus-Genoa; Saccani: Livorno-Lazio; Giannoccaro: Milan-Empoli; Bergonzi: Reggina-Inter; Tagliavento: Roma-Napoli; Trefoloni: Sampdoria-Parma; Stefanini: Udinese-Palermo.

AC Milan - Empoli Story

8 March 1987 - MILAN-EMPOLI 1-0
Goal: Galderisi

10 April 1988 - MILAN-EMPOLI 1-0
Goal: Van Basten

22 Febbraio 1998 - MILAN-EMPOLI 3-1
Goals: Weah (M), Ganz (M), Esposito, Maniero (M)

15 May 1999 - MILAN-EMPOLI 4-0
Goals: 3 Bierhoff, Leonardo

19 April 2003 - MILAN-EMPOLI 0-1
Goal: Di Natale

10 April 2004 - MILAN-EMPOLI 1-0
Goal: Pirlo (p)

5 March 2006 - MILAN-EMPOLI 3-0
Goal: 2 Inzaghi, Shevchenko

7 April 2006 - MILAN-EMPOLI 3-1
Goal: Ronaldo (M), Saudati, Gilardino (M), Favalli (M)

Galliani: Pato Will Be The Only Striker Arriving In January

The Rossoneri’s front-men have been struggling badly for goals this season, with it taking until the week seven clash with Lazio before a striker hit the back of the net in Serie A.

Milan currently have just three senior-forwards in their first-team squad; Ronaldo, Alberto Gilardino and Filippo Inzaghi, which has led the Italian media to question whether an extra striker will be signed.

Brazilian wonderkid Alexandre Pato was snapped up in the summer from Internacional but he is ineligible to play until January.

"Our coach tells me that Pato is doing very well,” said Galliani. “From January he will be one of our four strikers.

“Then it will be up to the coach to decide who plays between Ronaldo, Pato, Gilardino, and Inzaghi, even though, from January, Ronaldo will also be available and we will probably play with two strikers and a playmaker.

“Pato's age is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage. So, in January, all we shall do is add Pato, a great striker, to our squad. There will be nothing else.”

Alberto Parreira: Kaka Is Number One

The Milan superstar has enjoyed a magnificent past 12 months, leading the Rossoneri to Champions League glory after some quite sensational performances.

The 25-year-old is regarded by many to be the best player on the planet currently and he is the hot favourite to be crowned European Footballer of the Year

“He is the number one and deserves the Golden Ball, “ said Parreira. “Right now he is the best player in the world.

“When I spoke with him, I found him very happy to be in Milan, where he found his fame and has built his family. I doubt very much that he wants to leave and I would suggest him not to do so."

Milan awaiting Dida ban explanation

AC Milan believe there is a good chance UEFA will reduce the two-match ban meted out to their goalkeeper Dida for play-acting after an incident on the pitch with a Celtic fan in their recent Champions League clash.

Milan are awaiting a full explanation of the punishment from UEFA, which they are due to receive on Monday, before appealing.

The fan who ran on to the field was banned for life by Celtic, but the club was only fined £12,500 for 'lack of organisation' and 'improper conduct of supporters'.

They avoided a stadium ban, and AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani believes that amounts to no punishment for the Bhoys.

'We believe the ban (for Dida) is excessive,' Galliani said on Monday.

'There is a fact that has been forgotten, that of a man entering the pitch, hitting our goalkeeper and not being punished.

'We will try to have the ban reduced even if we still don't know the motivations behind UEFA's decision.'

Should Milan fail to have the ban reduced, Dida would miss the back-to-back Champions League Group D encounters against Shakhtar Donetsk but would be available to play at Benfica on November 28.

AC Milan eye Riquelme conquest

Milan are being linked with a swoop for Argentine midfield star Juan Roman Riquelme.

After signing Brazilian ace Emerson just before the close of the summer transfer window, the Rossoneri revealed that they wouldn’t be making any January purchases.

However, the Diavolo are expected to ring the changes next summer and may be willing to table an offer in advance.

It is believed that Riquelme’s club Villarreal are keen to cash in on the unsettled ex-Barcelona man before his contract expires in 2009.

It had appeared that the 29-year-old would leave for Atletico Madrid this summer and a fee of £5m had already been proposed, but the deal fell through.

While midfield isn’t seen as one of Milan’s weaker areas, the European champions may find it hard to resist the Albicelestes man as his new estimated price tag is just £3m.