Ancelotti Hails Pato's Instinct

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti heaped praise on the young talent Alexandre Pato who will be available for the Rossoneri from the beginning of January.

Pato was signed by Milan this summer, but will only be able to start playing officially for the European Champions in January.

Coach Ancelotti is looking forward to seeing the young Brazilian in action after following him every day during the training sessions.

"He's a very young lad who plays like a player of the highest level," declared the former Parma and Juventus coach.

"He's a great champion and he will surely prove this. We must just wait till January when he will start playing."

"The only deficiency he had in this period is that he did not learn much Italian, but these are players whom you don't have to tell much," continued Ancelotti.

"They have so much talent and unique quality that it is not necessary to tell them many things, to avoid complicating their ideas.

According to Ancelotti, Pato's best quality is his instinct.

"He uses a lot the instinct, and instinct is something you have inside you and which you cannot improve or worsen.

"He has it, he had luck and God gave him these qualities.

"Then it's up to him to take advantage and to improve the performance of the team."

Galli: Pato Is Extraordinary

Milan Primavera Coach Filippo Galli has described Brazilian wonderkid Alexandre Pato as an 'extraordinary player'.

Pato, who is widely regarded as one of the most promising youngsters in world football, was snapped up by Milan in the summer from Brazilian club Internacional.

'The Duck' has yet to play for the Rossoneri as, due to Italian age-laws, he is ineligible to take part in official games until the transfer window re-opens in January.

"Ever since he came I've been impressed with Pato," said Galli, who was at Milan as a player from 1981 to 1996.

"He always scores, and aside from that he always thinks about doing something useful to the team. It's not easy to find players of this calibre.

"Of course we're talking about training matches, but also in the earlier games he played with Milan or before, with other clubs, he showed he is an extraordinary player."

Galli also spoke about the imminent return of Ronaldo, who is fit and available to play again after a frustrating spell on the sidelines injured.

"Ronaldo moved around well, he has the goal in his DNA, his comeback is important because we know how much other players fear him," Galli concluded.

Milan To Invest More In Youngsters

After many years of investments on already established players during their transfer campaigns, Milan seem intent on altering that policy and look at more youthful players in the future.

That doesn't mean they're doing it to spend less money; consider only that they spent 22 million euros last summer to snatch then 17-year-old Pato away from Internacional. That was the move that started the change in Milan's market strategies.

Right now the Rossoneri have set their sights on San Paolo defender Breno, who at 18 years of age is already considered to be one of the best stoppers in Brazil. This means he will not cost much less than Pato did.

Milan's recent double-header against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League showcased two more interesting young Brazilians, Fernandinho and Ilsinho, both 22. Currently the market value of Fernandinho is estimated at 7-8 million euros.

Then there is also the hypothesis of forming an attacking couple composed of Pato and CSKA Moscow's Jo, which would be the same of the Brazilian Under 20 side.

The latter impressed the Milan management in the recent Champions League matches against Inter, in which he managed to score twice. The Russian side, who bought the player for around 5 million euros, now consider him to be worth at least twice as much.

Emerson Ready To Return

The will to return to the pitch, the condemnation of the episodes of violence in the football world which are ruining the image of Italy in the world - THE DECLARATIONS OF EMERSON

MILANELLO - Emerson talked to Milan Channel after today's training. Here is what he said:

'I'm working to return as quickly as possible. I was out for a while, unfortunately, due to a problem to his tibia, but I think I will be able to come back next week.

Coach Ancelotti is very good at motivating players who are momentarily out injured, giving them serenity. That's very important, because a footballer would like to be always available, but in our work injuries can always occur. Here the club gives you the time you need to recover as well as possible.

Milan have improved a lot in recent games. The team seemed more determined, you could see the will to win, then a bit of bad luck influenced the results. But you can see we're improving.

What happened on Sunday gives a very ugly image of Italy, all over the world: matches suspended because the fans want them to, some of the things that happened inside the stadiums and outside... These are very bad things, and by now people are afraid to bring children, or even their parents or friends to the stadiums, because they never know what might happen. It's a very difficult situation. Let's hope that the people who have the power to make things change do something quickly.'

Ancelotti: Pato Is Better Than Ronaldinho

Milan Coach Carlo Ancelotti has described teenage wonderkid Alexandre Pato as a ‘phenomenon’ and says that he is ‘better than Ronaldinho’.

Here is Carlo Ancelotti’s full interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport:

So let’s start with Milan. At what point are your squad at?

We are growing and getting better. We went through a difficult period, it was an anomalous situation.

What do you mean by ‘anomalous’?

Well because we were playing well away from home and winning, while playing badly at home and either drawing or losing. Do you think this seems right?

Ok fair enough but what were the reasons for this?

This Milan team suffers more than other teams within tight spaces. We have players who show their best when they have the freedom to express themselves – for example Kaka.

Kaka has always said that the Scudetto is possible - what do you think?

He has reason to say this because this championship is very strange and equal. All the big teams are having difficulty – Fiorentina lost at home to Udinese, Roma drew with Empoli – it is not easy.

Kaka dreams of a Champions League final with Barcelona

We will do everything to satisfy him with this wish.

And who would win this game?

Milan would win because we have never failed in the important matches. In these games we have got the best out of Inzaghi, Gilardino has unblocked himself, and also now we have Ronaldo again, while Pato is also available from January.

You have said that Pato is better than Ronaldinho. Can you confirm this?

Yes I can confirm and sign that this is true. The judgement on Pato is simple – he is great and that is it. There are no other words to say.

Ok but can you tell us a bit more about Pato?

To me it is enough to look at him during the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Toronto. He is a phenomenon. Amazing speed, a powerful shot, superb balance, and a great sense of where the goal is. What more do you want from an attacker?

So will Pato play as the support striker?

I will think about it. In certain occasions he can play as the last striker and in other instances he can play as the second striker. There is no such thing as a fixed position in football.

Maldini: Ronaldo Is World Class

Paolo Maldini has described Ronaldo as world-class and says he will add something extra to the Milan team now he is fit again.

Ronaldo has yet to play this season due to injury, however he is now fully recovered and would have come on as a substitute on Sunday against Atalanta had the match not been abandoned after eight minutes.

“Ronaldo is a world-class player and as such when he's fit he gives the team that something extra in terms of technique and personality,” said Maldini.

“Let's hope he's back quickly to contribute. He has innate scoring awareness because he has a unique ability to transform every ball he touches into a scoring opportunity.”

Maldini only recently returned himself after a long spell on the sidelines and he admits that he has some way to go to reach peak fitness ahead of next month’s FIFA World Club Cup.

“My physical condition is not ideal because I still feel pain due to long months of inactivity,” explained the 39-year-old legend.

“I need to play a few matches if I am to arrive in Japan at my best. Ronaldo is in the same condition as me.”

Maldini: World Club Cup Is My World Cup

Milan captain Paolo Maldini is desperate to win next month’s FIFA World Club Cup and describes it as his version of the World Cup.

The World Club Cup, formerly known as the FIFA Club World Championship, is contested between the champion clubs from all of the continental confederations.

Milan qualified courtesy of their 2-1 European Champions League final victory over Liverpool last May, and go into the tournament as the hot favourites.

Maldini has won virtually every domestic, European and international club trophy on offer during a glittering 23-year career, however he sadly never won anything with the Italian national team and had already retired from the Azzurri when they won the World Cup last summer.

“I have no regrets about the World Cup in Germany as I had already been out of the reckoning for four years,” said the legend. “However the pain of defeat in 1990 and 1994 still burns inside of me.

“Now I think only about Milan and the World Club Cup. It is a unique competition and I want to win it at all costs having lost the last three editions of it that I played in.

“It is an opportunity that must not escape – it is the greatest club event out there.”

Kaka Ready To Renew Milan Contract

Milan superstar Kaka has put any doubts over his future to bed by declaring that he is ready to sign a new deal with the club.

The 25-year-old has continuously been linked with a move to Real Madrid for almost two years now and he raised eyebrows earlier today when he said that players would start to leave Italy if all the football violence among supporters didn’t stop.

“For the moment Real Madrid is closed for me,” Kaka told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“If Milan want to keep me, then I am ready to renew my current deal. This way nobody can have any more doubts over my future.”

Kaka also spoke about the imminent return of Ronaldo, as well as young sensation Alexandre Pato, who is eligible to play from January onwards.

“Ronaldo will be a help for us, while Pato is raw and will certainly entertain. He could become our Lionel Messi, however I don’t want to put too much responsibility on him.”

Finally Kaka spoke about Milan legend Marco Van Basten. The Dutchman has recently been likened to current Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for their similarity in style, but Kaka is perplexed by the comparison.

“Ibra is a champion, however I cannot understand why he has been compared to Van Basten,” said Kaka.

“They are two completely different attackers. Van Basten would never have unloaded the bomb that Ibra did in his last Champions League [against CSKA Moscow].”

Ronaldo Eager To Make Return

Yesterday football icon and current Milan striker Ronaldo was in Madrid to present next monday´s friendly in Malaga, a traditional friends of Ronaldo versus friends of Zidane meeting, to a delegation of the Spanish government.

Rumours have it that the Brazilian is getting impatient and increasingly anxious about making his return on the pitch as soon as possible. He´s also set his sights on extending a contract which is due to expire next summer, and getting back to the National team.

“[Brazil coach Carlos] Dunga hasn’t called me these past few weeks, but I want to return with the Seleçao,” he admitted to Brazilian channel Globo TV. “I understand him: if I don’t play, he can’t call me up. Let’s hope it all happens soon.”

During the interview, the “Fenomeno” also talked about his last three nightmarish months.

“At the start it did not seem like a very serious injury. To me, not being able to play was very difficult psychologically. I went through very tough times. The only positive aspect was that I was able to see my son play in Madrid. Watching him on the pitch gave me strong emotions and pride,” Ronaldo revealed.

Word coming from the Milan camp suggests the intention of both parties is to carry on together, despite rumours of a difficult relationship between the player and the medical staff, as well as some other components of the Milan environment.

Now it’s only up to Ronaldo to show, when he returns to play, that he can still a guarantee a high level of performance, and in that case the contract renewal should follow automatically. And it will be at least a two-year extension.