Kaka Who? Who Cares When We Have Pato!!!

Its the richest vs the poor,the striving vs the problematic,the stars vs the old legs but who cares?
at the end, it felt like a classic but mostly it had not been. Sixteen European Cups, two European Footballers of the Year, over a thousand European goals, and hundreds of millions worth of signings and yet for long periods this was a game defined by two goalkeeping errors. But two wonderful strikes and a final 15 minutes played in increasingly wide spaces led to a dramatic 88th-minute winner from Alexandre Pato that elevated the game to a status fitting of its billing as the “Derby of Europe”.

By the time the whistle went mistakes from Iker Casillas and, especially, Dida were forgotten. A wonderful goal from Andrea Pirlo had equalised Madrid’s opener.

A superb strike from Royston Drenthe equalised the goal that put Milan in the lead, to set up a rousing finish and a huge victory for Milan. Madrid had one disallowed for offside; so, more mysteriously, did Milan. And then, in the final minute, Pato volleyed home to make it 3-2.

After 15 minutes Gianluca Zambrotta appeared to go through Karim Benzema’s legs to challenge for the ball as the Frenchman closed in on the six-yard box. It looked like a penalty, but the Belgian referee Frank de Bleeckere signalled a goal-kick.

The decision bought whistles from the stands but Madrid did not need to wait long for the opening goal. It came on 19 minutes, thanks to an extraordinary mistake from Dida.

He easily got behind a weak shot from Esteban Granero, patted the ball down on to the turf and took a step forward only for the ball to hit his thigh and drop loose. Fifteen years and 711 Real Madrid games later, Raul’s legs may be slower, but there is nothing wrong with his mind and he dashed in to apply the finish for his 66th European Cup goal.

Watching Ronaldinho grow increasingly frustrated, unable to produce the magic he once could was a sad sight; Milan’s impotence looked complete. And then, suddenly, incredibly, just after the hour they were level. Pirlo collected the ball from a throw-in 35 yards out and took aim and the ball dipped and whistled past Casillas at his right-hand post. The silence spoke of surprise. It was only Milan’s second shot on target.

Their third came only four minutes later and with the same outcome. Ambrosini’s curling ball dropped beyond the hesitating Raul Albiol, Casillas came for it and misjudged it, allowing it to skid beyond him. Pato maintained his balance to roll it into an empty net.

We Are Back!!

Ronaldinho inspired 10-man AC Milan to only their third win of the season with a come-from-behind 2-1 success against AS Roma at the San Siro.While the first half in Milan belonged to Roma's French winger Jeremy Menez, it was Ronaldinho who starred after the break, scoring one and creating the other -- and quite possibly saving countryman Leonardo's job as coach -- before captain Massimo Ambrosini was sent off late on.

The result moved Milan up to eighth in the Serie A table with Roma dropping to 11th.Roma, and Menez in particular, tore Milan apart in the first half.But it was with a helping hand from Milan centre-back Thiago Silva that the visitors went in front as Menez pounced on his fluffed back pass on three minutes and shrugged off the Brazilian's shirt pulling before beating goalkeeper Dida.A minute later Menez surged into the box again but this time his angle was more difficult and he shot straight at Dida.On 20 minutes he was in behind the defence a third time, however under pressure from Silva he shot wide as he fell.Moments later Daniele De Rossi drove forward unchallenged from midfield and brought a fine one-handed stop out of Dida.Menez burst into life again on 38 minutes as he teed up Mirko Vucinic, whose first touch was sublime to take him past Alessandro Nesta but he then hesitated and Dida blocked his weak shot.

Finally Milan created something on the counter-attack a minute later and Roma goalkeeper Doni had to tip a shot from Clarence Seedorf onto the post after the Dutchman benefited from a fortunate ricochet in the box.Leonardo had to react and he did by bringing on evergreen striker Filippo Inzaghi for midfielder Ignazio Abate and within two minutes Inzaghi's header from an Andrea Pirlo corner had been cleared off the line by David Pizarro.
Milan needed a helping hand to get back into the match and they got it with a highly contentious penalty award after Nesta crumbled under Nicolas Burdisso's challenge in the box.
Ronaldinho despatched the penalty on 56 minutes and the winner came from a moment of quality on 67 minutes as Ronaldinho's long diagonal ball found Pato, whose control on his chest was sublime and took John Arne Riise out of play before he rounded Doni and slotted home.

Its Ronaldinho night for sure,with Nesta as strong as ever we manage to overcome tough challenge from Roma.Pato,Abate,Thiago and Seedorf is at top form for this match too and its add to a more confidence display from Milan.
A step to the big clash with Real and i must say its a promising look comeback from the international week.
Some players is still looking doubtful but with Leo guide lets pray and hope for a big win and great showmanship in the match to come!!