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!!

Its The Pippo Factor!!

Filippo Inzaghi scored twice, including the match-winner in the 74th minute, helping AC Milan pick up a huge road win Tuesday in its return to Champions League play, 2-1 at Marseille.
AC Milan missed the Champions League last season, but Inzaghi returned to form with his 67th and 68th career goals in European competitions.
Inzaghi scored the opener at the rainy Stade Velodrome, and shocked the French side with his second goal midway through the second half - which Marseille had dominated.
Gabriel Heinze scored Marseille's goal in the 49th, but now the French club is in a big hole in Group C, which also features Real Madrid.



Milan got control of the first half in the 28th when Inzaghi, an Italian World Cup winner, managed to stay onside before latching onto a perfect cross to the right post from Clarence Seedorf. Inzaghi placed a right-footed shot from just a few yards out inside the right post for his 67th goal in European play.
Marseille nearly answered before half, but AC Milan goalie Marco Storari made his only save in the opening 45 minutes to deny Benoit Cheyrou. The Marseille midfielder found enough space at the top of the area to unleash a left-footed shot, but Storari dove to his right to knock the ball wide.
The French side took control less than five minutes after the break, though, when Heinze headed a free kick from Cheyrou through Storari's legs in the 49th minute.

Lucho Gonzalez, who nearly leveled seconds earlier, earned a free kick on the right side and Cheyrou delivered a perfect pass to Heinze. The Argentine raced away from AC Milan defender Massimo Oddo and used the pace of the pass to snap a header down and past Storari.
Heinze's goal ignited the sold out crowd in Marseille, and the energy was also apparent on the field as the home side continued to pressure Milan in the hard soaking rain.
Cheyrou had one of the better chances in the following 10 minutes but his shot from the right, that was dipping inside the far post, was saved by Storari.

Although Marseille dominated the first 30 minutes of the second half, AC Milan created a quick scoring chance in the 74th and Inzaghi buried his second goal. Off a short free kick on the left, Milan found Seedorf on the top left edge of the area, and he chipped a quick pass to the far post to a charging Inzaghi.
Inzaghi slid in just in front of a Marseille player and poked the ball toward the left post from 10 yards out, hitting the back of the net for the 68th goal of his career in European competitions.
AC Milan held on the for the win, and sits behind Real on goal differential.