9 days.

LEGA: DEPOSITATO IL CONTRATTO DI PATO
04/01/2008
MILANO - Il sito della Lega Calcio ufficializza il tesseramento di Alexandre Pato da parte del Milan, inserendo l'operazione in quelle già concluse (link): da oggi l'attaccante brasiliano è a tutti gli effetti un giocatore rossonero.

[Milan deposited Pato's contract with Lega Calcio today. He's now officially a Milan player. Click link above to see the Lega Calcio page.]

(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

About time.

(IMG:http://globoesporte.globo.com/ESP/Home/foto/0,,12202913-EX,00.jpg)

The couple in Porto Alegre, his home town.
He'll fly Saturday to Europe.

More images on: http://zerohora.clicrbs.com.br/zerohora/js...725474.xml&000#
(Click on "Confira a galeria de imagens do casal" under the photo to open a new window with them.)

This post has been edited by Porty: Jan 4 2008, 10:02 PM

Couple? Thought Pato was single. Oh well, she's cute (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

He dates Sthefany Brito, a 20-year-old actress from Brazil.

(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/king.gif) (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/king.gif) (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/king.gif)


FORZA PATO!! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Great! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/freak.gif)

THANKS A LOT Porty. keep us updated with his photos. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

He's already learnt the hard facts of life. The guy's gotta carry the luggage always. *sigh*

I notice his bling-bling is gone. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Shooting Season Begins For Pato The Duck

He's already been called the new Kaka and ‘the most likely next winner of the Ballon d'Or‘. Gil Gillespie asks if Milan’s footballing superstar-in-waiting Pato can possibly live up to expectation.


Here Comes The New Messiah

Barring bureaucratic irregularities, new Brazilian wonderkid Alexandre Pato will make his debut for AC Milan against Napoli on January 13th. Its hard to remember another footballer who has had as much hype surrounding his debut as this particular 18-year-old.

Before he has even kicked a ball in anger for his new club, everyone, from the quite reasonable Clarence Seedorf to the quite ridiculous Silvio Berlusconi, have been shouting about Pato from the rooftops.

Even his currently content-free web site, alexandrepato.com, is poised and raring to go, ready to report on every act of greatness.

Perhaps the Gazzetta dello Sport captured the growing sense of excitement best when they described the 18-year-old Brazilian as 'having the pace and sense of goal of a young Ronaldo, the education and good character of Kaka, the flat-out speed of Thierry Henry, the personality of Romario and the on-pitch elegance of Marco Van Baste'’ (MY GOD!!! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) ).

To be honest, its amazing that the kid hasn’t been crushed by the weight of expectation.

There Once Was An Ugly Duckling...

So who is this curly-haired kid with the daft nickname? And can he really live up to all the hype?

Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva, to give him his full name, was born on September 2nd 1989 in the town he takes his name from, Pato Branco (meaning White Duck). His prodigious talent in the indoor futsal leagues alerted several big clubs but his parents decided he should sign for Internacional and in 2001 he moved south along with several dozen other hopefuls wanting to make a name for themselves with the club.

It was around this time, however, that a routine x-ray revealed he had a tumour on his arm that needed to be removed immediately to prevent it becoming cancerous. The 11-year-old's parents couldn't afford the operation but a doctor they knew kindly offered to do it for free and Pato was able to move on and begin his footballing career.

On his first team debut for Internacional two years ago he scored one goal and set-up the other three in a scintillating display as his side hammered Palmeiras 4-1.

Unsurprisingly, behind the scenes, the clubs' officials began shielding their young star from the limelight until his buy-out penalty clause could be raised from $4 million to $20 million. Later that year he became the youngest player ever to feature in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Then, in 2007, he helped Brazil win the South American Youth Championship. And, following a transfer battle involving Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea, and some very persuasive words from fellow countryman Leonardo, Pato finally signed for AC Milan for 22 million Euros. He has been unable to play competitive matches for the Rossoneri until now because of regulations preventing the registration of non-EU minors in Italy.

So, Just How Good Is He?

So that's Pato's past done and dusted, but what of his future? Can he really become the player that so many are expecting so much from? The noises coming out of Milanello suggest he can. And a quick glance at his career highlights so far on YouTube confirms that we are talking about a very special talent here.

Flicks, spins, chips, shimmy's, feints, dummies, back-heels, the kids got the lot. There is even one clip that shows him juggling the ball on his right shoulder as he runs at full speed towards the goal-line and another where he turns Carles Puyol inside out and back again, no mean feat for any striker, let alone one who's just celebrated his 18th birthday.

But there's more to Pato than a bag full of tricks; he's quick, lightning quick, and he’s strong too, more of a second striker than a 'fantasista', more of an out-and-out goalscorer than Brazilian's with this much technical ability tend to be. And he has the same sort of effortless grace that propels Kaka past defenders as if they are mere spectators of his art.

A Note Of Caution

But lets not do Silvio Berlusconi did when he claimed that “if Pato continues to do what he does in training he will get 30 goals by June”. ((IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) ) That would make him superhuman. He’s not.

He’s an eighteen year old in his debut season in Europe who’s about to be thrown into a league where the sharpest defenders in the world specialise in cutting any shirts of naivety into ribbons. Sure, Ancelotti had a straight face when he said that “Pato is better than Ronaldinho” ((IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif) ).

But Milan’s coach is old enough and wise enough to know that this wont happen overnight. “He needs to be given the necessary time to grow and mature”, added Milan's boss, in one of the less reported moments following the media scrum that greeted his new strikers' arrival. After all the build-up and all the hype, don’t be surprised if Pato starts the game against Napoli on the bench. (I honestly expect so!)



I just hated all this hype and expectation coming from everywhere... our management's approach not just didn't help any, made it worse. just like the writer says, "it's amazing that the kid hasn’t been crushed by the weight of expectation"...

This post has been edited by zdrossoneri: Jan 5 2008, 08:29 AM

Good Pics Porty ,,,

I must say the media itself is hyping him. All the Milan staff said was that kid was very very good in training. And Silvio saying he can score 30 goals untill the end of season , guys , its silvio (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) he's known to make cheesy comments like that.

I've seen the guy training on Milanchannel , and if people ask me , i just cant say anything except he's probably the most talented one on the field. What he does with the ball is phenomenal , his speed is amazing and he plays with all the right motivation.

So yeah , i would say the same. Besides Silvio & Carlo joking about 30 goals (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Besides , Pato joined the big boys now. Presure is a part of it and Milan payed a lot for him. And he hasnt even proved himself on the field. But it doesnt matter , the kid's got talent and Im sure he'll live up to our expectations.

Forza Pato !

I just read that article on goal.com ... and u beat me to a similar reply that i was gonna make .. hence, great post (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/king.gif)

7 days.