[Jack Sparrow]

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

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].” 

I didn't see this match. What does he mean when he says 'unloaded that bomb'?

I Have The Quality To Play With Milan - Oliveira

Milan-owned striker Ricardo Oliveira, currently on loan at Real Zaragoza where he has made a good start to the season, claims he still has what it takes to play with the Rossoneri.


The Brazilian striker's strong start in La Liga with Real Zaragoza, where he scored 5 goals in 12 appearences, is giving him renewed confidence after his nightmare season with the Rossoneri.

"Everything can happen, I still have three years on my contract with Milan," he said, "I'm convinced I have the technical qualities to play there.

"I want to do my job well here, take advantage of all chances I get to play and feel important again after the difficult year I went through."

Oliveira revealed that a big reason for his struggles at Milan was the kidnapping of his sister which occurred in October 2006: "The kidnapping, which came at a moment where I was doing well, really conditioned my performances.

"I did not have a clear head and this prevented me from giving my best. Without that problem, I'm not sure I wouldn't have played, despite the competition from champions like [Filippo] Inzaghi, [Alberto] Gilardino, and Ronaldo," he continued.

"I've won a lot in Brazil as well as in Europe, with the Selecao and Milan, even though I can't say I won the Champions League as a protagonist. But overall I can't complain."  (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

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.”

[Jack Sparrow]

Fans of over a dozen clubs in Italy will not be permitted to attend their team’s next away games as a result of the fallout from last weekend’s tragic events.

Though it is not yet confirmed whether the season will restart on the weekend of November 24, fans of 15 teams will surely have to settle to watch the next away match of their team from the television.


Serie A sides Atalanta, Catania, Milan, Roma, Sampdoria and Torino have all been barred from traveling next round, while the same counts for supporters of Serie B outfits Bari and Cesena and are Serie C sides Potenza, Reggiana, Taranto, Ternana and Verona.

In April, the Italian government introduced a law designed to stamp out football hooliganism following the death of a policeman in rioting at a match in Sicily in February.

Ahh...Inter go off scot free again. I thought they were the blokes, who were outside the Siro making a fuss. They really do have it in for us, this season. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

AC Milan midfielder Yoann Gourcuff is looking increasingly likely to be back in France next year on a season-long loan.


Despite his obvious promise, the 21-year-old has had to become all too familiar with the feel of the bench at the San Siro, and as such he is said to be no longer as adverse to spending next season out on loan.

Touted as the heir apparent Zinedine Zidane in the French national team, Gourcuff has started just one game this season, and his opportunities are bound to get even more limited come January when Brazilian phenom Pato becomes eligible to suit up for the Rossoneri first team.

French football publication L’Equipe has been leading the speculation of a temporary return of Gourcuff to his homeland, and have identified Lens and Monaco as the most likely destinations.

So we've given up on him then?? (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Milan star Andrea Pirlo talked about a range of topics, including the Scudetto race and last summer's rumours surrounding team mate Kaká's possible departure.


Milan's star midfielder Andrea Pirlo spoke exclusively to Sky on a program dedicated to the Rossoneri today.

Asked whether there was a player that inspired him to take free kicks the way he is doing lately, he admitted: had seen it done by the Brazilian player of Lyon (Juninho Pernambucano). I looked at the way he kicked them, then I started trying to imitate him and gradually I saw it worked and from then on I started to take them like that." (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

On Milan's poor home form especially in the league, Pirlo said: "It's true, our home league games have been disappointing. Perhaps unconsciously we have a different attitude to our Champions League matches, which are more strongly felt and important.

"But we shouldn't neglect the league now, also because it's been a few years since we've last won it. So it would be nice to win it again.

"We know that when we don't win, we are criticised, but that's football," he continued. "We know our strengths, the team spirit is good and we are not bothered by the criticism. Also last year we were heavily criticised, but in the end we reached an important objective which nobody believed in, and it could be the same this year."

Pirlo's final comments were on team mate and Ballon D'Or favorite Kaká: "There were rumours about him leaving, so we weren't sure what to think. But we know he has affection for this team, this group of players, and we are happy to keep him here with us."

(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Time to dig up Lyon on youtube. Since any Lyon goal usually means either Juninho or Malouda. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

In an effort to add some youthful energy to an undeniably aging squad, European Champions Milan have turned their attention to a number of interesting young Brazilians.

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.

Experienced coach and young players might work out. Young coach and experienced players might work out! (Why i keep harping on about MvB (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

This isn't gonna stop Tennie from freaking out though!! More Brazillians to Milan...(IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

And R7 too...what are we gonna do for all that experience. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Italy striker Luca Toni has praised Roberto Donadoni for the work he has done as Coach of La Nazionale

Donadoni position as Azzurri boss has been a contentious issue ever since he replaced Marcello Lippi following last year’s World Cup success.

Many in Italy argued that he was not experienced enough for the job, given his previous coaching roles at Lecco, Genoa and Livorno.

A draw with Lithuania and a defeat to France at the beginning of this Euro 2008 campaign immediately put Donadoni under pressure but he has recovered well with seven wins from his last eight competitive games.

"I think Donadoni has done a great job," admitted Toni. "It wasn't easy for him to replace Coach Marcello Lippi, who won the World Cup.

"We struggled at the beginning of our qualifying campaign but we bounced back."

The Azzurri need to avoid defeat in Saturday’s crunch qualifier in Scotland to, in theory, book their place at next summer’s European Championships.

Failure to qualify would almost definitely see Donadoni sacked, with Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti the favourite to replace him should this occur

I never got why Donadoni was so criticised. He had a bad start, but then that's forgivable right. It's almost as if they were looking for a scapegoat, some guy they could put up on the pillory, while they guy whom they wanted is freed for coaching duty.

But Ancelotti?? I would have thought Capello...

This post has been edited by Jack Sparrow: Nov 16 2007, 04:51 AM