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Sheva: Pato is the new me
Tuesday 29 January, 2008

Former Milan striking ace Andriy Shevchenko claims that Rossoneri starlet Alexandre Pato is his heir at San Siro.

Since arriving from Brazilian side Internacional in January, the 18-year-old Pato has won plaudits all over the peninsula with his impressive performances and fired a match-winning double against Genoa last weekend.

The last time the Milan faithful embraced a new arrival with such fervour was Shevchenko, who also made a fast start to his career when he scored his first Champions League goal for Dynamo Kiev at the age of 18.

“Pato does resemble me because he likes to play from deep,� Sheva told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“He isn’t a first striker and he is similar to me in the way he plays as he reads the play and attacks the spaces. I like how Pato always moves forward rather than laterally.

“I was exactly like him in that I was dangerous but I missed lots of chances. I improved over the years, but Pato is lucky to have arrived at Milan so early.

“It’s not too soon to come to Milan as he has teammates who will help him to grow. These are players with a different view of the game to others, men like Andrea Pirlo, Kaka and Clarence Seedorf and playing alongside those kind of stars is a guarantee for a striker. Pato will write his story just like I made mine.

“It doesn’t matter how many goals he scores as long as he is growing. Pato is perfect for Milan’s style of play and they need a player like him – it is the perfect marriage.�

Although it seems increasingly unlikely that Shevchenko will ever return to San Siro, he still has great affection for his former side.

“I am happy with the time I spent at Milan, as they were seven fantastic years and it was my best period of my career,� he reflected.

“Even the difficult seasons were good and that will stay with me. I love Milan and I love Italy as it gave me so much.�


channel4

I hope Pato becomes Milan's all-time highest scorer and stays with us forever!!! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[KillerMax]

“Even the difficult seasons were good and that will stay with me. I love Milan and I love Italy as it gave me so much.�

Someone hand me a damn Kleenex.