FC Zürich vs AC Milan Highlights: UEFA Champions League

AC Milan joined Real Madrid in the Champions League inot the last 16 despite an unconvincing performance at FC Zurich.

After 20 minutes, the visitors lost Thiago Silva to injury and eight minutes later they conceded to Milan Gajic’s spectacular free-kick.

But Alain Rochat was dismissed for a professional foul and Ronaldinho converted from the penalty spot after 63 minutes as the Rossoneri progressed, while nearest rivals Marseille were eliminated by a 3-1 home loss to group leaders Real Madrid.

Highlights:

Leonardo not keen to see Gattuso leave

Rino Gattuso has been linked with a move away from the club recently as early as January  as he becomes more unsettled at the club but Leonardo has come out and said he wants the midfielder to stay.

The Rossoneri veteran has failed to earn a regular spot in Leonardo’s side because of injuries and coach’s squad rotation policy.

Gattuso, a near-certain selection for Italy’s World Cup squad, said last week he could leave Milan before the end of his contract in June 2011 if his playing time did not increase.

“If Gattuso has this idea in his head, I will try to make him change his mind,” said Leonardo.

“I know Rino (Gattuso) well. I played with him.

“I always speak to Gattuso and try to be very clear. Now the most important thing is that he recovers from the muscular injury.”

Gattuso has been a reported target of Manchester City but AC Milan club administrator Adriano Galliani said: “The other day I showed him (Gattuso) the midfield of the top five teams in Europe and he would not have been a starter in any of those.

“Why leave, only to be relegated to the bench somewhere else?”

The 31-year-old has been with the Rossoneri since 1999 and was a crucial member of the Italy squad which won the 2006 World Cup.

He has made seven league appearances in an AC Milan jersey this campaign.

Written by Danny Watson, a sports writer who blogs about soccer shirts

Leonardo unhappy with his defence

The season hasn’t been easy for Leonardo so far this season with his strikers being shot shy at the start of the season, however in recent weeks the goals have started to come only now the defence has started to leak goals.

“It’s true that we have problems in defence. But it’s something we are aware of and we need to improve on,”

Milan were 2-1 down after half an hour at the weekend against Cagliari but fought back to win 4-3 and although Leonardo wasn’t happy with the goals conceded he was very happy with the fight back from his side.

“We have turned around the result quickly and I am happy for that,” Leonardo said.

“All our three strikers have scored against a Cagliari side that had not given away a goal in three games. This team has learned to suffer and overcome adversity quickly.”

“We have turned around the result quickly and I am happy for that,” Leonardo said.

“All our three strikers have scored against a Cagliari side that had not given away a goal in three games. This team has learned to suffer and overcome adversity quickly.”

Alexandre Pato and Ronaldinho have really began to show their worth in an AC Milan jersey and show their true ability. Pato has shown promise over the past couple of seasons but after the loss of Kaka he needed to step up and has. Ronaldinho similarly has begun to show some of the form that AC Milan bought him to produce.

AC Milan currently lie third in Serie As, seven points behind league leaders Inter Milan, and if they win their Champions League clash tonight with Marseille they will qualify for the next round of the Champions league.

Written by Kampanart Wong, a sports editor who blogs about cheap football jerseys

Real Madrid vs AC Milan Highlights: UEFA Champions League Highlights

Alexandre Pato saved the blushes of fellow Brazilian Dida with a brace as AC Milan stunned Real Madrid at the Bernabeu to get their Champions League prospects back on track and inflict only a second competitive defeat of the season on their big-spending hosts.

For a while it looked as though Dida`s dreadful first-half error, which allowed Raul to give Madrid a half-time lead, would cost Milan dear but Pato popped up in the 88th minute to volley home the winner and help the Italians bounce back from defeat to FC Zurich in their previous Group C match. That was Pato`s second goal of the game, as he had also put the hosts ahead in the 66th minute after Andrea Pirlo’s equaliser just minutes before.

Royston Drenthe was the other goalscorer, making it 2-2 in the 76th minute, but his effort could not save Madrid in the battle between the two most successful sides in European Cup history. The results means seven-time European champions Milan join Madrid, who have won the competition a record nine times, on six points at the midway point of the group C.

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