Milan fans plead for Kaka to stay
Reuters - Saturday 17 January 2009, 22:27
MILAN - An Alexandre Pato goal gave AC
Milan a 1-0 win over Fiorentina on Saturday as fans at the San
Siro vocally urged the club not to sell Brazilian playmaker Kaka
to cash-rich Manchester City.
Kaka was relatively quiet in what could be his last game for
the seven-times European champions.
Milan fans displayed banners such as "Kaka is Priceless" and
"Hands Off Kaka" and sang "Don't Sell Kaka" after the club
admitted this week they are considering an offer from Manchester
City that is reportedly worth over 100 million euros.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti said he had not given up hope of
keeping Kaka.
"Yes, I hope (he stays) because he's an important player for
us," Ancelotti told Sky television.
"The situation is still developing, anything can happen.
It's true that there's been an important offer for an important
player, but time is needed to do all the evaluations.
"He experienced very positive emotions (at the match), with
a whole (group of) people showing him great affection."
Pato drilled in with the help of the far post in the seventh
minute to give third-placed Milan 37 points from 19 games, six
behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan, who visit Atalanta on Sunday.
Loan signing David Beckham had a mixed home debut for Milan,
who had Marek Jankulovski sent off in stoppage time for a second
yellow card.
The Englishman was booked and misplaced a few passes but he
also recovered a ricochet in the move that led to the goal and
had a decent shot pushed away for a corner just before halftime.
"He was tidy, very disciplined," Ancelotti said. "He can't
yet play for 90 minutes, he felt Fiorentina's pressure a bit in
the second half. Apart from the tactical discipline, what I like
about him above all is that he has a very low error rate."
The hosts had a scare a minute before Pato notched his fifth
goal in three league games when the referee awarded a penalty
for a challenge on Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic, but he overruled
it when the linesman told him keeper Christian Abbiati got the
ball.
With Ronaldinho on the bench for most of the match,
Ancelotti's men faded as the first half progressed.
Montenegro midfielder Jovetic came close to equalising with
a powerful shot, while Riccardo Montolivo had a long-distance
strike well saved and Alberto Gilardino headed over from a good
position.
Kaka's best moment was just before the half hour when he
went on a surging run from his own half that ended with him
going down in the area and the referee letting play continue.
The home team had a good spell of pressure after the break
only to gradually surrender control again. Abbiati had to
produce a stunning save to deny Mario Alberto Santana, who also
hit a shot narrowly wide five minutes later.
Earlier, Siena beat second-from-bottom Reggina 1-0 to end a
run of four consecutive league defeats thanks to substitute
Mario Frick's 75th-minute goal.
Second-placed Juventus, who trail Inter by four points,
visit Lazio in Sunday's late game.