Berlusconi daughter voted on to Milan board
Reuters - Wednesday 20 April 2011, 17:01
MILAN - Barbara Berlusconi, the
glamorous daughter of AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, was
voted onto the board of the Serie A leaders on Wednesday.
"It is a sign of the continued interest of the Berlusconi
family who have always been close to the club and offered
economic support," Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani told
reporters.
"The fact that the club president's brother (Paolo) and one
of his daughters are on the board is a good sign which must also
be welcomed by fans as an act of faith."
Fans had criticised Italian prime minister Berlusconi for a
lack of investment following the sale of Kaka to Real Madrid in
2009 but they have been silenced by a mini spending splurge at
the start of the season and the club closing in on the title.
Media reports have long linked Milan with a possible bid by
Arab investors but Berlusconi has denied any immediate interest
in selling.
Barbara, 26, has been touring departments of the club for
the last year to get used to the organisation and has been the
subject of vast Italian press coverage speculating about her
relationship with Milan's Brazil striker Alexandre Pato.
The Italian football federation also said in a statement on
Wednesday that Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic's appeal against
his three-game Serie A ban for swearing at a linesman had been
rejected.