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CAFU AWARDED RANK OF OFFICER

MILAN - Today at the General Consolate of Brazil, the General Consul, Ambassador Antonio Augusto Dayrell de Lima, will assign the Order of Rio Branco, with the rank of Officer, to Brazilian national captain and AC Milan player Marcos Evangelista de Morais, also known as Cafu. It is a high Honor conferred by the President of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, for his merits and civic virtues.

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VIAREGGIO TOURNAMENT: LAST SIXTEEN AGAINST VICENZA

MILAN - It will be Vicenza the next opponent of Filippo Galli's lads at the Viareggio tournament.. The Veneti qualified after beating Sparta Prague (4-0) and Pergocrema (3-2), and losing against Anderlecht (6-0). The clash between Milan and Vicenza will be played tomorrow at Agliana (Pistoia), at 3pm.

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YOUTH SECTOR - FRIENDLIES: THE PROGRAM

MILAN - Saturday 9th February at 3pm, the Pulcini B of Milan will play against Stella Sestese, at Sesto San Giovanni. On Sunday, always at 3pm, the Pulcini C, born in 1999, will be playing at Vanzago (Milan) against Vanzaghese.

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YOUTH SECTOR - OFFICIAL GAMES: THE PROGRAM

MILAN - On Saturday the Berretti team will rest, therefore in this moment there are no official youth sector games in calendar for the Rossoneri. On Sunday 10th February, the program is intensive: at 11.00 Olginatese-Milan at Carenno (Lc), Allievi Nazionali; at 10.00 Caravaggese-Milan at Antegnate (Bg), Allievi B; at 10.30 Milan-Brescia at Bresso (Mi), Giovanissimi Regionali; at 11.00 Caravaggese-Milan at Urago D'Oglio (Bs), Giovanissimi C; at 10.30 Cremonese-Milan at Cremona, Pulcini A.

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SIENA: TRAINING RESUMES TODAY

MILAN - The official website of Siena, acsiena.it, informs that the next opponent of Milan in the league had a rest of day yesterday following the win against Roma. The Bianconeri wil be back to train this afternoon at Colle Val d'Elsa. Manninger, Codrea and Frick will be absent due to the respective national team commitments, and De Cegli and Rossettini with the Olympic Team. Still to evaluate the recovery of Tomas Locatelli.

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SIENA: THURSDAY'S FRIENDLY GAME

MILAN - On Thursday 7th of February, Siena will play, in a mid-week test, a friendly game against Poggio Catino, a team of Promozione from the province of Rieti. The game will be played at colle Val d'Elsa at 3pm.

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IN MEMORY OF ROSA BOSSI BERLUSCONI

MILAN - Today, in concomitance with the funeral of the mum of President Berlusconi, vice-President Paolo Berlusconi and Mrs. Maria Anonietta, at Arcore, in a private form, two holy masses of suffrage have started. The first one, at 11am, in Milan at the Sant'Ambrogio church. The second one, at 11.30am, in Rome at the San Lorenzo church of Lucina.

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WENGER: "Mental aspect will be crucial"

MILAN - French coach Arséne Wenger said today on Arsenal's official website that in the race for the Premier League title between the Gunners, Manchester United, and Chelsea, mental strength and the direct encounters will be decisive.

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SERIE A: DECISIONS OF THE SPORTING JUDGE

MILAN - Inter footballer Patrick Vieira, who was expelled during the match Inter-Empoli, has been suspended for two rounds by sporting judge Gianpaolo Tosel, who also suspended for one round Cannavaro (Napoli), Doni (Atalanta), Vidigal (Livorno), Felipe and Pepe (Udinese), Bellini and Guarente (Atalanta), Gilardino (Milan), Mudingayi (Lazio), Natali (Torino), Pisanu (Parma), Zaccardo (Palermo).

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MILAN-SIENA: GALLOPPA WON'T BE THERE

MILAN - Siena's official website, acsiena.it, announced that exams made on Daniele Galloppa showed that he has a second-degree lesion to his right thigh. He's expected back in around three weeks

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MILAN-SIENA: DISCIPLINARY SITUATION

MILAN - Ahead of Milan-Siena, the rossoneri have one player suspended, Alberto Gilardino, and two players one booking away from suspension: Favalli and Nesta. Siena, meanwhile, have two players who are one booking away from suspension: Kharja and Loria.

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LEGA CALCIO: SERIE A SEASON 2008/2009 STARTS ON 31 AUGUST

MILAN - The 2008/09 Serie A season will kick off on 31 August. This was decided today by the Lega Council. The Assembly also established that the finals of the Primavera championships will be played in Chieti, and they will ask Fifa to authorise them to experiment with the new "goal or not goal" technology in the next Serie B season, a technology developed by the National Research Center of Bari in collaboration with Udinese

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UNDER 21: GOURCUFF ON THE PITCH LAST NIGHT

MILAN - In the Under 21 national team friendly game of Benidorm, Yoann Gourcuff played for France in the 2-0 defeat against Spain. For the young Spanish side a goal per half: Sisi's goal in the 36th minute of the first half, own goal by M. Dabo in the 5th of the second half.

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MILAN-ARSENAL: THE DATES

MILAN - For the second leg of the 4th of March, we remind you that the pre-emption phase ended yesterday (21.544 tickets sold) reserved to the subscribers of the league.

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SIENA: DOUBLE TRAINING SESSION

MILAN - Siena, next opponent of Milan on Sunday in Serie A at 3pm at San Siro for the 22nd matchday of the league in Serie A, will today have a double training session on hte pitch of Colle Val D'Elsa