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CHARGED FOR THE VIOLA

The day after scoring his seventh goal of the season, Alberto Gilardino talked about his condition, his understanding with Pato, and the match on Sunday against Fiorentina.

- THE DECLARATIONS OF ALBERTO GILARDINO -

(on the photo: ALBERTO GILARDINO AFTER HIS GOAL IN REGGINA-MILAN 0-1)

MILANELLO - Here are the declarations of Alberto Gilardino to Milan Channel after today's training session at Milanello:

"It's a period in which I'm feeling good physically. Yesterday night we got an important victory because the three points we earned were crucial. Now we have four days to prepare well for the game against Fiorentina which will be very important. We have to try and keep the ball a bit better during games to avoid conceding counterattacks. We will try to work on these things because the team we're playing against on Sunday is very good at counterattacks."

Perhaps yesterday night we had to finish off the game earlier, trying to score another goal after going in front. We created lots of chances both in the first half and in the second, but not always do we manage to finish things off.

With Pato on the pitch I am comfortable because he is a quality player, he's very quick and he has different characteristics to me. He changes position all the time and allows me to make certain movements.

Personally, after my goal I was really happy, I ran to the bench to celebrate with my team mates, particularly with Bonera, who had predicted I would score before the game. And also with Brocchi to celebrate his birthday. After the match against Genoa, a non-existant problem was created: the players sitting on the bench suffer as much as those who go on the pitch, we all want to play and be in the starting eleven all the time."

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UEFA: PRESIDENT PLATINI TODAY AT ZAGABRIA

MILAN - Important speech by Michel Platini today at Zagabria, which was reported on Uefa's official website, uefa.com: (click here). The President of the biggest continental football organization reminded about the important summit held in Zurich on 21 January and re-proposed the concept of football to be experienced as a game and a vehicle for positive values.

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FIORENTINA: PAZIENZA SOLD TO NAPOLI

MILAN - Fiorentina, Milan's next opponent on Sunday night (20.30) at the 'Artemio Franchi' stadium, have definitively sold midfielder Michele Pazienza to S.S.C. Napoli.

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FABREGAS: "We will fight until the end"

MILAN - On Arsenal's official website, Cesc Fabregas today spoke about a tough three-way battle for the title in the English Premier League with Manchester United and Chelsea.

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FIORENTINA-MILAN: SITUATION ON TICKETS

MILAN - 13.000 tickets have been sold for the match on Sunday 3 February (20.30) between Fiorentina and Milan at the 'Artemio Franchi' stadium of Florence.

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SERIE A: THE REFEREES OF THE NEXT MATCHDAY

MILAN - These are the referee designations for the second matchday of Serie A: Saccani: Fiorentina-Milan; Velotto: Genoa-Catania; Tagliavento: Inter-Empoli; Giannoccaro: Juventus-Cagliari; Orsato: Lazio-Sampdoria; Ayroldi: Napoli-Udinese; Bergonzi: Palermo-Livorno; Damato: Parma-Atalanta; Morganti: Reggina-Torino; Dondarini: Siena-Roma.

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FIORENTINA-MILAN: SACCANI TO REF

MILAN - It will be referee Massimiliano Saccani to direct Fiorentina-Milan, Sunday evening game of the second matchday of Serie A, scheduled for Sunday at 8.30pm at the stadium 'Artemio Franchi' of Florence. Assistants Pirondini and Maggiani, the fourth offical Banti.

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UNITY OF INTENTS

"The team is doing fine at the moment, we all worked very well together in Dubai. The coach is very satisfied. The environment is serene and we are all working for the good of the team."

- EMERSON'S PRESS CONFERENCE -

MILANELLO - Here are the declarations made by Emerson during the press conference held today at the Milanello conference room:

- ON HIS CONDITION -

"I'm happy because I feel well and finally I've managed to make myself available to the coach after having suffered from some physical problems. Since I came here, I've always tried to help Milan reach the objectives this great club always has. At the moment I'm doing fine and I think I can help the team a lot. Unfortunately when I arrived I suffered from that injury, but now I'm available to the team and the coach."

- ON RONALDO -

"Ronie has managed to work very well in the Dubai training camp, I saw it myself because we worked a lot together. On his return in the game against Napoli, he did very well, then unfortunately he got injured and he hasn't been available to play anymore, which I think is too bad. A person like him, after all he has been through in his life, he's mentally very strong, he's a great person, too bad about his injury."

- ON THE TEAM'S CONDITION -

"At the moment the team is fine, we all worked very well in Dubai. The coach is very satisfied. Personally I played for 90 minutes just once, I'm disappointed I wasn't available at the start of the season and I think Emerson can still give a lot to Milan. It's nice that there is a bit of competition within the squad, the environment is serene and everyone is working at their best for the team to put the coach in difficulty. But in the end it's the coach who makes the decisions, evaluating the situation and deciding for the most appropriate solution. For example, with Clarence, during training, we often talk about the team, but even if there's competition, it's positive because the group becomes stronger. I've always respected the choices of the coach and I think the most important thing is to do well for the group."

- ON THE MATCH AGAINST FIORENTINA -

"We have to prepare this game in the best possible way, thinking only about our objective, which is the fourth place. It will be a very difficult match, we know we have a chance to win so we have to be convinced we can do it. Fiorentina have players in attack who can make the difference and we have seen what they are capable of. Milan will have to be very careful, but with the players we have we should be able to stop them from scoring and we can certainly score ourselves."

- ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH PATO -

"Pato is a lad who has come here only recently, us team mates have the obligation to stay close to him. Sometimes I talk with him after the trainings, sometimes we go out to dinner together. Everything that is written about him on newspapers and what they say is exaggerated. He will be a great player, but he's still very young who still needs to grow and some people are putting too much responsibility on him. Pato can do a lot for Milan, but with the necessary patience. His first few performances have not surprised me, which is why I say he can do a lot, but we need to have the right patience, then slowly the other teams will get to know him and prepare themselves to stop him.
He knows he's in a great club, he wants to show he is able to live up expectations, but it's not easy. He's just gotten to know Italian football, but he's still a kid and even though he always wants to score we try to make him understand that he has to do everything calmly, and he's very lucky to have a group like this around him which helps him and stays close to him.
Now he's also been called up to the national team, it will be a nice opportunity for him to understand what it's like to wear the shirt of the national team.
We have gotten to know each other well because we have the same agent and some of the times I've been in Brazil I've had the chance to meet him and exchange a few thoughts. He's a humble person, as a player he's done very well in Brazil and few players of his age have been able to move to Italy so early. He's now in a club where he's watched by the whole world and that makes the news, and since he's a friend of mine I'm concerned with his wellbeing."

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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: "A"-LIST MADE UP OF 25 ROSSONERI PLAYERS

MILAN - Here is Milan's Uefa squad list for the Champions League 2007-08, valid starting from the eighth finals: GOALKEEPERS - Dida, Kalac, Fiori; DEFENDERS - Cafu, Maldini, Kaladze, Nesta, Simic, Jankulovski, Favalli, Bonera, Darmian, Oddo; MIDFIELDERS - Emerson, Gattuso, Seedorf, Gourcuff, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Brocchi; STRIKERS - Inzaghi, Gilardino, Kakà, Ronaldo, Pato.

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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: "B"-LIST WITH PALOSCHI

MILAN - In the B list, also valid for the Champions League, compared to the preceding one, there's the addition of striker Alberto Paloschi.

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ANCELOTTI'S CALLED-UP PLAYERS

MILANELLO - These are the called-up players of Carlo Ancelotti for the game in Florence:

GOALKEEPERS: Dida, Kalac, Fiori
DEFENDERS: Bonera, Cafu, Favalli, Jankulovski, Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Oddo
MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Emerson, Gourcuff, Kakà, Pirlo, Seedorf
ATTACKERS: Gilardino, Pato

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PRANDELLI: 'It's an important match'

MILAN - Like Carlo Ancelotti, also Cesare Prandelli talked during a press conference. Here are some of the things he said: 'It's an important match, we want to give Milan problems. Liverani? He won't take part in the game. We have players in midfield who can adapt to various situations. Milan have many solutions and are good in the one-on-ones. I'm sorry for Gattuso, but in any case the Rossoneri are not weakened.'

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EURORIVALS: ADEBAYOR CARRIES ARSENAL

MILAN - On the anticipated match of the 25th matchday of the Premier League, Arsenal have beaten Manchester City 3-1 on their own pitch. A strong performance by the Gunners, who won away from home against the side coached by Eriksson thanks to a brace by Adebayor, who has scored 18 goals so far this season, and a nice goal by Eduardo da Silva, thereby reaching the top of the table at 60 points.

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FIORENTINA'S CALLED UP PLAYERS

MILAN - Fiorentina had a training session this afternoon to prepare for tomorrow's match against Milan. Prandelli has called up 21 players: Avramov, Cacia, Da Costa, Dainelli, Frey, Gamberini, Gobbi, Jorgensen, Kroldrup, Kuzmanovic, Lupatelli, Montolivo, Mutu, Osvaldo, Pasqual, Pazzini, Potenza, Santana, Semioli, Ujfalusi, Vieri. Donadel is suspended, while Liverani is suspended. Ujfalusi and Dainelli have been recovered. Also new arrival Da Costa is present (his transfer papers have arrived).

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THE DEATH OF ROSA BOSSI BERLUSCONI

MILAN - Rosa Bossi Berlusconi, 97 years old, the mother of Silvio Berlusconi, has passed away today in her home in Milan. This was announced by her family.