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Milan avoid another Didaster but are they reborn after Real win?
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A memorable 3-2 victory for AC Milan at Real Madrid on Wednesday as much for the goalkeeping howlers as great play.
When Milan keeper Dida produced an all too frequent error to give Raul the chance to equal Gerd Mueller’s record of 66 goals in the three main European club competitions, it looked like a familiar story for a struggling Milan this season under new coach Leonardo.
It has been labelled a “Didaster” by Italian media but thanks to a stoming second-half performance, Milan pulled off a result even their most hardened of fans cannot have expected given their shaky start to the campaign.
But is it just papering over the cracks and were Real just too bad? Alexandre Pato scored twice, the first aided by Iker Casillas’s rush of blood, but otherwise laboured. Ronaldinho had another quiet evening on his return to Spain.
What the win did show is that Milan are at least finding a bit more grit and determination. They also conceded first in last weekend’s 2-1 win over AS Roma and fought back.
Milan’s problems are not fixed but Leonardo can dine out on the Bernabeu victory for a while.
PHOTO: AC Milan’s Alexandre Pato (2nd R) celebrates with team mates Ronaldinho (80) and Clarence Seedorf (R), as Real Madrid’s Marcelo watches, after Pato scored his 2nd goal during their Champions League match at Bernabeu Oct. 21, 2009. REUTERS/Juan Medina
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It is not just papering over the cracks, Milan have genius players, it is their age what causes the problems
This game was as dull as ditchwater for an hour before Milan scored twice in four minutes. Real should have been two up by then anyway after a blatant penalty on Benzema was waved away in the first half. Both Milan’s first two goals had elements of luck about them.
Pirlo caught out everyone with the first and Casillas, if not at fault then, committed a Dida-style howler for the second.
After that it turned into a bit of a free for all. Other top sides will not be so generous as Real Madrid were. I don’t reckon Milan fans should get too excited about this win. Ronaldinho, by the way, was a shadow of his former self and embarrassingly bad at times.