It's Too Early To Talk About The Scudetto Race – Juventus Midfielder Felipe Melo

The Brazilian hardman says that any talk of the title is premature.

Juventus midfielder Felipe Melo claims that despite the club's opening results, it is too early to be discussing the Scudetto race. The Bianconeri have won their first two matches, and currently sit two points ahead of Inter, who have won the past four Serie A titles.“It’s been a really good start to the championship, we’re happy to have played well in these first two matches, especially against a strong team like Roma,” he said, according to Goal.com Italia. “I think it’s too early to talk about a battle between Inter and Juventus. There is also Milan.” The player scored on his Serie A debut for the Bianconeri in the 3-1 victory over the Giallorossi and is considered one of the top midfielders in Serie A after a successful campaign with Fiorentina in 2008-09. Juventus visit the Stadio Olimpico to face Lazio on September 12, after play resumes following the international break.The 26-year-old is currently on international duty with Brazil.

AC Milan Have Turned The Corner - Marco Storari

The shot stopper believes his side are ready to challenge this season after being humbled at the Giuseppe Meazza last weekend.

AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Storari is confident that the club can start a new chapter of success following the disappointing 4-0 derby loss to Inter."We regret the outcome of the match against Inter, but we already turned the corner on Saturday night," he told Milan Channel."We are ready for Livorno. The important thing is to stay serene and compact. Certainly we want to succeed, it will be key to start off on the right foot. This is a strong team, rich with champions."Meanwhile, he commented on Milan's Champions League draw which saw them placed in Group C, alongside Spanish giants Real Madrid, Marseille, and FC Zurich."It does not seem easy," the former Cagliari and Messina player admitted. "In the third pot I think Marseille was one of the best teams, it will be a tough match, like all the others."Since joining the Rossoneri in 2007, the 32-year-old has endured a number of loan spells - at Levante, Cagliari, and Fiorentina. However, he has deputised for the injured Dida and Christian Abbiati in the starting XI for the Rossoneri's first two league matches in 2009-10.

AC Milan Vice-President Galliani: Leonardo Refused To Sign Mahamadou Diarra

The Rossoneri opted not to sign the Mali international.

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has revealed that the club had the chance to sign defensive midfielder Mahamadou Diarra from Real Madrid this summer, but that coach Leonardo felt it would have been an unnecessary expenditure."There was a chance to take Diarra from Real Madrid, but Leonardo told us that we were already OK in midfield," he said, according to Goal.com Italia.The 28-year-old was widely expected to depart the Bernabeu this summer after the arrival of Xabi Alonso, but has remained at the club after being sidelined for a majority of last season with a knee injury.Meanwhile, he also discussed left-back Aly Cissokho, who nearly joined the club this summer from Porto before failing a medical due to a dental problem."The excellent performance of Cissokho at Lyon shows that we were right [to try and sign him]."

Adriano Galliani: Milan Are Searching For A New Kaka

The Rossoneri chief executive has reiterated that they could look at the South American market in January in the hope of unearthing a new Kaka.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani hinted yesterday that the non-EU spot vacated by Tabare Viudez, who has mutually rescinded his contract with the club, will be filled again during the January transfer window and further elaborated on the topic this morning as he stepped into the Lega Calcio headquarters.“We have a free non-EU place, which is something we could not boast last season. We’ll see…” he told the assembled media pack.A similar situation presented itself in 2003 when Milan released Nigerian striker Aliyu Datti and consequently signed a certain Kaka…“I want to remind everyone that Aliyu is the player that was sold to Standard Liege and allowed us to free up a non-EU spot for Kaka,” he smiled.“Who will be the next Kaka? It’s hard to say, but we are working on it.”Milan sold the Brazilian international to Spanish giants Real Madrid earlier this summer for a reported €67.5 million.

Milan ‘Keeper Christian Abbiati Resumes Training

The shot-stopper has almost recovered from knee surgery, returning between the posts at Milanello on Wednesday.

After the Derby della Madonnina debacle, Milan fans received some good news on Wednesday as goalkeeper Christian Abbiati finally resumed training following his serious knee injury last March.The 32-year-old ruptured the anterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee at Siena and went under the knife in Antwerp on March 30, with the Rossoneri medical staff expecting his recovery process to take between five and six months.The ex-Juventus net-minder was spotted training with the rest of the Diavoli squad yesterday morning, albeit working alone in the gym in the afternoon.It is still unclear whether Abbiati will be available for selection after the international break, when Leonardo’s men will try to bounce back from the 4-0 humiliation suffered at the hands of cross-city rivals Inter against Livorno.Meanwhile, Marco Borriello and Clarence Seedorf trained on their own yesterday, as did Filippo Inzaghi, who is expected to be at the coach’s disposal for the trip to the Armando Picchi. Gennaro Gattuso is still recovering from his ankle sprain suffered in the derby.

Carles Puyol Stalls Over New Barcelona Deal

First team football is foremost in the captain's mind.

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is stalling over a contract renewal offered by the club as doubts persist over his role in the first team, according to AS.The 31-year-old Blaugrana defender is said to be mulling over a two-year extension that would keep him at the club until he is 34-years-old but there is a suggestion now that the player may consider finishing his career overseas with Premier League big spenders Chelsea and Manchester City and Italian giants Milan identified as clubs keeping tabs on the progress of contract negotiations.Puyol is said to have the backing of coach Pep Guardiola who said he wants to hold onto the captain because he can play any position in the back four. The veteran defender, who played his 300th league game for Barca in Monday's 2-0 win over Sporting Gijon at Camp Nou, is reportedly unconvinced about his future role at the club.Puyol, who has lifted three La Liga titles and two European Cups as captain, is said to be in no hurry to sign a deal and wants to see how this season develops with Rafael Marquez and new-signing Dmytro Chygrynskiy vying for the centre-back positions and Pep Guardiola's position at the club yet to be set in stone. It is understood that a role on the substitutes bench would most likely diminish the likelihood of him signing an extension.

AC Milan To Swap Jankulovski For Tottenham Starlet Gareth Bale

The Rossoneri are after the young Welsh international.

According to English newspaper the London Times, AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur are negotiating a deal that would see Marek Jankulovski and Gareth Bale swap clubs.The Rossoneri are willing to give the Spurs the Czech international plus an additional €5 million for the services of the Welsh starlet during the winter transfer window that opens in January.The 20-year-old has a boatload of potential and can also play as a left midfielder similar to Jankulovski. The report insists that negotiations are already well advanced.Bale made 30 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham last season, but with the excellent form of Benoit Assou-Ekotto he may have a tough time breaking into the starting XI.Meanwhile, Jankulovski has been a first team member of the Rossoneri since 2005.

Inter Director Ernesto Paolillo Suggests AC Milan Are Still In Scudetto Race

The club official says the Diavoli are not dead and buried, despite their humiliating derby defeat.

After Inter mauled AC Milan 4-0 in the city derby this past weekend, many pundits now believe it's a two-horse race for the Scudetto between the Nerazzurri and their rivals Juventus.However, Inter director Ernesto Paolillo will not count out their city rivals and claims the Rossoneri can recover. "The title race is only between two teams? There may be surprises," he told realsports.it."First of all, beyond the outcome of the derby, Milan is able to address the league in a strong manner and should not be underestimated."Meanwhile, he claimed that teams outside of the 'big three' in the peninsula could also challenge for the title after positive starts to the 2009-10 campaign."Plus, we must not forget other teams such as Genoa, Sampdoria, and Fiorentina. They could cause a shock," he concluded.

Thiago Silva Urges Milan To React After Derby Defeat

The Brazilian defender admits the derby thrashing is hard to swallow, but he is insistent that the Rossoneri have what it takes to turn things around.

Thiago Silva, who is in his maiden season in Italy with Milan, is adamant coach Leonardo will be able to get the side back on track in no time after a bad weekend.After a positive start to the Serie A campaign, the Derby della Madonnina brought the Rossoneri back down to earth, hammered 4-0 by bitter rivals Inter on Saturday night.“It’s hard to digest such a defeat in the derby, but the team is strong,” the Brazilian centre-back told the club’s official website.“We will talk about the game and analyse the mistakes we committed on the pitch after working intensely for a week to prepare for this clash.“We played well at the beginning up until the moment we conceded a goal: we needed to remain calm to try and turn the situation around, but instead we got nervous.“Everyone knows that in these situations you have to keep calm. Now we have to work a lot on tactics, but Leonardo is a very good coach.”Milan will travel to Tuscany after the international break to face newly-promoted side Livorno, who gave a good account of themselves at Napoli last weekend, despite suffering a 3-1 loss.

Arsenal Should Sign Milan's Gennaro Gattuso - Ian Wright

The ex-Gunners man feels Gattuso is the player most needed at the Emirates.

Former Arsenal hitman Ian Wright believes Gunners manager Arsene Wenger should sign Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso to add some fighting qualities to the team in an attempt to save their title bid this season.The Gunners lost 2-1 at the weekend to title rivals Manchester United following a hard-fought game at Old Trafford, and Wright doesn't feel Arsenal have the tenacious qualities to battle with the very best.The former striker feels players who aren't afraid to stick their feet into the opposition are needed, and he has picked Gattuso as the one who would intimidate other sides with aggression."Arsenal need to sign someone like AC Milan's Gennaro Gattuso, an experienced, tough-tackling midfield enforcer who would not have allowed himself or his team-mates to be bullied by a player like United's Darren Fletcher," Wright told The Sun.Landing Gattuso is unlikely, as he is tied to the San Siro-based club until 2011. In addition, Wenger's philosophy has always been to bring in youngsters, rather than players who are reaching the end of their careers.

Clarence Seedorf Explains Substitution Delay During Milan Derby

The player has become annoyed by some of the accusations in the press.

AC Milan were defeated in the city derby by Inter on Saturday, to the tune of a humiliating 4-0 scoreline.One of the key moments of the match was the sending off of Gennaro Gattuso, which happened just before the player was about to be substituted for Clarence Seedorf.The Dutchman took some extra time to get ready, as he had to change from sneakers into football boots and some have criticised the veteran for the delay."I think this is an insult to my professionalism. It's very simple, [I was wearing the sneakers because] I returned from an injury that lasted 40 days and I had some soreness in my calf," he explained to Sky Sport 24."If I have to apologize for that, I also ask your pardon, it is not a problem. I believe that I demonstrated in the second-half by playing well."Indeed, the former Real Madrid man was one of the few bright spots for the Rossoneri on the evening."In my career I've always acted like a professional or at least like someone who is willing to give his all to the team," he concluded.

AC Milan Send Kaka's Brother Digao On Loan To Lecce

The centre-back will once again be loaned out for the duration of the season.

AC Milan have loaned out defender Digao to Serie B outfit Lecce, as confirmed by the club's official website, acmilan.com.A statement released by the club read, "A.C. Milan communicate that the footballer Rodrigo Izecson dos Santos Leite 'Digao' has been loaned out to U.S. Lecce until 30 June 2010."The 23-year-old is the brother of former Milan talisman Kaka, who left for Real Madrid in a mega-money move this summer.Despite, joining the Rossoneri in 2005, Diago has often been deemed surplus to requirements, having had loan spells at Rimini and Standard Liege.The Salentini will be hoping that Digao can assist the club in regaining their top flight status, after they were relegated at the tail end of last season's Serie A campaign.

AC Milan Director Ariedo Braida: No More Transfers

No more transfers is the word from Milan, despite several hours until the market officially closes.

Milan will not sign anyone else as they declare their transfer market campaign as 'closed'.Club director Ariedo Braida has revealed there will not be any last-minute dash to beat the transfer clock which stops at 19:00CET tonight."There will not be any operations in the transfer market. Milan's market is closed," Braida told Tuttomercatoweb.com.Braida stayed quiet on the post-derby debate as journalists chased him around Via Turati with questions. Vice-president Adriano Galliani was nowhere to be seen as the Rossoneri choose to keep a low profile following the 4-0 defeat to Inter. Having lost key men such as Paolo Maldini and Kaka, the club's only signings, apart from the player's who returned from various loan spells, were Oguchi Onyewu, Flavio Roma and Klass-Jan Huntelaar.

Andriy Shevchenko Pleased To Be Back With Dynamo Kyiv

'Sheva' has returned to Kyiv, and he feels pleased to be home.

Andriy Shevchenko has expressed his delight at being back with Dynamo Kyiv, ten years after leaving the club for Italy.The Ukrainian international striker enjoyed a successful spell with Milan, before moving to England with Chelsea, where his fortunes changed somewhat.The 32-year-old has now returned to his home country after being told he could leave the Blues, and he wants to repay Dynamo."First of all, I would like to thank [Chelsea owner] Roman Abramovich and [Dynamo president] Igor Surkis for making the transfer possible," Shevchenko said, according to UEFA's official website."I also want to thank coach Valery Gazzaev, whom I am really happy to have the chance to work with. I've had ten years abroad but now it's time to return."I want to honour the club and make the fans happy; I'm really pleased to be back."Shevchenko had been insisting he was happy to remain at Chelsea over the summer, but appeared to have a change of heart after being left out of the Blues' Champions League squad.'Sheva's' transfer means he will now participate in Europe's most illustrious competition, featuring in a group that includes Barcelona, Inter and Rubin Kazan, though he remains undaunted by the challenge ahead."We have a very tough group, but that's even better for Dynamo," he added."We respect our opponents and we expect them to adopt the same attitude towards us. Everybody should respect, or even fear, this club."Shevchenko has signed an initial one-year contract with Dynamo, with a possible option for a further 12 months thereafter.

Gennaro Gattuso Ruled Out Of Italy's World Cup Qualifiers

The combative midfielder picked up an injury in last night's derby and is unavailable for Marcello Lippi's squad.

Before being sent off, shortly before half time in the Derby della Madonnina last night, Gennaro Gattuso picked up an injury and it has been confirmed that it will exclude him from Italy's World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria in the coming days.La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that Gattuso sprained his left ankle in the early stages of the derby against Inter, and will be ruled out for around a fortnight.Italy face Georgia in Tblisi on September 5, before hosting Bulgaria in Turin on September 9.
The Azzurri currently sit top of Group 8 in the qualifying phase for next year's World Cup in South Africa, with a game in hand over the Republic of Ireland in second place.The 31-year-old midfielder will also have to serve a suspension in Serie A after his dismissal, which will at least allow the former Rangers midfielder to fully recover from his injury.

Beaten Milan Must Stay Calm - Silvio Berlusconi

Silvio Berlusconi has claimed he is unconcerned by Milan's 4-0 defeat to Inter in the Derby della Madonnina, but added that the squad must stay calm and start winning again."Every game has its own story, and I am not worried about the future," Berlusconi stated to Italian news agency ANSA."I told them [the players] to stay calm and that they have to begin winning again [starting] from the next game."Berlusconi also congratulated Inter on their victory, and added that he was happy to have met Nerazzurri coach Jose Mourinho for the first time last night."It was the first time that I have seen him, I was happy to meet him and he [felt] likewise."Milan have a fortnight to mull over their defeat before they travel to Livorno in the third round of Serie A. Inter, meanwhile, will host newly-promoted Parma.