Pato reflects on Berlusconi’s words that contributed to famous Milan victory | OneFootball

AC Milan have had numerous iconic victories in their history, maybe less so in recent years, and one that springs to mind is the 3-2 victory against Real Madrid in 2009.

Despite the lack of iconic victories in recent years, one could argue that this season’s win against Real at the Santiago Bernabeu could be added to the list, given the performance that was very Milan. A showing of dominant football, a showing of Rossoneri spirit.

Before the victory at the Bernabeu this season, fans had to look back to 2009 for their last win in the Champions League against the Galacticos, and once again, the Diavolo won by the method of scoring three goals, albeit the Madrid outfit scored two then.

Without a doubt, the protagonist of that clash was Alexandre Pato – the 20-year-old Brazilian who had already begun to make his mark on the European stage – as he scored two delightful goals to win the game for Milan. However, the game could have gone differently had Silvio Berlusconi not called the striker earlier in the week.

As revealed in an interview on the Benja Me Mucho podcast, as cited by Calciomercato.com, the striker was asked to play centrally by the Rossoneri’s owner.

“We were going by bus to the stadium. Suddenly I got a phone call and I answered: ‘Who is it?’, ‘Hello, Berlusconi wants to talk to you’. I say: ‘Huh? At match time?’’ Berlusconi: ‘Listen, I’m asking you to play in a more central position.

“How do I do it, my coach is there in front of me,’ Pato says, referring to Leonardo. So I tell him: ‘Silvio, but how do I do it? I have to do what the coach tells me. Berlusconi tells me: ‘Don’t worry, go to the centre, I’ll tell you’. I reply: ‘All right’. Then I said to Leonardo: ‘Hey Leo, he (Berlusconi) called me and told me to play in the centre’’. To which the coach concludes with: ‘Go on, play in the centre.”

The rest, as they say, is history.