Sports

Thursday November 5, 2009

Emotional night for Kaka on return to San Siro

MILAN: Real Madrid’s Brazil star Kaka said it was an emotional night for him on his first return to the club he graced for six years and with which he won the Champions League and the World Player of the Year title.

Kaka was not at his best in the Group C match that finished 1-1 but he did make a decisive contribution, firing in the shot in the 29th minute that goalkeeper Dida couldn’t hold, allowing Karim Benzema to give the Spaniards the lead.

Several banners around the San Siro expressed the Milan faithful’s affection for their former player while he was afforded standing ovations before and after the game.

“It was an emotional night, I tried to control my emotions and play the match,” he said.

“(The reception) was great, as I ex­­pected it to be. I was offered a warm welcome. I had some great moments here and I want to thank the fans.”

And Kaka also had kind words for his former team-mates.

“Milan’s group is very strong, they have to play many games and aren’t managing to develop any consistency.

“But in the Champions League in the big games, they always turn up.”

Milan won 3-2 at the Bernabeu last month but Kaka thinks Real’s stuttering new Galacticos are starting to gel, with Cristiano Ronaldo yet to return from injury.

“We need to have patience. Bit by bit the team is coming together,” he said. — Agencies

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story

Sports Poll