KAKA the outstanding player in this season's Champions League

AC Milan squad penpix for Champions League final
ROME, May 18 (Reuters) - Brief portraits of AC Milan players ahead of the Champions League final against Liverpool in Athens on May 23:
Goalkeepers:
1-DIDA, 33. No player divides Milan's fans like Dida. The Brazilian international was the hero of Milan's victory in the 2003 Champions League final, when he saved three penalties in their shoot-out win over Juventus. Since then, however, his increasingly erratic performances have damaged his popularity and many of the club's supporters now consider him a liability.
16-KELJKO KALAC, 34. Like Dida, Milan's reserve keeper has a tendency to spill easy balls. He has made two Champions League appearances for the club: first, in the scoreless away draw against Celtic, then in the 2-0 defeat to Lille at the San Siro in December - Milan's only home defeat in the competition this season.
Defenders:
44-MASSIMO ODDO, 30. One of six Milan players - along with Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Filippo Inzaghi and Alberto Gilardino -- who took part in Italy's World Cup-winning campaign last year, Oddo joined the club from Lazio in January to fill the right-back role vacated by Brazil veteran Cafu. He is an erratic crosser but a good tackler, as he proved by helping to shut down Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo in the semifinals.
13-ALESSANDRO NESTA, 31. Plagued by a groin injury during the first half of the season, Nesta is now back to his imperious best. Clinical in the tackle, strong in the air, and possessed of a deceptive turn of speed, the Rome-born defender is a quietly authoritative presence at the centre of Milan's back four.
3-PAOLO MALDINI, 38. If he recovers from a recurrent knee injury to take part in the final, the Milan captain will have appeared in eight European Cup and Champions League finals - a mark only reached by Real Madrid midfielder Francisco Gento. Maldini lacks the pace he once had, but remains effective due to his remarkable sense of positioning.
18-MAREK JANKULOVSKI, 30. The Czech international played in midfield for former club Udinese, but was transformed into a marauding wing-back when Milan bought him at the start of last season. His aggressive partnership with Oddo allowed Milan to dominate the flanks in the return leg of their semifinal against Manchester United.
4-KAKHA KALADZE, 29. Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti used to field Kaladze at left-back, but has recently moved him back into his preferred position in the centre of the defence as a substitute for Paolo Maldini. Like Jankulovski, the Georgian international has plenty of top-level experience and could start in Athens if Maldini's knee injury prevent him from taking part.
2-CAFU, 36. The former Brazil captain has lost his automatic starting place to Oddo, but remains one of Milan's hardest-working players. His huge international experience often prompts team coach Carlo Ancelotti to bring him on as a late substitue when Milan need to protect a lead.
Midfielders:
8-GENNARO GATTUSO, 29. Milan's midfield mastiff is often portrayed as a purely destructive force - a player whose tireless running and tackling breaks down opponents' attacks and frees up space for his more skillful teammates. In the past few years, however, Gattuso has looked increasingly comfortable on the ball and he is now as capable of starting moves as ending them.
20-JOANN GOURCUFF, 20. Billed as Zinedine Zidane's heir apparent when he joined Milan last summer, the Frenchman has spent most of his first season in the shadow of his more illustrious midfield companions. Only used as a substitute for Clarence Seedorf.
21-ANDREA PIRLO, 28. When Milan last won the Champions League in 2003, Pirlo was the pivot around which their team turned. In Athens Liverpool are more likely to worry about Kaka, but if Liverpool give the Italian international time on the ball he will punish them with his combination of great vision and pinpoint passing. Pirlo is also Milan's most dangerous free-kick taker.
23-MASSIMO AMBROSINI, 29. Ambrosini used to spend most of his time on Milan's bench, but Ancelotti's decision to switch from a three to a four-man midfield with Kaka pushed up into attack has led to him getting more starts. Ambrosini is strong in the air, and has headed several match-winning goals from corners and free-kicks this season.
10-CLARENCE SEEDORF, 31. Previous Champions League titles with Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998) and Milan (2003) make Seedorf the only player to win the competition with three different clubs. The Dutchman is approaching the match against Liverpool in his best form of the season, having scored in the quarter-final againt Bayern Munich and in the last four against Manchester United.
22-KAKA, 25. The Brazilian international has been the outstanding player in this season's Champions League and is the competition's top scorer with ten goals. In Serie A, he plays in the hole behind the strikers. In Europe, Ancelotti pushes him forward into a role similar to the one Shevchenko used to fulfil - to use his devastating acceleration and speed to tear through opposition defences.
Forwards
9-FILIPPO INZAGHI, 33. Age and a succession of knee injuries have taken their toll on Inzaghi, who has been pushed down the pecking-order by Gilardino. Often mocked for his apparent lack of skill, and accused of being a diver, Inzaghi's phenomenal positional sense remains unimpaired as he showed when he broke Bayern Munich's offside trap to score in the second leg of their quarter-final.
11-ALBERTO GILARDINO, 24. Milan's top scorer in Serie A is the opposite of Inzaghi - a big, muscular centreforward who likes to take on defenders, can score off either foot and is strong in the air. Gilardino has yet to reproduce his domestic form in Europe this season and could feel he has something to prove in Athens.
7-RICARDO OLIVEIRA, 27. The Brazilian who was brought in to replace Andriy Shevchenko at the start of the season has been a disappointment so far, scoring just three times in 25 Serie A matches, and failing to find the net in six Champions League appearances. He is unlikely to feature in the match unless Gilardino or Inzaghi get injured.


Clipped from : http://football.guardian.co.uk

Kaka's the tournament scoring leader.

AC GETS AN A

The Champions League concludes Wednesday at Athens -- a rematch of the incredible 2005 final in which Liverpool came back from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan on penalties.

Just don't expect another six-goal thriller as both are known more for defence these days.

AC has to be favourite after disposing of Manchester United in convincing fashion, and Kaka's the the tournament scoring leader.

There are many great strikers but he's the one who has been getting the job done when it matters most, and nothing matters more than Wednesday.

Liverpool's hoping its physical style can knock the Italians off their game, but I think that's going to take a lot of knocking.

Organizers, meanwhile, are hoping the physical contests are confined to the players as the Greek capital is mobilizing 15,000 cops for crowd control.

That's 14,000 more than for England's F.A. Cup.


Clipped from : http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports

KAKA has been in great form.

Talking about this year's Champions League final in Athens, Juninho doesn't have doubts about which team is more likely to lift the title. "Milan is all class," he says. "Kaka has been in great form. They also have got other great players. Of course, Liverpool is going to be tough to beat. Tactically they are very good. But technically, Milan is superior. That's why I will say it's Milan," predicted Juninho.

And now talking about predictions, we all know how all the experts went wrong last year when they claimed before the 2006 World Cup that it was all but a formality for Brazil — yes, Brazil of Ronaldinho, Kaka, Ronaldo, Robinho and Adriano — to complete their sixth World Cup victory.

"We had the best players in the world. It was the best team. But we could not play our best football during the tournament. It's all about playing as a team," admits Juninho, while refusing to talk about coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's much criticised strategy of preferring aging warriors like Cafu and Roberto Carlos over fresh talents such as Cicinho.

Retired after the setback in Germany, Juninho is determined not to make an international return. "It's all about giving chance to new, young players, about building the team for 2010."
As for 2010, Juninho is convinced who will draw the loudest cheers in South Africa. "Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi will rule. They are excellent players. They are young and have a great future. I see these three competing for the Golden Ball," said Juninho, whose own dead-ball tricks have over the years added life to the game.

Clipped from : www.khaleejtimes.com

Kaka urges AC Milan to break bank on Shevchenko & Ronaldinho

Kaka is urging AC Milan to spend big this summer to land Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko and Barcelona superstar Ronaldinho.

"I would definitely like him (Shevchenko) back at Milan, so if the President decided to bring him in, I'd be happy," said the Brazil international.

Another star Kaka has publicly backed for a San Siro switch is his Brazil teammate Ronaldinho, who was on the end of a fan protest after Barcelona's Copa del Rey debacle this week.

"He is a great player and there's no secret we have an excellent rapport. Ronaldinho at Milan would be wonderful, as he's one of the best in the world. His arrival would be positive both for me and the club."

If Ronaldinho is the subject of transfer speculation, then so is Kaka, as Real Madrid continue to offer record-breaking fees.

"I have said a thousand times that I have a contract with Milan until 2011 and will respect it. After the summer holidays, unless there are truly extraordinary decisions, I will be a Milan player.

"Only the club can sell me, so if they don't opt to kick me out, I will remain. I am happy here and feel at home. My family feels good here too and I have the opportunity to learn a great deal."

Clipped from : www.tribalfootball.com

KAKA is a spectacular player

Emerson also commented on Real's interest in Brazil teammates Kaka and Adriano.

"Kaka is a spectacular player, an example for all. Adriano is a boy with enormous potential, but he must improve in certain aspects. He needs more discipline."

Kaka has won the praise of Sir Alex Ferguson

THE two players rated by Sir Alex Ferguson as the best in the world collide on Tuesday – and whoever comes out on top could decide which club reaches next month’s Champions League final.

Fergie believes there is no one to touch his own Cristiano Ronaldo – but he admits that in Brazilian star Kaka, AC Milan have a player who can also lay claim to being one of the greatest in the game today.

Manchester United boss Ferguson admitted: “I think on present form Cristiano and Kaka are the two best players in the world. I watched Kaka the other night and he did very well.”

Kaka, 25 today, has been dazzling in the Champions League, making up for a relatively poor domestic season by Milan’s high standards.

He scored the winner at Anderlecht, when his side were down to ten men, and then hit a superb hat-trick in the return fixture.

And his extra-time solo effort against battling Celtic put Milan through to the quarter-finals, in which he netted from the spot against Bayern.

KAKA using the same uniform with Cristiano...

Cristiano, Kaka And Ronaldo Would Be Special Together - Galliani Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani admitted that he would love to have Cristiano Ronaldo partner Kaka at Milan.

While he refused to declare one player over the other, Galliani was quick to suggest that Ronaldo could be Kaka's perfect creative ally, behind the other Ronaldo.

"Who is better, Kakà or Cristiano Ronaldo? We had to be tough to go to find a player of Kakà's calibre in Brazil," said Galliani.

"He's the top scorer in the Champions League and he has been extraordinary.

"He scored twice and has the pure class of a phenomenon.

"We wouldn't change Kakà with Ronaldo but we would definitely like to have both of them.

"However, life doesn't allow you to have everything.

"If you had Ronaldo in attack and Kakà and Cristiano behind, then you could calmly go to the cinema and without worry ask how Milan got on."