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Brazilian Kaká is young. He only plays his second season in the famous Serie A. However, he has already managed to become a star and earn respect both in the football world and in the world around him.
AC Milan's general manager Ariedo Braida recently stated that the acquisition of Kaká was one of the most successful decisions he has made during his time at the club. Legendary stylist Giorgio Armani made the Brazilian one of the faces of his advertising campaign. And due to his participation in charitable events, Kaká often has to miss regular events for a justifiable reason.
In other words, Kaká is very popular in the Apennines. He is very pleasant in communication and does not show any signs of a star disease. Recently, Italian journalists could verify this in an interview with this young player.
COULD HAVE ENDED UP AT "CSKA", BUT CHOSE "MILAN"
AC Milan's general director Ariedo Braida insists that by inviting you, he managed to compete in a tough battle with competitors. Specifically, you almost ended up in England. Was it not Manchester, with which you will soon have to play the return Champions League match? - I indeed could have ended up in England, but not there.
- And what stopped you? - The option with Chelsea was such: in the first season, I would have to play in Russia - at the club. I was not satisfied with such a sequence of events.
- Were you afraid of the cold? - No. Italy, compared to Brazil, also has a non-angelic climate. And these days the temperatures here are record-breakingly low. So you can get used to the cold. I just thought that I was ready to take a risk and jump into one of the strongest national championships in Europe.
FOOTBALL IS NOT BALLET
- In your first season at Milan, you played brightly, scoring quite frequently. This year, your performance has not been as good, despite the recently scored crucial goal into the goal. How would you comment on this? - I will only say that I don't feel any guilt or remorse. Yes, I sometimes face criticism, but that is a normal phenomenon. That's not the most important thing for me; the most important thing is that Milan wins. Indeed, I score less than in the previous season, but my teammates receive productive passes from me, I play more for the team. I dare say that I still influence the course of the game, but in other ways.
- Are you not bothered that Milan struggles to win victories, even though your team is always expected to play a bright and shining football? - Not at all. Football is not ballet, where artists have to show high art every time. Moreover, opponents are not going to give us such an opportunity. Today's Milan is strong in character and confident in its abilities. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to win so many matches at the very end of the game. And the bright game will return, believe me. Many Italian football fields in winter do not help for a bright game. In spring, it will be much easier for such a technical team as Milan.
RONALDINHO IN "MILAN"? WHY NOT!
- Last year, you integrated well into your new team. You immediately found common ground with Andriy Shevchenko, who compliments you every opportunity he gets. - Shevchenko is a great footballer and a wonderful partner. Before the derby game against Inter, he asked me to give him a gift in the form of a goal, and I managed to please him. I dedicate my goal to the Inter gate specifically to Andriy. I wish him a quick return to the lineup. And also - never to receive such terrible injuries again.
- As a Milan player, you have played against Inter four times and have already scored three goals against this team. How can you explain your inclination to score goals against your most principled rival? - Most likely, it is because derbies are special matches. And derbies in such a grand stadium as San Siro, even more so. If even my Brazil national team partner Ronaldinho, who has to play in the equally famous Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona, was fascinated by the Milan beauties, then what can be said about us, Milan players! San Siro gives you incredible emotions in any match, and during the derby, the players feel like in a big celebration.
- Since you mentioned Ronaldinho, tell us: is his transfer from to Milan real? After all, rumors about it are disturbing the whole city. - In modern football, nothing can be ruled out. So I would not want to say one hundred percent that Ronaldinho will play for Barcelona for the rest of his time. It is quite possible that in the future he could end up in the Milan team, why not? Moreover, I repeat, the atmosphere at the San Siro stadium made a very deep impression on him.
IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THAN THE SCUDETTO
- How do you see your own future? - For now, only in the Milan club. Fate has given me a great opportunity to be in a wonderful team, so it would be a sin to complain. I was well received here, I fell into a prestigious and interesting championship, I have already won the scudetto. We have new, intriguing tasks ahead. All this gives new incentives.
- Your coach Carlo Ancelotti recently said that winning the Champions League is more difficult than in the Italian championship, although many think the opposite. What would be your opinion? - I probably agree with the coach. Starting from the quarterfinals, the Champions League turns into a tournament where one single match can take away all your chances. In a two-round face-off, one unsuccessful evening is enough, and everything is immediately lost. The situation in Serie A is different. For example, we recently lost twice in a row. Critics hastened to almost hand over the title , but then "Juventus" stumbled, and we surpassed the main rival. In the long run, you have time to catch up and regain lost positions. There is no time for that in a sprint.
WANT TO MAKE A DOUBLE
- Tickets for the return match of Milan against Manchester United seem to have been so long ago that it's even hard to imagine that they were ever on sale. Everyone is waiting for something special from this match. What are you waiting for? - We won a very important victory away and played quite successful matches at the Old Trafford stadium, considering the combination game that everyone expects from Milan. Many consider us favorites before the return match. I think we are, but it doesn't affect us. It is necessary to forget about success in England and set our minds to the match against Man Utd as a final. Maximum concentration is needed from the first minute to the last. We are facing a very serious opponent, so there can be no thoughts of relaxation.
- Is Milan strong enough this season to win both the scudetto and the Champions League? - Of course, none of us would refuse such a double. But the competition in Italy from the Juventus side, and the competition of European clubs in the Champions League are so big that we should not rush with loud statements. I am sure we have the potential. We will work on realizing it.
