Source: Daily_Mail
Kaka's San Siro goodbye? Emotions run high as City switch edges closer
Kaka has been the subject of a world-record transfer bid from Manchester City
Nobody does drama quite like footballers in Italy and here in Milan — as Kaka deliberates over a move to Manchester City — the hearts and minds of the Rossoneri are being manipulated as easily and complicitly as those downtown at La Scala opera house.
Even the weather was perfectly appropriate on Saturday night as a mist so dank and heavy settled over Milan’s famous old stadium that it enveloped the upper tiers.
Lower down, in the more expensive seats, mutiny was in the air.
The banners were as blunt as on would have expected:
‘Sell Kaka and you sell our soul’
‘I believe in money’
The chants, meanwhile, were familiar.
‘You can stick your money up your a**e’, was one particularly familiar message to City and their wealthy Sheik.
Milan’s winning goal came early on from the right foot of the club’s latest Brazilian star, Alexandre Pato.
The night, though, was all about his more celebrated forerunner.
Kaka could be set for an emotional AC Milan farewell
Kaka interrupted his warm-up to deliver a salute to the supporters he says he does not wish to leave.
With one hand held fast to his heart, the other dispensed kisses into the winter sky.
They were returned in their thousands.
More...
We won't replace Kaka if he goes to Manchester City, insists AC Milan's Galliani
Man City 1 Wigan 0: South American connection has Blues buzzing in anticipation
Fulham owner Al-Fayed labels Manchester City's£100m pursuit of Kaka as 'madness'
One respected football observer once told me how he watched David Platt’s return to England after his celebrated spell in Italy and noticed how a lad from Chadderton suddenly had all the mannerisms of an extra from the Godfather trilogy.
Watching this drama unfold, it was easy to understand why Serie A and all that comes with it would prove so contagious.
On occasions like this, playing football for a big Italian club is about so much more than the actual football.
Kaka, of course, is perfect for the role. His football is uncomplicated yet so graceful.
His enormous brown eyes betray every emotion.
David Beckham (left) wants Kaka to stay at the San Siro
Against a Fiorentina side that were ultimately unlucky not to take a point, Kaka was — at times — his team’s best player.
Physically unimposing, the Brazilian is nevertheless strong enough in his upper body to free himself from opponents, rather like Paul Gascoigne used to.
He is also quicker than one would imagine, as he showed here in drawing a hacking, lunging foul from Juan Manuel Vargas in the first half.
What had started as an equal chase for the ball with the Peruvian had become embarrassingly one sided after just 10 paces.
AC Milan supporters are desperate for Kaka to stay at the club
We will forgive Kaka the dive he provided in an attempt to win a penalty later in the same half and, indeed, the rather selfish efforts on goal he contributed as Milan succumbed to disjointed inertia in a second period that belonged to the opposition.
At times he merely seemed to be trying too hard.
At full time, Milan’s adopted son embraced every single one of his team-mates.
While many of his colleagues swapped shirts with opposition players, Kaka kept his on as he blew more kisses to the 66,000 who had turned out.
The conspiracy theories swirled around the stadium’s press box immediately.
Is this his way of saying goodbye? Will we see him again?
The truth is that, here in Italy, nobody knows.
More...
We won't replace Kaka if he goes to Manchester City, insists AC Milan's Galliani
Man City 1 Wigan 0: South American connection has Blues buzzing in anticipation
Fulham owner Al-Fayed labels Manchester City's£100m pursuit of Kaka as 'madness'
Afterwards David Beckham —who endured a difficult home debut in front of England assistant coach Franco Baldini — spoke eloquently on the night’s burning subject but rendered himself almost unquoteable when he suggested no footballer is motivated by money.
Kaka breezed through the interview area with a smile and a wave.
Understandably, he said nothing.
Soon afterwards, Beckham, Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, Paolo Maldini, and Clarence Seedorf followed him through.
Tough to leave? You could say that.
THE£100 MILLION QUESTION... WOULD KAKA BE WISE TO JOIN CITY? WRITE YOUR COMMENTS IN THE BOX BELOW.
